THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 41, NO. 16 | NOVEMBER 22, 2019
100 for 100 Centenarian helps Chiefs celebrate 100 years of the NFL By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
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ONNER SPRINGS — Melba Mills thought she’d never see a Kansas City Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium. After all, the opportunity had not yet come up — and she was now 100 years old. Yet, there she was, on the field before the home opener, shaking the hand of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and accepting the football he practiced with before the game. “When I was out on the field and he came up to me, he said, ‘I hear this is your big day. I got something for you,’” said Melba. “And then he handed me that football. I think they had to carry me off the field,” she added, elated. The Chiefs chose Melba as their featured 100-year-old fan during this 100th season of the National Football League.
The NFL produced a video about Melba, which has been viewed on social media around one million times. You can find it on the Chiefs Facebook page. In the same week, the Chiefs treated her to a private tour of Arrowhead and hosted her and her family at the Sept. 22 game against the Baltimore Ravens. A lifelong Bonner Springs resident and member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Shawnee, Melba’s humor, wisdom and faith have impacted her family and friends — and now the Chiefs Kingdom — for an entire century.
An unexpected conversion “My Catholic faith is everything,” said Melba, who will turn 101 on Dec. 7. But Melba didn’t grow up Catholic, and >> See “100-YEAR-OLD” on page 6
LEAVEN PHOTOS BY MOIRA CULLINGS
Melba Mills displays a football autographed by Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and her number 100 jersey, both gifts from the Kansas City Chiefs.
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
ARCHBISHOP
Our priorities should reflect our allegiance to the Lord
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his coming Sunday is the solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. The feast was originally instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 in response to a growing secularism and nationalism. Webster defines secularism as “indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations.” As a philosophy, secularism seeks to interpret life on the principles taken solely from the material world. If Pope Pius XI thought secularism was a challenge in 1925, what would he think of our society today? One manifestation of the strength of secularism in the United States is the aggressive efforts by powerful forces within American society to limit severely religious liberty to include only freedom of worship. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Clearly, our Founders did not want a state religion. Many had fled post-Reformation Europe, where they had suffered persecution under stateestablished religions. At the same time, the Founders sought to protect the free exercise of religion. They did not want a state religion persecuting other religious groups but, rather, wanted individual Americans to have broad freedoms to live in a manner consistent with
LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN their deeply held religious beliefs. As recently as the 1990s, both the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that required the government to respect the religious convictions of Americans. The right of religious expression was to be limited only when it impinged on an even more fundamental right and, in those rare cases, the government must pursue a course that was least burdensome to religious freedom. The secular state was imagined to be a neutral arbitrator protecting the rights of free expression of a variety of religious beliefs without giving preference to any particular creed. Sadly, a growing atheistic secularism in recent decades has sought to impose its own belief system upon Americans. It attempts to sanitize any reference to God from public life, even though this was clearly not the intent or the practice of our Founders. Pius XI was also concerned about an
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extreme nationalism that should not be confused with patriotism. Our faith encourages us to be patriotic by being engaged citizens who strive to contribute to the welfare of our nation. Pius XI was concerned about an extreme nationalism that contributed to the causes for World War I and also led to World War II. The solemnity of Christ the King reminds us as Catholics that our first allegiance is to God. Jesus Christ is the Lord of our lives. Jesus came to inaugurate a kingdom. However, his kingdom is not political or geographical or based on race or ethnicity. Our Lord’s kingdom is not based on popular support or military superiority. His kingdom is a kingdom of the heart. For members of his kingdom, our first priority is to live in a manner consistent with his teaching and example. Who is the Lord of our life? What is most important to us as evidenced by the time and attention we devote to it? For some people, the Lord of their life is money or the material comforts money can provide. For some, it is being respected and well regarded by others, especially one’s professional peers. For some, it is entertainment or the experience of intense pleasure. For some, it is our
Jim Larkin
Sam Garcia
ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN Nov. 22 Retirement reception for Jeanne Gorman and Leon Roberts — Savior Pastoral Center St. Cecilia Guild Mass and reception — Church of the Nativity, Leawood Nov. 23 Pastoral visit — Holy Spirit, Overland Park 35th anniversary Viviano Variety Show benefit — Rockhurst High School Nov. 24 Crosier Mass and brunch — Savior Pastoral Center
The solemnity of Christ the King reminds us as Catholics that our first allegiance is to God. personal autonomy and in the words of that great philosopher — Frank Sinatra — doing things my way. For the Catholic, the Lord of our life, the king of our heart, is Jesus Christ. This should be self-evident by the priorities of our lives. If Jesus is truly our king, then prayer — time in conversation with the Lord — must be a significant part of our daily schedule. If Jesus is our king, then the Sunday Eucharist is the most important event in our weekly schedule and nothing could prevent us from
participating. If Jesus Christ is our sovereign, then it will be apparent by our concern and respect for others, especially the poor, the weak and the vulnerable. If Jesus is Lord, then people should admire in us an irrepressible hope and joy. On Christ the King Sunday, let us ask the question: Do the priorities of my life give evidence that Jesus is Lord of my heart? If your answer is “yes,” praise God! If your answer is “not really,” it is time for an attitude and priority adjustment.
Pastoral visit — Good Shepherd, Shawnee Nov. 25 Filming of “The Chair” — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas Finance Council meeting Nov. 26 Envisioning Team meeting Nov. 27 Chancery staff Thanksgiving Mass and breakfast — Savior Pastoral Center Dec. 1 Pastoral visit — Most Pure Heart of Mary, Topeka
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NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
ARCHBISHOP WANTS CHURCH TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
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Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann wants women to look to the church first when dealing with a crisis pregnancy.
Archbishop invites church to join a year of service to pregnant women By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service
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ALTIMORE (CNS) — Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann sees the day that Catholic parishes can be one of the first places a woman facing an unexpected or challenging pregnancy can turn to for assistance rather than think of seeking an abortion. To that end, the archbishop, who is chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, invited his fellow bishops to devote a year of service to pregnant women starting in March. In a presentation the first day of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall general assembly, the archbishop said Nov. 11, parishes could offer a variety of support services to women who may be thinking about whether to carry their child to term. “Women facing challenging pregnancies should see the church as a place where they can find help, especially with our myriad of social services and organizations dedicated to meeting the needs of people in crisis,” he said. “The challenges can be immense for women in difficult pregnancies, especially women in poverty,” he added. The archbishop cited statistics from abortion providers in 2014 that showed that 75% of women who chose abortion were poor, 60% were in their 20s and 86% were unmarried. The year would begin March 25, 2020, the 25th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”). He called the year “Walking with Moms in Need: A Year of Service.” “The 25th anniversary year of ‘Evangelium Vitae’ gives us a wonderful opportunity to assess, expand and communicate resources to pregnant moms and families in need,” Archbishop Naumann told the assembly. The outreach would focus on women “at the peripheries, both outside our parishes, as well as inside our parishes,” the archbishop explained. “Pope Francis has repeatedly challenged us to go to the margins and bring hope and help to those in need. It’s what Catholics do. It’s what Jesus expects of us,” he told the assembly. During discussion of the plan, Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of Yakima, Washington, explained how the three dioceses of Washington state — his diocese, the Spokane Diocese and the Seattle Archdiocese — are now in the fifth year
“WOMEN FACING CHALLENGING PREGNANCIES SHOULD SEE THE CHURCH AS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN FIND HELP, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR MYRIAD OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN CRISIS.”
CNS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, speaks during the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore Nov. 11. of a program of outreach to pregnant women, offering services so that abortion is prevented. He said the effort has involved more than half the parishes in the state and that the outcome has inspired participants and families. Such collaborative efforts are exactly what the Committee on Pro-Life Activities has in mind in introducing its year of service, Archbishop Naumann said, adding, “We want to learn from what you are doing and share that with other dioceses.” The pro-life activities committee’s effort began with a survey of parishes and Catholic charitable agencies to better understand what services to pregnant women were being offered. “We know that more than 500,000 pregnant women are helped each year through a network of more than 2,700 pregnancy help centers, where many of our people volunteer,” Archbishop Naumann said. “Well over 150,000 low-income mothers deliver their babies at our Catholic hospitals each year. Many tens of thousands of pregnant and parenting moms are helped
President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)
each year through our Catholic Charities programs and help agencies. These are very encouraging numbers. Yet we also see that there are significant gaps.” He suggested that broader work is necessary to communicate the services currently offered. The pro-life activities committee is developing educational, pastoral and action-oriented materials for parish use during the year of service. Specifically, he said parishes would have tools for documenting local resources for pregnant mothers in need; suggestions for improving parish response; and prayers and reflections on the teachings of papal encyclicals “Evangelium Vitae,” “Evangelii Gaudium” (“The Joy of the Gospel”) and “Laudato Si’, on Care for our Common Home.” Other resources will include homily aids, parish bulletin inserts, pulpit announcements, ideas for parish-based activities, and communications and outreach suggestions. All materials will be posted in English and Spanish on the committee’s website: www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities.
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Social Media Editor/Reporter Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
Three ways to help now 1. Follow the “Walking with Moms in Need” initiative by signing up to receive monthly prayer intentions and updates on this year of service. Find a link at: archkck.org. 2. Start a conversation with friends and family about how it’s not enough to just vote pro-life; we have to help pregnant and parenting moms in need in our parishes and our neighborhoods. Points to share include the fact that 75% of women who choose abortion are low-income, and that the purpose of this year of service is to ensure that women facing challenging pregnancies should see the church as a place where they can find help. 3. Donate at least $30 to a local pregnancy resource center or charity that helps moms in need. This will get you on their mailing list and help you stay connected with what’s happening.
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NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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THE GIVING SEASON iGiveCatholic means your help is just a click away
By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
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ANSAS CITY, Kan.— When Don Lueger attends Mass at St. Mary Church in St. Benedict, his thoughts always turn to God. But they also turn to the wiring. The church, built in 1893, is so beautiful that it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. In 2011, it was named one of the “Eight Wonders of Kansas.” The church was wired for electricity in 1913. Over the years, the parish has employed additional wiring for various things, but the basic electrical infrastructure is still the old “tube and knob” wiring installed when Woodrow Wilson began his first term as president of the United States. “There are a lot of old structures that still have [tube and knob] but, yes, it makes you nervous,” said Lueger. The rewiring project, however, will cost $125,000. That’s a big chunk of change for a small, rural parish.
Watch party The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas is sponsoring a watch party from 4 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Ascension Parish, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park. All are welcome. Refreshments will be available, donated by the KC Bier Company, Southern Glaser’s Wine & Spirits and Swoon Cookie Crafters.
Lueger is a board member of the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas, and he knew about something that could help his parish’s wiring situation: iGiveCatholic, an online crowdfunding effort that will last the full 24hours of Tuesday, Dec. 3. The website is at: iGiveCatholic.org Lueger approached his pastor, Father Reginald Saldanha who approved the proposal, so the parish is participating in iGiveCatholic for the first time this year.
The power of online giving St. Mary Church is not alone. This year, 200 archdiocesan entities — parishes, schools and ministries — are participating in iGiveCatholic. Last year, 47 participated in the fundraising effort. This is actually part of a larger, national “Giving Tuesday” effort. iGive Catholic is the Catholic participation that began five years ago with the Archdiocese of New Orleans. iGiveCatholic is different from traditional fundraising campaigns — it’s online, most donations are small and it reaches a whole different segment of the population. Donors can give to one organization or as many as they want. “This is the third year,” said Kathryn Robards, marketing coordinator for the CFNEK, “that the CFNEK has sponsored this [iGiveCatholic] opportunity for the parishes, schools and ministries of the archdiocese. Each organization has the opportunity to develop a fundraising project or goal for the project they want to raise money for.”
All kinds of needs Last year, St. John Paul II Parish in Olathe used the iGiveCatholic campaign to raise funds for technology items to produce and livestream events. Now, they’re doing something different. “This year, we’re supporting our new sister parish, Holy Name of Jesus in Kansas City, Kansas,” said pastor Father Andrew Strobl. “They have a need for a more secure entrance.” The entrance to the school cafeteria is also the entrance to the parish hall. What the parish needs is security cameras and new, secure doors. The estimated cost of the improvements is $3,500 — certainly a reasonable goal for this kind of approach. “This is a great opportunity for our parishes to work together,” said Father Strobl. Any amount can make a big difference for a small ministry, and Vince Eimer hopes that donors will respond to the needs of Christ’s Peace House of Prayer near Easton. “Each year we’ve participated has brought in $1,500 to $2,000, which is helpful,” said Eimer, director. “For an operation our size, that amount of money can make a real difference.” Christ’s Peace House of Prayer is a retreat center that relies on freewill donations. The wish list this year includes a new laptop computer, replacing the chapel windows, restaining the guest cabins, and a regrade and regravel of the parking lots and pathways. “These are maintenance projects that have been delayed too long,” said Eimer. “We need to get the place as strong as possible for the future.” Another archdiocesan participant with needs is St. John the Evangelist Parish in Lawrence. The church is nearing the 100th anniversary of its construction. Naturally, in a building that old, issues develop. For St. John the Evangelist, the issue is the subflooring in the carpeted areas of the sanctuary. A mixed collection of flooring types built over the generations means they can’t lay carpeting smoothly — thus creating a hazardous situation. The project will cost $91,000, and the parish would like to do the work during the summer of 2020 when school is out.
To donate To donate, go to the national website at: iGiveCatholic.com. Scroll down the home page to a blue map of the United States. Next, click on the “plus” sign in the upper-left corner of the map to zoom in on Kansas. Now click on the red dot that marks the location of Kansas City, Kansas. This will take you to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas home page. From there, donors can locate the organization they want to fund by: typing a keyword into one of two search windows under “Search For A Ministry To Support”; by using the “Select a Cause” option; or by clicking “View All” under the blue “Search” button and scroll through the list of organizations. Each organization has a “landing page” that gives information about the organization’s needs or project. Some landing pages have more information than others, but they all have “Donate” and “Fundraise” buttons. There’s even a little blue button on the lower-right corner of each landing page that will connect donors to a support team if they have questions or run into problems.
Countdown to giving iGiveCatholic will begin precisely at midnight on Dec. 3 and end at 11:59 p.m. For people who for some reason can’t give on Dec. 3, said Robards, the iGiveCatholic.org website will open for advance giving from Nov. 18 to Dec. 3. Those who aren’t “tech-savvy” can donate by giving a check or cash directly to their designated recipient, said Robards. But online donors have an advantage: They can track how well their organization is doing in real time by following the “leaderboards” on the iGive Catholic.org website.
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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Charities program there for struggling moms By Jan Dumay Special to The Leaven
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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Giving birth in the United States is vastly different than in rural Nepal, where women typically give birth in cow sheds, resulting in high maternal mortality rates. So on Oct. 1, when Sonu Limbu, a refugee from Nepal now living in Kansas City, Kansas, gave birth to a daughter she named Prana, she was grateful for the support of the Pregnancy Maintenance Initiative (PMI), a program of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. Not only did Limbu, 35, learn what to expect about giving birth in a hospital, unlike her previous experience giving birth to an older daughter in Nepal, she was also provided life-saving information on topics like safe-sleep practices and car seat safety. “I have learned so many things that I didn’t know before,” Limbu said through an interpreter. “I learned how to have a baby in the United States. I didn’t have any idea. I am very thankful about this program.” So is Andrea Duenas, 25, also of Kansas City, Kansas, who went through the PMI program last year and is raising her one-year-old daughter, Alina. “They provided me with a car seat, with a crib, tons of diapers, wipes, clothes, even toys and books for my baby,” Duenas said. “Not having the burden of worrying about things like that was amazing!” she added. “I loved the women there. They were so supportive through the whole process. “I had low moments, and they were just there to uplift me. It was great.” Because access to prenatal care is not always an option, the program’s goal is to provide a healthy pregnancy and healthy birth each year to about 50 women. The free program is offered to any pregnant woman living in Wyandotte or Johnson counties, and one-time staff visits are available for those living outside those counties. In addition, the program offers counseling and support for six months after delivery. There are no income eligibility requirements, although most participants have limited financial resources. In addition to supplying material necessities for the caring of a baby, the program provides individual support on everything from the importance of going to prenatal doctors’ visits and what to expect during labor and delivery, to education about nutrition, bottle hygiene and tummy time. Sixty-six percent of the 50 women are refugees, said Heather Roberts, coordinator of the program. Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is the largest resettlement site in Kansas, resettling each year some 400 refugees who have fled their homelands because of persecution. Many are married with more than one child, and come from many places,
Heather Roberts is the coordinator of the Pregnancy Maintenance Initiative (PMI), a program of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas.
Sonu Limbu, left, a refugee from Nepal now living in Kansas City, Kansas, got the support and supplies she needed to raise her daughter Prana by participating in the PMI program of Catholic Charities. such as Burma, the Congo and other African countries that speak Swahili. Confidential pregnancy counseling is provided in a caring, nonjudgmental way, with honest information provided regarding parenting and adoption options, Roberts said. “It’s her choice, but we’re able to go through both journeys,” Roberts explained. “We’ve had some ladies that will start to think, ‘I’m going to place a child for adoption’ and she comes to us with that. And throughout the time and
counting the cost of adoption for her and her family and that child, it wasn’t the right decision to place that child for adoption. But she’s able to keep that relationship with us because she’s already built it. We’re able to continue to work with her while she parents. “Other ladies aren’t sure if they’re going to place a child for adoption or parent. Throughout [the] time, they really lean on placing a child for adoption, and so we walk with them through that whole journey of adoption and beyond.” “Either way,” concluded Roberts, “we’re here for them.” When a woman contemplates adoption, faith is always part of the conversation, she added. “It’s just part of why they view adoption as a valuable option,” Roberts said. “The cool part of our program is that we’re able to pray with ladies if they’re going through a difficult time. We might not have the answers, but there’s been more than one time we’ve prayed with the ladies.” Roberts’ biggest joys include getting to know the women and seeing them grow as a mother and seeing their child grow. “We truly help people,” Roberts said. “After the program, they reach out and thank us, share pictures. It’s really amazing, just seeing that it does help them; there is that connection. “We can’t always fix everything, but we can be there. We can give emotional support and that’s very important as they navigate motherhood, whether it’s baby No. 1 or baby No. 4. Each baby has unique challenges.” For first-time mom Duenas, the comfort of having her hand held through
Ways to give back this holiday season The Pregnancy Maintenance Initiative program currently is in need of the following: • Diaper cream • Baby lotion • Wipes • Newborn diapers • Clothing – new or gently used — 0 – 12-month boys clothing. Winter only (including sleepers) — 0 – 2T girls clothing. Winter only (including sleepers) • Larger baby blankets (not receiving blankets) • Teethers • Gift cards to Walmart for car seats and strollers • Toys that babies can hold with their hands For more information, call (913) 433-2063, or visit the website at: catholiccharitiesks.org/pregnancy.
her pregnancy and six months beyond was a godsend. “I love the program. It was great,” said Duenas. “I wouldn’t have been able to get some of those supplies I needed without them.” But it was as much the emotional support as the practical assistance that saw her through. “If I could have stayed longer, I would have,” she said of the program. “I still keep in contact with some of the ladies and they always check to see how we’re doing.”
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NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
FAMILY LIFE
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Move to meet people with love — even around the family table
eligion and politics. The two subjects you’re supposed to avoid in polite conversation. Except that the holiday season is when faith and family collide. Feasts like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s bring moments ripe for conversation with relatives — for better or for worse. What can we do when talking about our beliefs with family feels as dangerous as driving on ice-covered roads? A 2019 survey found that 49% of Americans reported skipping a family gathering because conversations with relatives have become so uncomfortable and divisive. But 70% also wish their interactions with family members during the holidays were more meaningful. When faith is central to our lives, how can we approach family gatherings, office parties or neighborhood potlucks when we know those closest to us may not share our beliefs? Jesus is the perfect place to start. Remember that he
LAURA KELLY FANUCCI Fanucci is a mother, writer and director of a project on vocation at the Collegeville Institute in Collegeville, Minnesota. She is the author of several books, and blogs at: www.motheringspirit.com.
ate dinner with prostitutes and tax collectors. Known sinners. Social outcasts. But he sought them out, moving out from his comfortable circles of like-minded friends to those who were completely different from him. He sat at table with people whose lives looked nothing like his own. He passed food and shared conversation with those who might not have held any beliefs in
common with him. Yet he still offered them radical welcome, grounded in love. Jesus knew what it felt like to be in the midst of uncomfortable conversations. The Gospels are full of tense moments — Pharisees plotting to trick him, enemies laying traps and unexpected encounters interrupting his plans. Yet over and over again, he moved out to meet people where they were. Not standing at a safe distance, judging or gossiping, but pulling up
a chair beside them and seeing them as beloved by God. There’s no magic formula for navigating holiday gatherings with difficult relatives. But we have the model of mercy in how God himself sat down at the table next to sinful, imperfect humans. He listened with love. He asked questions. He challenged when necessary, but not before listening and loving — and never without mercy. Imagine how our family parties could change this year if we
offer a quick prayer to Jesus for a loving heart and a gentle tongue when we find ourselves seated next to a complicated conversation partner at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Remember those wise words that often surface when people of faith debate how and whom to help after a disaster: “We don’t help them because they’re Christian; we help them because we’re Christian.” The same holds true for our holiday conversations.
100-year-old steals the hearts of the Chiefs
>> Continued from page 1
throughout her childhood, propaganda painted the church in a negative light. “I would not walk past a Catholic church,” she said. “When I was going to high school, I’d go around the other side because I thought the pope had an arsenal in the basement.” Years later, Melba went on to do something she never imagined — she married a Catholic. Melba occasionally attended Mass with her husband Maurice, but found more enjoyment in bringing him to the Christian Church down the street, where she belonged, to show him what he was missing. “I’d think, ‘Now he’ll see the difference,’” she said. “We didn’t have to kneel, we didn’t have to do [the religious rituals] that he had to do.” But after a while, Melba started attending classes at St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas, to learn more about the faith and eventually met with the priest one-on-one. “I said to myself, ‘When I get through enlightening him, he’s going to take that collar off and follow me,’” she said determinedly. But it turns out, the priest had a response to everything she wanted to know — and he even turned some questions around on her. “I thought, ‘My gosh, this isn’t going the way I’d planned it,’” said Melba. “So, I kept on going until he got me instead of me capturing him!” After Melba joined the church, she helped her mother convert to Catholicism and went on to raise six children
who continue to practice their faith. Although her first husband passed away in 1960, Melba believes their discussions on the faith had a lifelong influence on her family. “What I attribute to all of my children being good Catholics and active in the church is the fact that my husband and I would sit around and drink coffee and discuss our religion,” said Melba. “And the kids grew up hearing about it constantly. “I think that’s the most important thing of all — for parents to know it and teach the kids to know it,” she added.
An experience of a lifetime Melba, now remarried to her husband Don and still close with her children, has lived a life full of surprises. And meeting Mahomes is high up on the list. So how did she come to that moment? When Monte Mitchell and Mary Mitchell, her son and only daughter, discovered their mom had been following Mahomes’ journey with the Chiefs — and even had an entire file of newspaper clippings related to him — Monte reached out to the organization. He thought maybe they would give her a hat signed by Mahomes or offer her tickets to a game. “Unbeknownst to me, they were looking for a 100-year-old fan because the NFL is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year,” said Monte. The Chiefs chose Melba and, since then, she’s stolen the hearts of both
Kansas Citians and Chiefs players, who Melba feels grateful to have met during her time at Arrowhead. “They sure have been nice, all of them, just as nice as they can be,” she said. Her love for Mahomes grew even more after witnessing his kindness and humility in person, Melba explained. “If he was proud and haughty, nobody would care about him as much as they do,” she said. “They like him because he’s humble and he acts like you’re just as good as he is.” The only disappointment of her experience? Discovering Mahomes already has a girlfriend. But the actions of the entire team made up for that, as each of the players went out of his way to make her feel special. “When they came down to the field, this wasn’t planned at all, but they all filed by me,” said Melba. “Every one of them shook my hands and greeted me [before the game]. They didn’t have to do that. “They didn’t treat me like some old lady 100 years old. They treated me more like a regular human being.” Now that the rush of excitement has calmed down, Melba remains overwhelmed with gratitude. “When I look back on it, I can appreciate it more than I did at that moment,” she said. “Because you’re so stunned and startled and amazed. “You’ve got too many other emotions until you get settled down and realize what a privilege it was to see these people and to see what nice people they are.”
We don’t show love and mercy to someone simply because they’re Catholic — because their beliefs align nicely with ours or their comments never ruffle any feathers. We show love and mercy because we’re Catholic, followers of Christ who moved out to the margins and sought out the ones whom polite society dismissed and righteous folks shunned. By definition, every human family is complicated and imperfect. Ironically, the ones closest to us can be the ones hardest to handle. We’ve all felt that ache — or anger — when someone dismisses or denies the faith we love. Does it bother us, as committed Catholics, when family members don’t share our beliefs? Of course. If we have found beauty, truth and goodness in God, we naturally want to share it with others. But no matter what, Christ calls us to pull up a chair and meet each person with compassion. The God of the Eucharist is waiting to meet us around the holiday table, too.
Don and Dorothy (Brock) Chamblin, members of St. Pius X Parish, Mission, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary Nov. 28 with Mass at St. Pius. The couple was married on Nov. 28, 1959, at Redemptorist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Their children are: Don Chamblin, Doug Chamblin, Diane Utz, Denise Chamblin and Dana Chamblin. They also have 10 grandchildren.
ANNIVERSARY submissions submissions ANNIVERSARY POLICY: The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th anniversary notices. They are for parishioners in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas DEADLINE: eight days before the desired publication date. INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • The couple’s names • their parish • the date they were married • church and city where they were married • what they are doing to celebrate • date of the celebration • names of children (no spouses) • number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; WHERE TO SUBMIT: Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or email: todd. habiger@theleaven.org.
Your generosity helps the church achieve its mission
D
ear Friends,
This Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. Interestingly, in 1925 Pope Pius XI established the Feast of Christ the King as an antidote to secularism. This feast is more pertinent today than almost 100 years ago when it was originally instituted. Secularism has become even more pervasive in our time. When we ignore, or even worse, deny the Lordship of God, we place an impossible burden on our shoulders and we undermine our own dignity. Jesus tells his disciples to “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Mt 6: 33). Material wealth can actually result in spiritual impoverishment if it fosters the illusion that we are in control of our own lives and have no need for God. We can believe the lie that our worth is based on our personal achievements or our material wealth. In a culture of unprecedented material prosperity, depression and suicide rates are at epidemic levels. The evidence surrounds us that material things are incapable of satisfying the deepest longings of our hearts. Our secular culture is adept at providing opportunities for pleasure, but is unable to give us authentic joy. As St. Augustine discovered more than 1,500 years ago, our hearts are restless until they rest in God. Jesus counsels his disciples: “Blessed are the poor in Spirit.” Why? Because they realize their need for God! The spirituality of stewardship is based on a profound gratitude that results from our understanding that everything, including life itself, is a gift from God. When we give God the Lordship of our hearts and accept that everything has been given to us through his grace, we are relieved of the burden of attempting to prove our worth. The goal of our life is no longer to amass more possessions, but rather to enjoy and to use what has been entrusted to us in ways that glorify God. Our Catholic faith is such a gift. It teaches us that the cosmos and the beauty of the natural world did not happen by chance. We discover in the wonder and order of creation, the divine imprint of the Creator. It takes much more faith to be an atheist than a Christian. Defying the laws of probability, an atheist believes that everything we observe in the universe, including our own existence, is the result of pure chance. It is no accident that modern science developed in a Christian culture. Without an acknowledgment of order in the natural world, science makes no sense. However, as Christians, we believe in something much more beautiful: that there is a Creator of the cosmos. We believe this Divine Architect desires friendship with us, so much so that God took upon himself our human condition. We believe in a God who has pursued us and sought us. The God revealed in Jesus Christ is a God who desires for us to share in his life, eternal life. Our Catholic faith is the pearl of great price. It is a treasure of great worth that we must not keep to ourselves but must seek to share. In early October, more than 1,500 delegates from every parish and ministry in the archdiocese gathered for the Enflame Our Hearts Convocation. The convocation participants left with a mission to assist their pastors to help our parishes become vibrant communities where the joy of the Gospel is celebrated and shared. In early 2018, we embarked upon the One
Faith, One Family, One Future in Christ Campaign, inviting Catholics from throughout the archdiocese to make sacrificial gifts to strengthen our parishes, to care for our retired priests, to equip Villa St. Francis to provide quality care for the elderly, to make Savior Pastoral Center both physically accessible and able to serve better even more people, and to help fund efforts like the Enflame Our Hearts Convocation in order to create a culture of evangelization. I am pleased to report that we have raised more than $36 million to date from fewer than 6,000 households. From a relatively small number of donors, we have already raised 57% of our $65 million goal. Since this time last year, we have raised more than $20 million and $2.5 million has already been returned to parishes to meet their local needs. Our second wave of parishes will have completed the bulk of their campaigns by the end of this calendar year.
ARCHDIOCESAN
ANNUAL REPORT Almost half of our parishes will participate in the third and final phase of the campaign in 2020. I am grateful to everyone who has supported this historic initiative, especially the parish volunteers who have been inviting their fellow parishioners to participate in this important endeavor for the future of the Catholic community in northeast Kansas. I encourage each and every Catholic to make a sacrificial gift to the campaign. More information can be found at faithfamilyfuture.archkck.org I continue to be edified and inspired by the generosity of the parishioners of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Your support of our parishes, our schools, Catholic Charities, the Catholic Education Foundation, Call To Share and so many of our ministries reflects the depth of your faith in Jesus Christ and your love for his church. My commitment to you is to strive to become a better shepherd, a better servant leader, for the church. I also pledge to be transparent in reporting to you how your sacrificial gifts are being used to build up God’s Kingdom in northeast Kansas. Gratefully yours in Jesus, the Lord of Life,
+ Joseph F. Naumann Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas
2019
From the chief financial officer
T
Transparency
he financial information you see on these pages shows you the sources (income) and uses (expense) of the funds at the archdiocese for the most recent fiscal year and the year prior. A comparison of the two years and explanations of differences over $100,000 and 10% are provided. This statement agrees in total to the audited annual financial report that is posted on the archdiocesan website under https://www.archkck.org/Finance. Some category amounts may differ due to updates in presentation. There are essentially four classifications of sources of funds: fees and other income, ACTS (Archbishop’s Call to Share Annual Appeal), assessments and collections, and cathedraticum. Following is a brief description of each. Fees and other income: Some offices charge fees for services, such as School Fees to cover administration, Youth Camp registration fees, rental fees at Savior Pastoral Center, The Leaven. Additionally, investment earnings, contributions, and campaign donations are recorded here. By far the largest source is health and dental premiums for all covered employees of the archdiocese. ACTS: This annual appeal is conducted each January-March to raise funds for the following fiscal year. Based on analysis and information produced by a committee of laity and priests, the Presbyteral Council makes a recommendation to the archbishop for the allocation of funds. Assessments and collections: Includes amounts assessed to parishes or regions for Savior Pastoral Center and youth formation, as well as the Catholic Charities Christmas collection and priesthood present and future collection. Cathedraticum: Annual tax as provided under Canon Law Section 1263 for the bishop to fund the administrative costs of the diocese. The amount and method varies by diocese. The uses of the above funds are listed down the page and are divided by categories, which correspond to the five pastoral priorities of the archbishop. A short explanation of each priority is provided under each heading. Additionally, use of funds for each line item is broken down between columns based on the origin of the funds received to pay for the spending. For example: Under the pastoral priority of education is communications. Communications received funding from restricted funds (fees/ other income), ACTS and cathedraticum. The total spending for the office of communications is found in the total column. The bottom line is the net of the income sources and uses. In cases where the net is negative, balances saved from previous years are used. It is also important to know that all funds received with donor restrictions are accounted for to ensure that those funds are used only for the purpose the donor intends.
The results What to take away? Overall, both fiscal years 2018 and 2019 yielded positive bottom lines. These results were due to the influx of capital campaign pledges. Capital campaigns usually have at least two years of raising pledges, three years of receiving pledges and then another few years of spending the campaign funds to execute the campaign cases. Because accounting rules require that we record the pledges when received, we have a mismatch of results because in the years when the pledges are made, we record the income, but we have not spent the money (and may not have even received the money yet). Then once all of the funds have been received, we start to spend the money. In those years, we have no capital campaign income, but we will be recording the capital campaign distributions as expenses, yielding bottom line losses. This can make the reading of the financial statements in the years of capital campaigns very confusing! • Of the $69,694,035 in income in 2019, $20,664,193 was campaign income, and • Of the $58,145,785 in expenses in 2019, $4,888,047 was campaign expense. • Therefore, of the $11,548,250 in net income, $15,776,146 is from the capital campaign. The difference in net income is a net loss of just over $4 million. About half of this loss is due to health and dental care claims in excess of premiums collected and most of the remainder is due to a gift of property to the parish of St. Paul in Olathe as a result of the relocation of the parish facilities.
Additional information In addition to the operating statement presented, there are funds, including national collections and special emergency collections, we call “pass-through funds” that are collected at each parish, sent to the archdiocese and then forwarded on to their final destination. This schedule shows the reach of our collective generosity beyond the boundaries of our parishes and our archdiocese. The sidebar on transparency is included to shed light on the funds used in our efforts to protect children and vulnerable adults through background checks and training all employees and volunteers in the archdiocese who have interactions with children in the scope of their duties. When an allegation of abuse is made, there are also costs associated with victim assistance and canonically required assistance for the priest. In 2019, we began tracking legal expenses related to sexual abuse claims separately from legal costs that arise in the normal course of business. A substantial amount of these costs went to the independent law firm we engaged to review all priest personnel files so that a list could be published of priests within the archdiocese who had a credible allegation of abuse any time since the 1940s.
A of Kansas City in Kansas OPERATING STATEMENT FOR 2018 AND rchdiocese Funded by: ------------------> Expenses
Income
Fees/Other Income Archbishop’s Call to Share Assessments and Collections Cathedraticum $38,863,616 56,140,971 $6,548,898 $6,298,458 $3,849,877 $3,856,666 $3,390,990 $3,397,937 $52,65 2018 2019 2018 2019 2018 2019 2018 2019
CONVERSION
At the heart of the church’s ministry is facilitating for its members an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. Central to what it means to be Catholic is the development of a friendship with Jesus through prayer and reflection. Vicar for Clergy and Clergy Support Programs 14,330 402,636 409,040 Liturgy and Sacramental Life 207 56 156,410 158,592 Office of Hispanic Ministry 11,875 16,611 329,406 298,017 Emporia-Hispanic Ministry 25,000 25,500 Totus Tuus 44,325 13,550 7,208 28,884 Savior Pastoral Center 856,943 827,838 97,812 87,293 300,000 324,999 Christ Peace House of Prayer 60,105 60,000 Campus Ministry: Donnelly College KCK 45,000 45,000 St. Lawrence Center-KU Lawrence 132,500 130,000 Didde Center-Emporia 84,000 86,500 Catholic Center-Washburn Topeka 76,000 78,000 Catholic Center-Haskell Lawrence 18,000 72,000 54,000 Other 15,824 48,520 2,978 50,000 47,500 11,000 Total Conversion
929,173
938,905
1,088,419
1,101,785
300,000
324,999
450,136
420,040
$40 15 3 2
1,25 6
4 13 84 76 7 6
$2,76
EVANGELIZATION The commission that Jesus gave to the church was to go and make disciples of all nations. The church can never be content with itself as it is currently constituted. We must always be guided by a missionary impulse to share the gift of our faith with others. Evangelization 3,360 12,051 305,213 486,104 Evang. & Catholic Formation-Youth, Ranch & Camps 1,425,016 1,079,001 482,034 319,728 Rural Youth Outreach Programs 31,962 62,503 125,659 152,286 Urban Youth Outreach Programs 14,000 17,829 125,418 135,106 Urban Youth Outreach Capital Needs 50,000 50,000 Digital Resource Center 4,893 4,829 112,828 119,844 Propagation of the Faith 7,240 5,043 Native American Evangelization Fund 3,600 3,600 Other 163,644 3,564 1,200 1,250 Total Evangelization
1,486,471
1,344,900
903,675
932,840
301,076
337,392
1,200
$30 1,90 1 13 50
1,250 $2,69
EDUCATION
An essential component of the church’s ministry is the education of the next generation of disciples, as well as the continuing formation of all its members. Permanent Diaconate Office and Program 4,471 7,089 213,451 221,078 Vocations 36,879 38,673 145,845 147,563 Archdiocesan Education Office 375,057 366,786 248,583 242,236 Perfect Wings Program 5,696 17,049 88,078 90,962 Children’s Catechesis 1,500 5,210 89,171 104,254 Marriage and Family Life 55,565 47,041 279,871 291,713 Child and Youth Protection 313,307 335,331 Leaven Newspaper 1,111,097 1,113,480 Communications 43,240 13,000 75,000 75,000 22,040 42,863 School of Faith - Grant 327,000 327,000 High School Tuition Assistance 225,000 225,000 Catholic Education Foundation 330,000 340,000 Bishop Ward Operations Assistance 125,000 125,000 Seminarians 483,748 496,253 687,695 740,495 Continuing Education for Priests 172,855 165,199 Ward H.S. Capital Improvements 100,000 100,000 Donnelly College Scholarships 200,000 200,000 Donnelly College Capital Needs 200,000 200,000 Elizabeth Ann Seton Tuition Assistance 105,000 403,703 446,602 Other 19,316 9,500 30,000 156,000 39,169 46,300 82,250 Total Education
2,241,569
2,114,080
2,176,998
2,189,806
1,920,253
1,891,464
381,647
$2 18 62 9 9 33 31 1,1 14 32 22 330 12 1,17 17 100 200 200 50 2
460,443 $6,72
OUTREACH: Serving Those in Need
The church is called to make the love of Jesus real and tangible in the world today, especially to the poor, the vulnerable and those on the peripheries. Archdiocesan Tribunal 6,645 2,517 329,711 337,259 $33 Special Needs 21,611 13,605 184,700 185,697 20 Social Justice 850 98,058 107,661 9 My House Initiative 20,249 25,477 92,192 95,693 1 Pro Life 23,885 12,650 203,841 195,259 22 Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas 450,000 450,000 488,288 517,845 93 Villa St. Francis-Geriatric Assistance 100,000 340,000 170,000 170,000 270 El Centro - Kansas City 41,000 41,750 4 El Centro-Topeka 40,000 40,000 40 Other 70,245 145,907 56,620 43,386 12 Total Outreach
243,485
540,157
1,279,791
1,286,060
488,288
517,845
386,331
380,645
$2,39
STEWARDSHIP
Catholic spirituality begins with profound gratitude resulting from the realization that everything, including life itself, is God’s gift. Thus, the question for every Christian is: What is God calling me to do with all that he has entrusted to me? Campaign Distributions and Bad Debt 1,564,139 5,498,671 106,710 114,330 47,102 145,000 Stewardship/Development 42,344 40,000 325,988 316,997 383,899 372,426 School/Parish Emergency Fund 75,620 125,060 Urban Core Operations Support 241,167 271,245 Urban Core Capital Support 100,000 100,000 Priest Retirement Fund 195,000 595,000 930,000 Finance 30,000 278,495 251,695 Human Resources 120,227 137,533 297,483 268,914 Other Property Expenses 35,722 41,396 Accounting 65,184 217,295 584,556 441,029 Financial and Controls Auditor 105,602 106,927 Archives 17,140 18,277 Real Estate/Construction 156,657 140,089 Mission Strategy 2 113,807 108,230 Cor Christi Grants and fees 480,203 562,899 Depreciation of physical assets 639,734 643,426 Other 1,534,007 30,000 54,133 53,911
$1,7 7 7 2 100 790 27 4 3 64 10
15 11 48 63 8
Total Stewardship
2,307,821
8,061,800
1,074,485
927,632
642,102
1,075,000
2,631,506
2,404,925
$6,65
Total Pastoral Priorities
7,208,518 12,999,842
6,523,368
6,438,123
3,651,720
4,146,700
3,850,820
3,667,303 $21,23
ARCHDIOCESAN ADMINISTRATION AND INSURANCE
General Expenses of the Archdiocese 10,012 12,903 206,725 156,841 USCCB, KS Catholic Conference,& Legal 325,000 601,167 654,798 Chancery 324,531 348,267 16,727 15,548 Archbishop Emeritus Office and Home 92,769 216,328 Archbishop Office and Home 1,456 1,247 326,198 367,528 Administrative Services (Chancellor/VG, IT, etc) 23,697 29,539 277,354 276,173 Deposit and Loan 519,429 Property and Liability Insurance Claims 1,047,409 901,252 Health and Dental Claims and Bad Debt 24,602,182 27,584,084 Other 4,303 4,305 Total Administration and Insurance
$26,528,715 $29,202,293
Total Expenses
$33,737,233 $42,202,134
Net
$5,126,383
13,938,837
$-
$-
$6,523,368
$6,438,123
$25,530
$(139,665)
$-
$21 6 34 9 32 3 51 1,04 24,60
$- $1,525,241 $1,691,520 $28,05
$3,651,720 $4,146,700
$5,376,061 $5,358,823 $49,28
$198,158 $(290,034) $(1,985,071) $(1,960,886)
$3,365
D 2019
Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas REVENUE ACTUAL 2018 vs 2019
Total Year over Year Change 53,381 $69,694,035 1 $17,040,654 32% 2018 2019 $ %
Actual Revenues Year Ended June 30, 2018 Archdiocesan Assessments and Collections 7,240,867 25.9% Archbishops Call To Share Annual Appeal 6,548,898 23.4% Fees Generated by Offices and Other 6,096,569 21.8% Net Investment Income 2,649,703 9.5% 02,636 $423,370 $20,734 5% Bequests and Contributions 843,890 3.0% 56,616 158,648 2,032 1% One Faith, One Family, One Future in 341,281 314,628 (26,653) -8% Christ and Private Appeal 4,571,335 16.4% 25,000 25,500 500 2% 51,533 42,434 (9,099) -18% 54,755 1,240,130 (14,625) -1% $27,951,261 100% 60,105 60,000 (105) 0%
45,000 32,500 4,000 76,000 72,000 66,302
45,000 130,000 86,500 78,000 72,000 109,520
- (2,500) 2,500 2,000 - 43,218
0% -2% 3% 3% 0% 65%
67,728 $2,785,729
$18,001
1%
Not included in pie chart: Health and Dental Insurance Premiums
24,702,120
48%
Actual Revenues Year Ended June 30, 2019 7,254,603 6,298,458 6,582,883 1,516,675 1,754,123
16.5% 14.3% 14.9% 3.4% 4.0%
20,671,477
46.9%
$44,078,218
100%
25,615,817
50%
08,573 07,050 157,621 39,418 0,000 117,721 7,240 3,600 1,200
$498,155 2 1,398,728 214,790 152,935 50,000 124,673 5,043 3,600 168,458 3
189,582 61% $(508,322) -27% 57,168 36% 13,517 10% - 0% 6,952 6% (2,196) -30% - 0% 167,258 13938%
93,773 90,671 35,436 13,307 111,097 40,280 27,000 25,000 0,000 25,000 71,443 72,855 0,000 0,000 0,000 08,703 251,617
108,011 109,464 338,753 335,331 1,113,480 130,863 327,000 225,000 340,000 125,000 1,236,748 165,199 100,000 200,000 200,000 446,602 130,919 4
14,238 15% 18,794 21% 3,317 1% $22,024 7% 2,382 0% (9,418) -7% - 0% - 0% 10,000 3% - 0% 65,305 6% (7,656) -4% - 0% - 0% - 0% (62,101) -12% (120,698) -48%
Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas EXPENSES ACTUAL 2018 vs 2019
Conversion 92,423 $2,616,382 $(76,041) -3% Evangelization Education Outreach: Serving those in need Stewardship Administration 217,922 $228,167 10,244 5% 82,723 186,236 3,513 2% 23,640 609,022 (14,618) -2%
20,467 $6,655,793
$(64,674)
Not included in pie chart: Health and Dental Insurance Claims
Actual Expenses Year Ended June 30, 2019 2,785,729 9.1% 2,616,382 8.6% 6,655,793 21.8% 2,724,706 8.9% 12,469,357 40.8% 3,309,733 10.8%
11.2% 10.9% 27.2% 9.7% 27.0% 14.0%
$24,686,199
100%
$30,561,701
100%
24,602,182
44%
27,584,084
47%
Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas HELP FOR THE NEEDY & DISASTER RELIEF
-1%
36,356 $339,776 06,310 199,302 98,908 107,661 112,441 121,170 27,726 207,909 38,288 967,845 0,000 510,000 5 41,000 41,750 0,000 40,000 26,865 189,293
Actual Expenses Year Ended June 30, 2018 2,767,728 2,692,423 6,720,467 2,397,896 6,655,912 3,451,774
For the Year Ended June 30, 2019
$3,420 1% (7,008) -3% 8,753 9% 8,729 8% (19,818) -9% 29,556 3% 240,000 89% 750 2% - 0% 62,428 49%
National Collections: Propagation of Faith (Includes World Mission Sunday) $778,012 Retirement Fund for Religious $90,553 Catholic Home Mission Appeal $49,624 Catholic University of America $29,559 Church in Latin American $44,115 Black and Indian Missions $50,126 97,896 $2,724,706 $326,811 14% American Bishops’ Overseas Appeal (CRS) $74,575 Operation Rice Bowl $51,058 1 Holy Land $90,007 Peter’s Pence (Collection for the Holy Father) $68,706 Aid to Church in Central and Eastern Europe $50,090 Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) $38,753 1 717,951 $5,758,001 6 4,040,050 235% Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) $10,945 1 752,231 729,423 $(22,807) -3% $1,426,125 75,620 125,060 49,440 65% 241,167 271,245 30,078 12% Special Emergency Collections: 0,000 100,000 - 0% Disaster Relief - 2018 Hawaii $14,368 0,000 930,000 7 140,000 18% 78,495 281,695 3,200 1% Disasters USCCB $24,185 417,710 406,447 (11,264) -3% $1,464,678 35,722 41,396 5,674 16% 49,740 658,324 8,585 1% 05,602 106,927 1,325 1% Outreach by Archdiocesan Entities: 17,140 18,277 1,137 7% Program Services Provided by Catholic Charities of NE Kansas $23,468,927 56,657 140,089 (16,568) -11% 13,809 108,230 (5,578) -5% 80,203 562,899 82,696 17% Tuition Assistance Provided by Catholic Education Foundation $2,300,891 39,734 643,426 3,692 1% 8 84,133 1,587,918 1,503,785 1787%
55,912 $12,469,357
5,813,445 87%
34,425 $27,251,968
$6,017,542 28%
1 Archdiocese remits 75% of Operation Rice Bowl, 75% of Catholic Campaign for Human Development and 50% of Catholic Communication Campaign. The amounts retained in the archdiocese are used to fund archdiocesan programs.
s
16,736 $169,744 (46,992) -22% 601,167 979,798 9 378,631 63% 41,258 363,815 22,558 7% 10 92,769 216,328 123,559 133% 27,654 368,775 $41,121 13% 301,051 305,712 4,661 2% 11 19,429 (519,429) -100% 12 47,409 901,252 (146,157) -14% 02,182 27,584,084 13 2,981,902 12% 4,303 4,310 7 0%
53,956 $30,893,817
$2,839,861
10%
88,382 $58,145,785
$8,857,403
18%
5,000 $11,548,250
$8,183,250 243%
NOTES
1 Income increased $17M. One Faith capital campaign pledges increased $16M and Health & Dental premiums increased $900K. 2 Evangelization increased 189K due to spending on the 2019 Convocation. 3 Evangelization Other increased $167K due the spending of restricted donations for capital improvements at Prairie Star Ranch. 4 Education Other decreased $120K due to spending on the closure of Immaculata High School in 2017. 5 Outreach to Villa St. Francis increased $240K from contributions received from Santa Marta (income)and sent to Villa St. Francis (expense). 6 Campaign Distributions and bad debt increased $4M due to the One Faith, One Family, One Future in Christ capital campaign. 7 Priest Retirement Fund increased $140K due to the actuarial determination of contributions required. 8 Stewardship Other increased $1.5M due to the gift of land to St. Paul’s parish for the building of the new school. 9 USCCB, Kansas Catholic Conference and Legal increased $378K due to extensive review of priest personnel files. 10 Archbishop Emeritus increased $123K due to move from a private home to a retirement community. 11 Deposit and Loan decreased $519K due to the separation of the Fund from Chancery operations. 12 Property and Liability claims decreased $146K due to fewer weather-related claims. 13 Heatlh and Dental Care Claims increased $3M due to more higher cost claimants and increased utilization.
TRANSPARENCY
2018 2019 Amount spent to assist victims with healing $5,106 $36,915 Counseling to aid in healing is offered to all victims. A Healing Assistance Coordinator works with victims to receive assistance. Victim Settlement $25,000 0 Priests Pay, benefits and retirement contribution $51,372 $52,424 Education $1,555 $1,445 Mental Health Counseling $164,211 $17,535 Canon 384 payments to credibly accused priests # of Priests
$217,138 2
$71,404 2
These priests have credible accusations but have not been tried and convicted in a court of law as the legal process is still pending. The Code of Canon Law section 384 requires the diocesan bishop to provide for the priest’s financial support and social assistance, including daily living expenses , health insurance and retirement. Normally, that is facilitated through the parish via Canon 222.1 where the Christian faithful are obliged to provide for the decent support of its ministers, however, in the case where a diocesan priest is not assigned to a parish, the responsibility falls back to his bishop. In the cases of these priests, the amounts also include mental health counseling. Child Protection efforts $311,892 $319,333 All archdiocesan employees and volunteers who have substantial contact with children and youth are required to complete on-going training for the protection of minors. Additionally, the archdiocese conducts criminal background checks on each person undergoing this training. Compliance with this program is checked by the archdiocesan internal auditor on a rotational basis as well as United States Conference of Catholic Bishops auditors on an annual basis.
This office also provides for an investigator. For additional information please go to: https://www.archkck.org/virtusinfo Legal Fees - $437,914 Legal Fees for dealing with the sexual abuse crisis were not tracked separately prior to 2019. 2019 Legal fees include $298,000 for independent review of all current and historical priest personnel records.
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
NATION/WORLD
Historian believes some of Virginia’s first slaves were Catholic
Oklahoma City archbishop mourns shooting incident OKLAHOMA CITY (CNS) — Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City expressed sadness following a shooting that claimed the lives of three people outside of an Oklahoma store. “It pains me to read, yet again, about the tragic loss of life due to gun violence and the devaluing of the inherArchbishop Paul S. ent dignity of every human person,” Coakley Archbishop Coakley said following the Nov. 18 incident in Duncan, Oklahoma. “We must do more to help people find better solutions. My prayers are with their families and friends who are suffering and for the Duncan community. May God bring peace, comfort and healing,” he said. The incident unfolded shortly before 10 a.m. outside a Walmart store in the town of 22,000 located about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City, according to police. Duncan Police Chief Danny Ford confirmed that three people died — one woman and two men, including the shooter, The Duncan Banner reported. A man and a woman were discovered in a car in a parking lot and one man on the ground near the vehicle, according to Ford. While the shooting occurred in the store parking lot, authorities were unsure if anything that may have precipitated the incidents happened inside the establishment.
Catholic leaders thank Rodney Reed supporters, pray for justice WASHINGTON (CNS) — Five days before the scheduled execution of deathrow inmate Rodney Reed — who gained the attention of Catholic leaders and celebrities alike — the top criminal appeals court in Texas granted an indefinite stay of his execution and said they were sending his case back to trial court for further review. The late-day deRodney Reed cision Nov. 15 by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals came just hours after the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles had recommended delaying Reed’s death by lethal injection. Catholic leaders who had urged people to speak up about Rodney’s case, citing lack of evidence of his guilt, took to social media after the decision was announced thanking people for their support and praying for justice. Sister Helen Prejean, a Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille, who is a longtime opponent of the death penalty, thanked the “millions of people who signed petitions, made phone calls, wrote letters and advocated” for Rodney Reed, saying in a Nov. 15 tweet that they “helped save an innocent man’s life!”
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By Zoey Maraist Catholic News Service
CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING
Pope Francis eats lunch with the poor in the Paul VI hall as he marks World Day of the Poor at the Vatican Nov. 17.
Having a poor friend will help you get to heaven, pope says By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
V
ATICAN CITY (CNS) — The poor are the church’s treasure because they give every Christian a chance to “speak the same language as Jesus, that of love,” Pope Francis said, during Mass for the World Day of the Poor Nov. 17. “The poor facilitate our access to heaven,” the pope said in his homily. “In fact, they open up the treasure that never ages, that which joins earth and heaven and for which life is truly worth living: love.” Thousands of poor people and volunteers who assist them joined Pope Francis for the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. After the liturgy and the recitation of the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis hosted a luncheon for 1,500 of them, while thousands more throughout the city enjoyed a festive meal at soup kitchens, parish halls and seminaries. Served by 50 volunteer waiters in white jackets, the pope and his guests in the Vatican audience hall enjoyed a three-course meal of lasagna, chicken in a mushroom cream sauce with potatoes, followed by dessert, fruit and coffee. To speak Jesus’ language, the pope had said in his homily, one must not speak of oneself or follow one’s own interests but put the needs of others first.
“How many times, even when doing good, the hypocrisy of ‘I’ reigns: I do good, but so people will think I’m good; I help, but to attract the attention of someone important,” Pope Francis said. Instead, he said, the Gospel encourages charity, not hypocrisy; “giving to someone who cannot pay you back, serving without seeking a reward or something in exchange.” In order to excel at that, the pope said, each Christian must have at least one friend who is poor. “The poor are precious in the eyes of God,” he said, because they know they are not self-sufficient and know they need help. “They remind us that that’s how you live the Gospel, like beggars before God.” “So,” the pope said, “instead of being annoyed when they knock on our doors, we can welcome their cry for help as a call to go out of ourselves, to welcome them with the same loving gaze God has for them.” The pope’s celebration of the World Day of the Poor concluded a week of special events and services for the homeless, the poor and immigrants in Rome. The poor served by the city’s Catholic soup kitchens and Vatican charities were invited Nov. 9 to a free concert in the Vatican audience hall featuring Nicola Piovani, the Oscar-winning composer, and the Italian Cinema Orchestra.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNS) — Just a few words in a letter of John Rolfe’s mark the arrival of the first Africans to Virginia in 1619. Four hundred years later, historians know little about the “20 and odd negroes” who arrived aboard the White Lion. They know their journey began in the port city and capital of modern-day Angola, Luanda, when they boarded the San Juan Bautista. Luanda was a slave trading hub. In the Gulf of Mexico, the vessel was attacked by two English privateer ships, whose sailors confiscated 50 to 60 of the enslaved people. One of the ships sailed to Port Comfort, Virginia, now known as Fort Monroe in Hampton. The Africans were then sold to wealthy colonists. Though much of the rich history of these men and women is lost, John K. Thornton, a professor of history and African American studies at Boston University, believes the homeland of the enslaved people suggests they were Catholics. Thornton presented his work at the George Washington Symposium at Mount Vernon in Alexandria Nov. 2. Christians arrived in that part of Africa more than a century before 1619, when a fleet of Portuguese explorers made contact with the Kongolese people. Kongo was a kingdom located in west central Africa in present-day northern Angola. The king of Kongo sent a group of ambassadors to Lisbon and at the end of the visitors’ three-year stay, they converted to Christianity. In 1491, the king of Kongo was baptized, too. His son, King Alfonso I, totally embraced Catholicism. “Alfonso took the project of making his country a Christian country really seriously,” said Thornton. The Portuguese sent missionary priests to administer the sacraments to the people. “One priest who came down said he thought Alfonso was an angel sent from heaven who knew the lives of the saints better than we ourselves knew,” said Thornton. Thornton believes the group of Africans who arrived at Point Comfort probably included many Ndongolese people who might have been Catholic, and a few of the Kongolese people, who were Catholic.
Archbishop Sheen will be beatified Dec. 21 at Peoria cathedral PEORIA, Ill. (CNS) — Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified Dec. 21, Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria announced late Nov. 18. He said the Vatican had just notified him of the beatification and he was announcing the news “with great joy and thanksgiving.” Plans for the beatification are already underway, the bishop said. The ceremony will be at 10 a.m. local time at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria. “This is the same cathedral where [Archbishop] Sheen was ordained a priest 100 years ago on Sept. 20, 1919,” said a Peoria diocesan news release. “It
seems entirely fitting that the beatification will take place at the end of this 100-year anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.” The cathedral also is the current resting place for the archbishop, who is entombed in a marble vault next to the altar where he was ordained. Archbishop Sheen had been placed in a crypt below the main altar of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York after his death on Dec. 9, 1979. After protracted legal proceedings, his remains were brought to Peoria June 27 at the request of his niece, Joan Sheen Cunningham, and now rest in a new marble tomb in the Peoria cathedral.
CNS FILE PHOTO
Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria announced Nov. 18 that Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (above) will be beatified on Dec. 21 in Peoria.
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CLASSIFIEDS
EMPLOYMENT Bus drivers - With multiple locations in Johnson County, Special Beginnings Early Learning Center provides high quality early childhood education in a safe, loving, Christian environment. With a balanced curriculum of preacademics and social-emotional development, children grow with us, build confidence, and a strong self-esteem. At Special Beginnings, we believe providing the right environment will give children the foundation to be successful in life. Special Beginnings Early Learning Center is seeking a part-time bus driver (15-20 hrs/week; no weekend hours) of a 15-passenger bus to drive children to school and/or pick them up after school. Duties include: safely transport children to and/or from school following ALL safety & security procedures; safely transport children to and from field trips and other off-site activities; follow a planned route on a time schedule; help children get on and off the bus; ensure children stay in their seat at all times; follow traffic laws and state and federal transit regulations; carefully navigate roads and watch for ice, debris or slippery spots; report accidents immediately; maintain “clean” driving record during off hours. We require the following: driver must be at least 25 years old (due to insurance requirements) with a “clean” driving record for at least 2 years; pass a background check; must maintain and practice safe driving and have a “clean” driving record; have patience and understanding when working with children ages 5-12 years old; enjoy working in a child friendly environment. Benefits: competitive benefit package; excellent support and training from an experienced leadership/management team; pay: $11-15/hour depending on experience. Elementary School Principal – St. Michael the Archangel School in Leawood is seeking an individual to serve as principal with demonstrated skills in spiritual and instructional leadership in Catholic schools beginning with the 2020-21 school year. The successful applicant will provide leadership, direction, and oversight to teachers and staff, as well as set goals and ensure successful completion of learning objectives for students. The principal will also establish and execute the school budget and coordinate activities and priorities with the pastor and parish staff. Applicants must be practicing Catholics, understand the mission of Catholic schools and have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Apply online at: www.archkckcs.org select “Employment” and send resume and credentials to: Superintendent Dr. Vincent Cascone, Catholic Schools Office, Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send an email to: vcascone@archkckcs.org. Community assistants - L’Arche Heartland of Overland Park serves adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in day program support services and in residential services. We are seeking assistants who are looking for a unique opportunity in a faith-based organization. We are in immediate need of day service assistants to work in our day program serving 30 adults. We have a recycling program and community activities. Our core members participate in distributing for Meals on Wheels and Rise Against Hunger. They also attend community events such as the library, movies, bowling and going to parks. We also have a need for live-in and live-out assistants in our five residential homes. If interested, contact Jamie Henderson, community leader, by email at: jamie@larcheks.org. General office assistant - Established company looking for an enthusiastic and detail-oriented general office assistant. Position involves customer care; ordering product; receiving; shipping; filing; invoicing; and other duties as assigned. QuickBooks knowledge is a plus. The company is also looking for someone with computer skills as well as ability to do light lifting. Dependable transportation is a must. Qualified candidates would demonstrate dependability, trustworthiness and excellent customer service abilities. If interested, send resume to: yourcareer101@gmail.com. Drivers - Assisted Transportation is now hiring caring and reliable drivers to transport K-12 students to and from school and other activities in company minivans. Positions are now available in Olathe, Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas. Competitive wages and flexible schedules. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. Call (913) 262-3100 or apply online at: Assisted Transportation.com. EEO. Service technicians - Established company is growing their business and looking for enthusiastic and detail-oriented service technicians. This position involves small equipment servicing at corporate customers; electrical knowledge a plus. Position involves lifting and walking as well as regional travel; dependable transportation is a must. The qualified candidates would have demonstrated dependability, trustworthiness and customer service abilities. If interested, send resume to: yourcareer101@gmail.com. Administrative assistant - Looking for something new? Use your administrative skills to help a developmental optometrist change people’s lives. The hours are: T/W/TH from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; summer hours vary. No health benefits. Need to know basic bookkeeping skills. Background needed in Work, Excel and QuickBooks. Customer service and medical office experience helpful. Send resume to: Dr. Beth Bazin, 13600 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64145 or send via email to: bbazin@visiondevelop.com.
Enrollment manager – Resurrection Catholic School is seeking a part-time enrollment manager for the 201920 school year. This individual must be fluent in both English and Spanish. The ideal candidate is organized, a self-starter, has strong written and verbal communication skills, feels comfortable initiating and maintaining conversation with others, and has experience with Microsoft Office and Google Suite. A bachelor’s degree is preferred. Marketing and sales experience are an asset. Interested applicants should send a resume to principal Lynda Higgins at: lhiggins@rcskck.org. Bell ringers needed - Holy Cross Parish is ready to start “ringing” again by reorganizing the bell choir ministry. The choir needs a volunteer director to work with a limited number of dedicated members to enhance the parish music ministry at Masses. The parish has a complete set of bells and chimes, as well as music just waiting to be heard! Contact Dee Dee at (913) 897-1504 or send an email to: Deetecc@aol.com for more information. The bell choir also needs more ringers to help round out our sound. Interested persons need not be members of Holy Cross to play, just love beautiful music and fun people to join! Career opportunity – Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City, Kansas, and Missouri metro areas, St. Joseph, Mo., and Maryville, Mo. This is ideal for a determined, high energy, high expectation, professional, self-disciplined, independent individual, who desires to serve others yet earn a better than average income. We provide top-rated financial products to our members and their families, and will provide excellent benefits and training. This is a full-time position. For more information or an interview, please contact John A. Mahon, General Agent, 1275 S.W. Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612; call (855) 3564849; or email: mahonagencymail2@kofc.org. School cafeteria workers – Holy Spirit School is seeking school cafeteria workers willing to learn all duties in assigned areas including: production; preparation; storage of food/supplies; accountability; and safety/sanitation. Workers may perform sales transactions and must interact with students in a friendly, service-oriented manner. Compliance with sanitation and safety requirements is essential, and basic math skills are required. Shifts will be Monday – Friday during the lunch hour when school is in session. Previous kitchen/cafeteria experience preferred but not required. If interested, please contact Larry at: lgroce@hscatholic.org to schedule an interview. Custodian - Bishop Miege has an immediate opening for a full-time evening-shift custodian. The hours are M-F, 3:30 p.m. – midnight, with occasional days and weekends. The custodian will maintain cleanliness of school building and grounds and ensure a safe and pleasant learning environment for students, staff and the public. Duties include, but are not limited to, general housekeeping and sanitation duties, event setup and light maintenance. The candidate must be able to navigate stairs, stand for extended periods and lift 50 lbs. regularly. Must have good communication skills and be able to relate positively and cooperatively with staff, students and the community. Send resume to: Ryan Wrigley, 5041 Reinhardt Dr., Shawnee Mission, KS 66205, or send an email to: rwrigley@bishopmiege.com.
HOME IMPROVEMENT The Drywall Doctor, Inc. – A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean! Lead-certified and insured! Serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655. Interior painting Update your ceilings and walls with a fresh coat of paint. Cracks repaired with no mess! Serving the Leaven readers for over 25 years. Call Jerry anytime at (913) 206-1144. Concrete construction - Tear out and replace amped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com. Rusty Dandy Painting, Inc. – We have been coloring your world for 40 years. Your home will be treated as if it were our own. Old cabinets will be made to look like new. Dingy walls and ceilings will be made beautiful. Woodwork will glow. Lead-certified and insured. Call (913) 341-9125. Popcorn ceiling removal - Renew your ceiling and walls with a fresh coat of paint. Replace drywall or plaster repaired with no mess!! 25 years’ experience. Call Jerry anytime: (913) 206-1144. Local handyman - Painting int. and ext., wood rot, power washing, staining, masonry (chimney repair, patio’s) gutter cleaning, water heaters, junk removal, lawn mowing, window cleaning, honey - do list and more!! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913)927-4118.
Quality work - Kitchens, bathrooms, painting and home repairs. Nothing too big or too small. Insured. Call Jimmy at (913) 206-4524. STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. EL SOL Y LA TIERRA *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation *Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 935-0176 Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 829-4336. NELSON CREATION’S L.L.C. Affordable home remodeling: Kitchens, baths, basements and room additions. All interior and exterior work. Honest, dependable, experienced and family owned. Licensed and insured. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. (913) 927-5240 or nelsport@everestkc.net
CAREGIVING Looking for assisted living at home? - Before you move, call us and explore our in-home care options. We specialize in helping families live safely at home while saving thousands of dollars per year. Call today for more information or to request a FREE home care planning guide. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www.benefits ofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591. Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary. Caregiver - Reasonable rates, years of experience with all kinds of medical issues and challenges. Will help with shopping, food preparation and basic personal care. Call (913) 602-1289. Caregiver - CNA has many years of experience with elderly and dementia patients. Will do meal prep, doctor appointments, errands, medication setup and companionship. Call Johnna at (816) 786-1093.
SERVICES Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704. Loving marital mediation - Retired Catholic lawyer and certified mediator will mediate your marriage to MEND IT - NOT END IT. Mary Ellen Rose. (913) 381-6400.
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Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided. Call (913) 940-2959. Rodman Lawn Care Lawn mowing, aeration, verticutting, mulching, Hedge trimming, leaf removal, gutter cleaning Fully insured and free estimates John Rodman (913) 548-3002 Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload and in-home moving. No job too small. Serving JoCo since 1987. St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner. Call Mike at (913) 927-4347 or send an email to: mike@mikehammermoving.com. Garage Door Repair New Garage Doors Platinum Amarr dealer, Elite Home Advisor top rating. Call Joe, mention The Leaven discount. A Total Door (913) 236-6440.
FOR SALE Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC) For sale - Two single crypts at Mount Calvary in the patio mausoleum, tier C. Valued at $14,950; will sell for $10,000. Call Pam at (913) 631-4911.
PILGRIMAGE Holy Land pilgrimage - Join our Holy Land pilgrimage, led by Father Brian Frain, SJ, Thomas More Center for Catholic Thought and Culture director, and Father Thomas Curran, SJ, Rockhurst University president, June 12 - 22, 2020. For more information, email Mary Beth Cary at: mary.cary@rockhurst.edu, or call her at (816) 501- 4140.
REAL ESTATE We buy houses and whole estates - We are local and family-owned, and will make you a fair cash offer. We buy houses in any condition. No fees or commissions and can close on the date of your choice. Selling your house as is never felt so good. Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer (913) 599-5000. CASH FOR YOUR HOME (913) 980-4905 Any condition in the metro area Mark Edmondson - local parishioner http://www.buykcproperty.com WE SELL HOMES - Looking to sell? This is a seller’s market. Call for a free consultation detailing the steps to selling your home. Ask about our 39-day sales guarantee. Mention this ad for a special offer. Call Jim Blaufuss, Re/Max Realty Suburban, at (913) 226-7442. Jimblau fuss@remax.net. Whole Estates Need to sell a home and everything in it? We buy it all at once in as-is condition. Call (816) 444-1950 or send an email to: www.wholeestates.com.
Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@ kc.rr.com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer. com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress.
Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee Maderak, (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.
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Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.
Clutter getting you down? - Organize, fix, assemble, install! “Kevin of all trades” your professional organizer and “Honey-do” specialist. Call or email me today for a free consultation at (913) 271-5055 or KOATorganizing@gmail.com. Insured. References.
Wanted to buy - Old cars or hot rods. Uncompleted project cars in any condition, with or without titles. Cash buyer. Call (913) 980-3559.
Speedy Guzman Moving and delivery Licensed and insured Anytime (816) 935-0176 Custom countertops - Laminates installed within five days. Cambria, granite and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee. HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com
WANTED TO BUY
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING The Leaven reaches approximately 50,000 subscribers. Cost is $20 for the first five lines, $1.50 per line thereafter. To purchase a Leaven classified ad, email The Leaven at: beth.blankenship@theleaven.org. The appearance of advertising in The Leaven is not an endorsement by either the newspaper or the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The Leaven attempts to screen advertisers and copy, but is not responsible for claims and representations made in advertisements.
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CALENDAR TURKEY BINGO All Saints Parish (hall) 809 Vermont Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.
Turkey bingo is sponsored by the Holy Rosary Sodality. For the cost of a $10 donation, you will receive one card, a Polish sausage and kraut sandwich, and a drink.
ENKINDLE CONFIRMATION RETREAT Prairie Star Ranch 1124 California Rd., Williamsburg Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Did you miss your parish confirmation retreat? This is an opportunity for sacramental preparation to help parents and confirmation directors with this struggle. The Prairie Star Ranch team offers the Enkindle Confirmation program for all youth preparing for confirmation who are unable to attend their parish retreat. Register online at: www.archkck.org. Go to “Ministries,” then “Prairie Star Ranch” and click on “Enkindle Confirmation.”
CHRISTMAS GIFT AND BAKE SALE Immaculate Conception Parish (Miege Hall) 711 N. 5th St., Leavenworth Dec. 7 from 5 - 9 p.m. Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. - noon FALL CRAFT AND BAKE SALE Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish 2014 N.W. 46th St., Topeka Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
A variety of items will be available for sale, including: quilts, tea towels, table runners, place mats and many other craft items. There will also be homemade cookies, candies, rolls and breads. Homemade soup and cinnamon rolls will be on sale and served during the sale.
DUKE MASON IN CONCERT Christ the King Parish 5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka Nov. 24 at 2 p.m.
Duke Mason and Lorena Prater will perform in concert as part of a Christ the King day of celebration to raise funds for the Early Education Center. Father Matthew Schiffelbein will make a guest appearance. The cost to attend is a freewill donation.
BLOOD DRIVE St. Joseph Parish 11211 Johnson Dr., Shawnee Nov. 25 from 1 - 7 p.m.
Schedule appointments online at: www.savea lifenow.org using the sponsor code: stjoseph catholic, or call Virginia Wiedal at (913) 2683874. Walk-in donors are welcome. A Chiefs T-shirt will be given to each donor.
On Dec. 7, there will be baked goods, gifts for sale and a silent auction. On Dec. 8, there will be a breakfast of a sausage and egg casserole and biscuits and gravy for the cost of a freewill donation.
FAMILY ADVENT RETREAT Divine Mercy Parish (Christian Formation Center) 555 W. Main St., Gardner Dec. 6 from 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Step back in time and experience the joy of the first Christmas. Join the Franciscan Servants of the Holy Family for a living Nativity featuring live animals, music and more. There is no fee to attend.
PROJECT CHRYSALIS Church of the Ascension Parish (St. Luke’s Room) 9500 W. 127th St., Overland Park Dec. 10 from 7 - 8:30 p.m.
CRAFT AND BAKE SALE Sacred Heart Parish (hall) 106 Exchange St., Emporia Dec. 7 and 8 after all Masses
‘UNIVERSALITY’ Church of the Nativity (Magi Room) 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood Dec. 7 at 9:15 a.m.
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CELEBRATION Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park Dec. 12 at 6 p.m.
The Sacred Heart Altar Society will hold an Advent craft and bake sale after the 5 p.m. Saturday Mass and the 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Masses on Sunday in the parish hall.
Come reflect on the topic of “Universality” in the tradition of Salesian spirituality with the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales after the 8:15 a.m. Mass. All materials are provided, and coffee and light refreshments will be served. To attend, contact Ruth Owens by email at: rowens4853@gmail.con. For more information, visit the website at: www.sfds association.org.
The celebration will begin with Mass and be followed with a reception in the parish hall. There will be Mexican pastries and hot chocolate. Mariachi music will be provided by Beto Lopez.
CHRISTMAS DANCE Church of the Nativity Parish (hall) 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood Dec. 14 from 7 - 11 p.m.
The SON (Singles of Nativity) group is sponsoring its annual Christmas dance. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $20 and includes food and drinks. For more information, contact Ana at: agrobe2@gmail.com.
NATIVITY DISPLAY Cathedral of St. Peter 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas Dec. 7 after 4 p.m. Mass Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Come enjoy family learning activities, treats, an Advent craft and a visit from St. Nicholas (bring a camera for pictures). This is a free event for family fun.
Join the Cathedral Parish at its annual Nativity display. There will be over 200 unique Nativity sets on display. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. There will also be a bake sale. All parishioners and non-parishioners are welcome to display their Nativity sets. For more information, call Julie at (913) 515-0675.
‘ENTERING INTO THE SEASON OF ADVENT LIGHT’ Sophia Spirituality Center 751 S. 8th St., Atchison Dec. 6 - 7
CHRISTMAS SHOPPE Queen of the Holy Rosary 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Dec. 8 from 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The retreat begins on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. and ends on Dec. 7 at 4:30 p.m. This silent retreat will explore ways the light of Christ touches our lives during this season of Advent. Times for personal prayer and small group faith sharing will be provided. The retreat will be presented by Sister Mary Pat Johnson, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth. The suggested donation of $140 includes the retreat, a private room and meals. Scholarships are available. To register, call (913) 360-6173 or go online to: www.sophia spiritualitycenter.org.
LIVING NATIVITY Douglas County Fairgrounds (community indoor arena) 1930 Harper St., Lawrence Dec. 8 from 4 - 9 p.m.
Project Chrysalis is a Catholic ministry designed to help parents who have lost a child find hope through sacred Scripture and community in a time of transformation. There will be a video with Father John Riccardo speaking about hope. Bring a couple of photos of your child for the photo board and for our Christmas remembrance candles. More information can be found on the website at: www.hopeinscripture.com. Grandparents and immediate family members are also invited to attend.
ADVENT DAY OF REFLECTION: ‘HE CAME INTO THE WORLD’ Conception Abbey Guest Center 37174 State Hwy. VV, Conception, Missouri Dec. 5 at 8:30 a.m.
Spend the day reflecting on the real reason we celebrate Christmas. The day includes reflections, private prayer time, Eucharist and lunch.
Come enjoy fun and fellowship and eat a hot and hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and all the fixings. The cost is: $6 for adults; $3 for kids 6 - 12; and kids 5 and under eat for free.
The Christmas Shoppe is coming again this year to benefit John Paul II School. There will be 50 vendors with a variety of Christmas gifts and more. Shop with us, have lunch and take home a casserole for dinner. Santa will also visit.
BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS Divine Mercy Parish (Christian Formation Center) 555 W. Main St., Gardner Dec. 8 from 7:30 - 10 a.m.
HARK TOPEKA Capitol Plaza Hotel & Convention Center (Emerald Ballroom) 1717 S.W. Topeka Blvd. Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m.
There will be a craft beer festival, a threecourse dinner, a Christmas concert and a silent auction. This event is a fundraiser to help support Hayden High School’s performing arts and TARC. For more information, to make a donation or to buy tickets, go online to: HarkTopeka.com.
DIVORCED: CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN Church of the Ascension (St. Luke Room) 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park 2nd and 4th Sundays from 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Called to Love Again is a community of support and formation for divorced Catholics. The Nov. 24 talk will be: “The Art of Gratitude.” Enjoy dessert and fellowship while hearing witness talks from our recent retreat. The Dec. 8 talk will be: “Navigating Divorce and the Holidays” by family therapist Stacie Cordell, who will offer tips and insights. Visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/giftofself143 or send an email to: calledtolove143@gmail.com. There will be no meeting on Dec. 22.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR VICTIMS/ SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE Johnson County area Twice monthly
This will be a safe, supportive environment to talk about the impact to your lives, to know you are not alone, and to promote healing. To protect the privacy of potential participants, contact Linda Slater-Trimble for information on days, times and location of meetings by email at: lslater-trimble@archkck.org; or by phone at (913) 298-9244. Must be at least 18 years of age to participate.
MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP DEVOTIONS Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish 7023 W. 71st. St., Overland Park Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.
Come join this group who prays this devotion weekly. Prayer includes the Mother of Perpetual Help novena and Benediction. For more information, call Martin at (913) 213-8810.
WIDOWED WOMEN OF FAITH Perkins Restaurant and Bakery (Back Room) 1720 S.W. Wanamaker Rd., Topeka Dec. 17 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Join other women of faith for lunch and companionship. No RSVP is needed. We can help each other ease the pain and get through this time in life. For more information, send an email to: WidowedWomenofFaith@ gmail.com
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CELTIC CHRISTMAS St. Columbkille Parish (hall) 13311 Hwy. 16, Blaine Dec. 14 from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
There will be holiday cookies and candies sold by the pound, homemade cinnamon rolls, kolaches, breakfast burritos, homemade soups, sandwiches and homemade pies. There will also be holiday shopping vendors. For more information, call (785) 927-0282.
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NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Nov. 24 OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE 2 Sm 5: 1-3 Ps 122: 1-5 Col 1: 12-20 Lk 23: 35-43 Nov. 25 Catherine of Alexandria, virgin, martyr Dn 1: 1-6, 8-20 (Ps) Dn 3: 52-56 Lk 21: 1-4 Nov. 26 Tuesday Dn 2: 31-45 (Ps) Dn 3: 57-61 Lk 21: 5-11 Nov. 27 Wednesday Dn 5: 1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 (Ps) Dn 3: 62-67 Lk 21: 12-19 Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Day Sir 50: 22-24 Ps 138: 1-5 1 Cor 1: 3-9 Lk 17: 11-19 Nov. 29 Friday Dn 7: 2-14 (Ps) Dn 3: 75-81 Lk 21: 29-33 Nov. 30 ANDREW, APOSTLE Rom 10: 9-18 Ps 19: 8-11 Mt 4: 18-22
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Good bridges make good neighbors
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t the time of its U.S. debut in February 1968, I was too much of a “big kid” to watch a TV show geared to ages 2-5. Only much later did I learn how much I missed in never watching “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” My interest in Fred Rogers, the host of the show, was kindled by a tiny book, both in physical size and pages, given to me by a parishioner. It contained excerpts from Rogers’ “The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember,” like love, courage, inner discipline and “being good neighbors as citizens of the world.” Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister who used his creative gifts of composing, writing and puppeteering to engage children with respect and help them to deal with and understand a world that’s not always nice. He started his show with this song he wrote: “I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you! I’ve always wanted to live
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MARK MY WORDS
FATHER MARK GOLDASICH Father Mark is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989.
in a neighborhood with you. So let’s make the most of this beautiful day.” What’s the essential aspect of being a good neighbor? It boils down to kindness and compassion in everyday life. This story illustrations that: A young man was busy at his job of carrying out the groceries at a local supermarket. On one of his frequent trips, he caught sight of a woman in the parking lot struggling with her groceries. Her cart was
packed, as were her arms. As the boy headed back into the store, he noticed that the woman, like many people, put one of her packages on the roof of the car while she hunted for her keys and opened the door. Then, she began to transfer her sacks from cart to car. After getting in her car and starting to drive away, the young man saw she’d forgotten to retrieve the package that she’d placed on the roof. Immediately, he sprinted after her. When she made a turn to exit the parking lot, the package on the roof rolled off. Fortunately, the boy caught the package — the woman’s baby — just before it hit the
pavement. (Story found in “Illustrations Unlimited,” edited by James S. Hewett.) Now, our being a good neighbor usually won’t involve such a lifesaving action. But helping another person in any way changes the world for the better. Here’s what Mister Rogers had to say about it: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.” A prime example of that is Richard Sack, whose story is featured on the back page of this issue. His volunteer work as prison volunteer, youth counselor, teacher and builder was recently recognized with an award from the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. I love that Sack is pictured in his “character-
istic bib overalls,” attire that says to me he’s come to work, not just talk or supervise. Maybe all Christians should consider adopting bib overalls as our clothing of choice to let the world know that we’ve come to serve, not to be served. Honestly, though, can living in a kinder way really impact the world? Well, here’s Mister Rogers again: “Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person. There have been so many stories about the lack of courtesy, the impatience of today’s world, road rage and even restaurant rage. Sometimes, all it takes is one kind word to nourish another person. . . . One kind empathetic word has a wonderful way of turning into many.” The holidays will present us with many interactions with others in various settings. Especially in these days, rather than asking, “Who is my neighbor?” let’s smile instead and say, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”
Jesus’ anointing identifies him as the ‘Messiah’
n ancient Egyptian wall painting shows a servant holding a cone on top of the head of his master. The cone is chilled olive oil, which has solidified so that it could take the shape of a cone. On top of the person’s head, it would slowly melt and cool the person. This is the same image provided in Ps 133:1-2: “How good it is, how pleasant, where the people dwell as one! Like precious ointment on the head, running down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, upon the collar of his robe.” In the hot and dry climate of the Middle East, olive oil would soothe and refresh the skin. It was often applied after bathing, much as we
IN THE BEGINNING
FATHER MIKE STUBBS Father Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.
might apply lotion. Besides this everyday use of olive oil, though, the ancient Israelites also used it
to inaugurate someone into high office. This explains the reference in Psalm 133 to Aaron, who was high priest. The ceremony of ordaining a man as priest involved anointing with oil. Similarly, the ceremony installing a man as king also involved anointing with oil. We might compare it to crowning a king during the Middle Ages,
POPE FRANCIS Liturgical musicians have the unique calling to interpret God’s will and love through song and praise, Pope Francis said. “Every Christian, in fact, is an interpreter of the will of God in his or her own life and, by his or her life, sings a joyful hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God,” the pope said Nov. 9 during a meeting with participants at a Vatican conference on interpreting sacred music. The conference, titled “Church, Music, Interpreters: A Necessary Dialogue,” was sponsored by the
or the contemporary practice of administering an oath of office to the newly elected president. Anointing with oil would seal the deal. Sunday’s first reading, 2 Sm 5:1-3, tells us: “When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, King David made an agreement with them there before the Lord, and they anointed him king of Israel.” This was not the first time that David had been anointed. As a boy, the youngest of Jesse’s sons, he had been anointed by the prophet Samuel, much to his and everyone’s surprise (1 Sm 16:1-13). Once David had grown as a man and proven his worth as a leader, he was anointed king of Judah (2 Sm 2:4). Eventually, David was
also chosen to be king of the remaining Israelite tribes, as we see in Sunday’s reading, and was anointed king of Israel. Besides anointing kings and priests, the Old Testament also speaks of anointing prophets. It is not certain whether this involved an actual ceremony or was a metaphorical way of speaking. Similarly, Jesus was acclaimed as the anointed one, which translates into “Messiah” in Aramaic or “Christ” in Greek. By calling Jesus the anointed one, his followers were saying that God had designated him to be our spiritual leader, our priest, prophet and king. That is what we celebrate, on this solemnity of Christ the King.
Pontifical Council for Culture, the Pontifical Institute for Sacred Music and the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm. Reflecting on the conference theme, the pope said most people think of interpreters as a kind of translator who conveys what “he or she has received in such a way that another person can understand it.” Although good interpreters in the field of music essentially “translate” what a composer has written, they also should feel “great humility before a work of art that is not their property,” and “bring out the beauty of the music.” Within the context of the liturgy, he added, music is a way for Christians “to serve others through the works they perform.” — CNS
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY
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Medicaid expansion is imperfect cure to health care challenge
he Gospels relate striking stories of Jesus as the great physician. He longs to take people from where they are and bring them to where they need to be. He encounters afflictions of body, mind or spirit. Moved with compassion, he heals the whole person. The divine example of Christ inspires the Catholic desire of authentic and affordable health care for all people, regardless of socioeconomic status. One solution to this challenge now under legislative consideration in Kansas — taxpayer-funded Medicaid expansion — is itself complex and in need of healing. The unemployed and
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very Thanksgiving before digging into yet another scrumptiously prepared meal, everyone is invited to share one thing we are most thankful for from the past year. It never ceases to amaze me how powerful this spiritual exercise is. Not only does it afford everyone at the table an intimate glimpse into the hearts and lives of those we are called to be closest to, it also fosters a greater awareness and appreciation for just how blessed we are. With this in mind, I thought it important to use this article to share with you some of the many things I am most thankful for this past
CHURCH AND STATE
CHUCK WEBER Chuck Weber is the executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.
working poor all-too-often must turn to hospital emergency rooms for primary health care. Even for those with
health insurance — including tax-subsidized plans — skyrocketing deductibles can lead to crushing debt, collection agencies, garnished wages and more. Urban and rural hospitals legally obligated to serve all who enter their doors provide uncompensated care totaling millions of dollars
annually. Someone pays. Cost shifting contributes to a frequently inefficient care delivery system. Further complicating health care solution options in Kansas is the horrific Kansas Supreme Court decision in the live dismemberment abortion case known as Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt. The court established a fundamental right to abortion in Kansas, virtually unlimited and unregulated. Few realize that the justices attempted to validate their finding by citing public or Medicaid-funded abortions cases from other states. The broad, radical language of Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt emphasizes “bodily autonomy.” This ill-defined language may
open the door to legalized physician-assisted suicide and irreversible “gender affirming” amputations and/or experimental hormone “therapies.” Will Kansas Catholics and other citizens seeking to help the poor become unwilling participants in unethical and even harmful procedures under Medicaid expansion? The Catholic heart of compassion seeks genuine health care access with a preferential treatment for the poor. Medicaid-funded abortion and other certain treatments are not health care. I urge you to engage in the process and contact your state legislator. Medicaid expansion in
Kansas must explicitly exclude abortion and experimental or harmful medical procedures and treatments. Religious and professional conscience protections for health care institutions and individuals must be included. Implore lawmakers to support the chance for you to vote on a constitutional amendment that reverses the Hodes ruling and allows life-saving restrictions on abortion. Most importantly, pray earnestly in the name of Jesus, the great physician, for an increase in legislative wisdom balancing compassion and justice. Pray for those in need, that they find care and healing of the whole person with the dignity due to each of God’s children.
There is always a time and season for thanksgiving VOCATIONS CORNER
FATHER DAN MORRIS Father Dan Morris is the archdiocesan vocations director. You can email him at: dmorris@archkck.org.
year as vocation director: • Archbishop Naumann — for his strong
and faithful leadership as shepherd. I am especially grateful for the humility and generosity with which he shares his time and wisdom with the many young men who attend our vocation events. • Six men ordained to the priesthood — our largest ordination class
in 38 years. I am grateful to these six men for their openness to the call and perseverance in formation, preparing to serve and bring the sacraments to tens of thousands of people. • My brother priests — for the joy, love and devotion with which they live out their priesthood. I’m especially thankful for the many ways they help foster and support vocations in their parishes and at our schools. • Our seminarians — with admiration for their love for Jesus Christ and his church, as well as their overall maturity and the fraternity they cultivate with one another. Finally, for their courage to give this time of discernment to our
Lord, trusting that God can never be outdone in generosity. • Our religious communities — for their joyful witness to the consecrated life, and the many ways their communities inculcate a deeper love for prayer and apostolic service through their apostolates. • Families— for the growing number of families putting a priority on going to Mass, practicing the faith and teaching their children how to pray. For the many parents who support, encourage and give their children the freedom to discern their God-given vocation. • Youth and young adults — their love for the Eucharist, the Mass
and an increasing desire to know and follow God’s will. For a generation of young people who are going out not to be served, but to serve. • Serra clubs — for their dedicated support of our seminarians, priests and religious through their prayer, friendship, hosting of events and financial gifts. • Parish vocation ministries — for the growing number of vocation ministries in our parishes and the many creative ways they foster and support vocations. As you can see, God has and continues to bless our archdiocese with much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
ANNUAL GOLUMBKI DINNER IN LEAVENWORTH
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he St. Casimir Men’s Society will host its Annual Golumbki Dinner on Sunday, November 24th, in the St. Casimir Parish Hall at 719 Pennsylvania Avenue in Leavenworth. Dinner will be served from noon to 3 p.m. Takeout will be available beginning 11 a.m. Tickets cost only $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Come join your friends in Leavenworth for this traditional Polish feast. Meatloaf will also be served. AD COURTESY OF DOUG SCALARD, CFP®
THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE 8:30 a.m. Sundays on 92.9 FM and KEXS AM 1090 Encore Monday at 11:30 a.m.
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
‘EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST STUFF’ Vincentian Charism Award winner takes the golden rule to heart By Therese Horvat Special to The Leaven
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ichard Sack takes to heart the Gospel invitation to serve others. Because of this, he volunteers in prisons, in his church and in other settings in the Leavenworth community where he lives. Without realizing it, by his good works and acts of charity Sack exemplifies the spirit of the 17thcentury saint to whom the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth trace their roots. Because of this, the religious community has presented Sack with the inaugural Vincentian Charism Award, named for St. Vincent de Paul. Sister Constance Phelps, SCL community director, acknowledged Sack’s service during a ceremony on Founders’ Day, Nov. 11, at the motherhouse in Leavenworth. Calling him a deserving recipient of the award, she said, “Like Vincent, Sack reaches out to those who are vulnerable and on the fringes of society. He sees needs, responds to them and engages others to work with him.” Among examples of Sack’s good works, Sister Constance cited his volunteer service at both the U.S. Penitentiary, Leavenworth, and the Lansing Correctional Facility. Monday is his prison day. Several years ago, Sack kept encouraging his church to get involved with outreach to inmates. When a prison chaplain spoke to the congregation about a program to help prisoners change their ways of thinking and take ownership of their lives, Sack felt as though God had flicked the back of his head and said, “This is the volunteer opportunity you’ve been waiting for; go for it.” He admits to being nervous at first but, 14 years later, Sack continues to serve as a spiritual guide at the federal penitentiary. He tends to take the inmates no one else wants. He has come to believe that with support, people can change themselves for the better. On Monday afternoons, he and his wife Erin facilitate a self-help group in the maximum-security section of the Lansing facility. Here, too, Sack believes that being someone from the outside who cares is well worth the possibility of making a difference in someone’s life and direction. With his Christian faith so foundational to his life and actions, Sack has been a very active member of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Leavenworth, since 1969. He is an elder. He has been chair of the worship department, taught Sunday school and vacation Bible school, and is in the choir and the bell choir. He has been a counselor at the church camp, worked with youth and participated in the men’s fel-
PHOTO BY THERESE HORVAT
Following the presentation, Richard Sack, inaugural recipient of the Vincentian Charism Award, receives congratulations from guests gathered for the Founders’ Day dinner at the Sisters of Charity motherhouse in Leavenworth. From left, clockwise, Sisters Rita Orleans and Helen Therese Mack, Sack, Sisters Mary Monica Peterson, Constance Phelps (holding the award), Dolores Erman and Letitia Lenherr.
PHOTO BY THERESE HORVAT
In his characteristic bib overalls adorned with name tags of places he serves, Richard Sack accepts the inaugural Vincentian Charism Award from Sister Constance Phelps, community director, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. lowship group. This summer, the men’s group raised $12,000 parking cars at the county fair with proceeds going to 12 charitable organizations in Leavenworth. Sack grew up in small towns in central Kansas where he witnessed the good deeds of his parents. He recalls that his mom fed hobos traveling through the state. “We didn’t have much money, but my parents did for others,” he said. “I guess that’s where I got my start.” He met his wife Erin while both were students at Emporia State University. Sack taught shop classes and industrial arts in high schools in small towns before he and Erin moved to Leavenworth, her hometown, in 1968. He contin-
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“HE LIVES HIS HUMBLE SERVANT’S LIFE UNKNOWINGLY EMBODYING THE VINCENTIAN CHARISM — AND THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE FOR IT.” ued teaching at Leavenworth High School (seven years) and at Pleasant Ridge High School, Easton (23 years). He also built decks and
houses, and had his hands in other construction work. Linda Martin, a family friend who works at Leavenworth Interfaith Community of Hope, knew about his talents. She asked, and Sack agreed, to volunteer as project manager for the inside construction of the agency’s new building. Over a nine-month period, he averaged five days a week leading work groups that also volunteered their time. He enjoyed teaching others how to do things to complete the project. He continues to help when called upon for repair and touch-up jobs at the facility. Martin, an SCL Associate, nominated Sack for the Vincentian Charism Award. She said of the honoree: “He lives his humble servant’s life unknowingly embodying the Vincentian charism — and the world is a better place for it.” Sack’s other volunteer work involves helping individuals — those who are elderly or who can’t afford to pay for repairs. He may construct a ramp at someone’s home or complete a small fix-it job. He does this because he can and because he believes in the Gospel message of loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. It’s as simple as that and as all encompassing. “Everything else is just stuff,” said Sack. Martin wrote in nominating Sack for the award: “It is just his way to keep on going, to keep on teaching and to keep on sharing the love of Jesus whenever and wherever he can. “It is what he does and what he is about.”
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