THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 41, NO. 20 | DECEMBER 27, 2019
WOMEN
A GIFT TO THE CHURCH THAT JUST KEEPS ON GIVING
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Father Jaime Zarse, pastor of Sacred Heart in Sabetha, goes over the day’s schedule with Gina Sallman, Sacred Heart’s DRE, lead catechist, bookkeeper and administrative assistant.
Both professionally and personally, priests value women’s counsel By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org
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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Go to daily Mass anywhere in the world, and what will you find? A priest —
of course. An altar server — sometimes. A predominantly female congregation — absolutely. Since ancient times, women have been at the heart of the life of the church. More recently, women don’t just head up altar societies, outreach ministries and funeral dinners, they keep the parish running — increasingly from professional positions within the church.
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“In fact,” said Msgr. Tom Tank, pastor of Church of the Ascension in Overland Park, “the parish would be terribly, terribly hampered and inactive without all of the women who are involved.”
Learning to work together For newly ordained priests moving from an all-male seminary to working closely with women in the parish, the transition can be quite a task. “I’ve got no males I work with,” said Father Nathan Haverland, pastor of St. Gregory Parish in Marysville. “Going from that allmale environment to all-female was a major adjustment.” Father Jaime Zarse, pastor of Sacred Heart in Sabetha, St. Augustine in Fidelity and St. James in Wetmore, agreed. However, time in seminary helped prepare for exactly that: working with women. While attending Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, Father Zarse took a course on women in the
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“THE PARISH WOULD BE TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY HAMPERED AND INACTIVE WITHOUT ALL OF THE WOMEN WHO ARE INVOLVED.”
Msgr. Tom Tank, pastor of Church of the Ascension, Overland Park
church. It covered St. John Paul II’s 1988 letter to women called “Mulieris Dignitatem” and the works of many great Catholic women thinkers, including St. Teresa of Avila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux and Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta). “That class was huge!” said Father Zarse. And one of the reasons it was so impactful, he said, was because it was taught by a woman. “The truth is, I myself did not bond especially well with my mom growing up,” said Father Zarse. “We had a good relationship, but we were not super close by any stretch of the imagination.”
But that class helped him approach women in a new way — not as a threat, but as a blessing. Father Zarse found a class taught by a female Catholic psychologist and counselor to be of great formative value as well. “[Dr. Suzanne Harvath’s] class was basically designed to help teach us future priests how to navigate boundaries with women in a way that was not going to hurt them or make them feel like they’re nothing more than a threat to our vocation,” said Father Zarse. “Again, being taught by a female >> See “THEY” on page 4
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
ARCHBISHOP
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Unless we recognize our sinfulness, we can never be truly free
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wo weeks ago in response to an invitation from chaplain Father Joseph Chontos, and accompanied by the Little Sisters and Little Brothers of the Lamb, I visited the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex in Topeka. This was my seventh visit to the juvenile correction center and, each time, I am troubled by the stark reality of teenagers in a prison. One of the young men was celebrating his 14th birthday. The Little Sisters and the Little Brothers, as well as some young adult friends of the community, performed an original play on the life of St. Francis. Little Sister Sarai, the creative genius and author of the play, chose St. Francis as the subject for this theatrical production because it was Francis who first fostered devotion to the Christmas creche, depictions of the humble circumstances of Our Lord’s birth. The play opened with a scene in the latter part of Francis’ life when a friar asked the future saint why God had chosen him to create this movement that was changing not only the church but the broader society and culture. After reflecting on the question, Francis proposed that God had chosen him because in his youth he had been a great sinner. The play then flashes back to the life of Francis before his conversion. In his young adulthood,
LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN Francis was known for his extravagant taste and being considered the life of the party. Through God’s amazing grace, Francis learns to detach himself from those things he formerly considered so important for his happiness — fine food, fashionable clothing and being well regarded by his peers.
Baptisms for children of larger families To show his personal support for those couples open to raising larger families, Archbishop Naumann has offered to celebrate the baptism of the third or greater child of any family interested. Please contact your parish office for more information. Additional information is also available from the archdiocesan office for liturgy and sacramental life at (913) 647-0330 or by email at: liturgy@ archkck.org.
At the same time, Francis began to discover joy in what he had formerly feared and even despised: association with the poor, the vulnerable and the seriously sick. After the play was over, I spoke briefly with the young people about Jesus and the meaning of Christmas. I reminded them for the Christian, even in prison, we are still free. Not free in the sense that our culture thinks of freedom, namely: to do whatever I want, when I want, as long as it does not hurt anyone else too badly. For the Christian, freedom is the ability to choose to love God, to love others, to do good, to do that which is noble. There is no circumstance in which we cannot exercise Christian freedom, even in prison. I encouraged the young people to exercise this Christian freedom even while living in the Juvenile Correctional Complex. They were still free to love God and draw closer to him in prayer. They were free to seek the good of each other and to care about each other. Jesus came to free us not from physical
imprisonment but from our enslavements, our attachments to the things and pleasures of this world. Jesus shows us that we do not need material things to have joy. We do not have to pursue more intense pleasures to experience the happiness Jesus promised to his disciples. In reality, the attachments to material things or pleasures actually rob us of our capacity for joy. This is what St. Francis discovered as a young man. Afterwards, we had the chance to have informal conversations with the young residents of the correction center. One young man asked the young adult, who played the role of St. Francis in the play: Was it true that Jesus came for him and the other young people in the correction center? He wanted to know if it was true that Jesus had a special love for him and his fellow inmates. The star of the play was able to assure this juvenile offender that Jesus came particularly for him and his fellow inmates. The question of this incarcerated teenager revealed he truly understood the meaning of the play he had just seen. God used Francis to do amazing things — not because of his strength, but because of his weakness. With God, the important thing is not that we have never sinned, but that we are opened to his mercy and grace to change and be transformed. St. Paul reminds
us that God likes to choose as his special emissaries the lowly and the weak — those who in the world’s eyes count for nothing. Please pray for the young people at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex. Pray that their hearts might remain open to know Jesus and to experience his mercy and love. There are many examples of individuals who were able to come to know God and to experience his mercy in a powerful way while in prison. Pray for Father Chontos and all those who attempt to care for these young people at this very important time in their lives. May their time at the correction center not be a time when their hearts become more hardened, but a time when they experience the depth of God’s love for them revealed in the Child born in Bethlehem and who died as a criminal on Calvary. Pray that they may know the joy and freedom Our Lord can provide for us, no matter the external circumstances of our lives. Pray that they might be set free by experiencing the liberating mercy and love of God. The young people at the Juvenile Correctional Complex in Topeka have one potential advantage. Their circumstances make it clear that they need a Redeemer and Savior. Unless we realize, like St. Francis, our own sinfulness, then the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago has no importance for us.
ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN Dec. 27 Serra parent/seminarian Mass and luncheon Jan. 2-9 Region IX bishops’ retreat Jan. 10 Mass, vespers and dinner with Apostles of the Interior Life mentorship program — Savior Pastoral Center Jan. 11-17 “Ad limina” visit — Rome Jan. 18 Catholic Charities Snow Ball Jan. 20 Martin Luther King Day Mass — Blessed Sacrament, Kansas City, Kansas Jan. 21 Kansas Catholic Conference — Topeka Red Mass — Mater Dei - Assumption, Topeka
Unless we realize that our enslavements to material things or fleeting pleasures create a much more confining prison than one built of concrete and barbed wire, we have no need for the One born in Bethlehem.
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Saturday, January 25 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
St. Peter’s Parish
Learn how to deepen your prayer life and help others deepen theirs!
Legacy Center (Parish Office) 815 E. Meyer Kansas City, Mo. 64131 (Begins with Mass in the Church)
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Click on: Training-Retreats or call (504) 439-5933 Mrs Carol Weiler at: carolweiler@cox.net Fr. Marty Gleeson, OP, at: mgleesonop@gmail.com
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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Xavier kids build for future while honoring past By Katie Peterson Special to the Leaven
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EAVENWORTH — St. Dominic de Guzmán. St. Richard Pampuri. St. Hildegard of Bingen. St. Francis of Assisi. St. Raphael Kalinowski. St. Isidore of Seville. So many to choose from! All of these saints are remembered, at least partly, for their achievements in science, technology, religion, engineering, art or mathematics. Which is why eighth-graders from Xavier Elementary School in Leavenworth were choosing among them when naming their group for the first STREAM Day Dec. 18. “The future workforce is looking for people with the ability to independently think and cooperate with others in solving real world problems,” said Emily Yantz, Xavier principal. “All students are unique in their personal situations, but everyone must adapt to the world they live in.” “The skills learned in STREAM can be applied anywhere,” she continued. “I’m a firm believer in students learning by experiencing. It goes along with ‘teach a man to fish, [and you feed him for a lifetime].’” STREAM, an expansion of STEM, is a new curriculum being implemented by many dioceses throughout the country. “The integration of religion and arts into STEM content areas merges 21st century teaching and learning with the timeless truths of faith and beauty in all of the subject areas,” according to the National Catholic Educational Association. “The founder of CODE.org, Hadi Partovi, said, ‘Creativity means waking up with a crazy idea to change the world, and then doing it,’” said Cindy Scheier, Xavier middle school science teacher and organizer of the STREAM Day. “We could be teaching the next big idea inventor, designer or someone that solves one of the world problems,” she said. Throughout the day itself, students in kindergarten through eighth grade split up into eight groups and rotated from classroom to classroom to participate in different activities, which related to one or more of the above themes. Activities included programming robots, making 3D arts and crafts using recycled materials, competing in relay races, building Christmas peep catapults, learning about music and vibrations, playing with blocks and puzzles, learning how to suspend a book using just a piece of paper and a five-centimeter piece of tape, participating in eucharistic adoration and singing Christmas carols. “I think it is absolutely imperative that our school is grounded in the latest and the most up-to-date ways to engage our students to be prepared for their futures,” said Andrea Sladky, Xavier music and band teacher. “With technology being so close at hand, I think sometimes our kids have lost that
LEAVEN PHOTOS BY KATIE PETERSON
Above, from left, Kamelia Martineua (Xavier Elementary School kindergartner), Ainsley Tystad (Xavier first-grader), Jonah Nichol (Xavier eighth-grader) and Katelyn Baltazar (Xavier seventh-grader) begin building their Christmas peeps catapult at one of the STREAM Day stations Dec. 18 at the school in Leavenworth. Throughout the day, students engaged in different activities related to science, technology, religion, engineering, art and mathematics. Right, Cristy Quinn, Xavier Elementary School Spanish teacher, helps third-grader Izabell Stanfield trim the strings of the bracelet Stanfield made out of recycled pop tabs during the school’s STREAM Day Dec. 18.
sense of wonder because they can just go and find [the answer] immediately. “A day like today creates curiosity and wonder and ‘how can we do things,’ and I think that leads to our students being more engaged and better citizens.” Eighth-grade student Jackson Lee said he most enjoyed learning to program the robots because he hopes to have a career in engineering when he grows up. “I just fit into [engineering],” Lee said. “I love math and I love building models. I’m good at building stuff. Which means STREAM Day was right up his alley. “I think it is pretty great,” he said. “We’ve been doing a bunch of things that can help kids understand what they want to do when they grow up and what they fit into.” Eighth-grade student Candace Garrett said she most enjoyed eucharistic adoration and singing Christmas carols in the school’s chapel. “Music and prayer are always important no matter what,” Garrett said. “Prayer is always my center.” Being the oldest in the building, the eighth-grade students were a big
President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)
part of helping the younger students throughout the day, which is what eighth-grader Evan Chmidling said he enjoyed most. “It is an opportunity to learn more and show leadership skills,” Chmidling said. “We can all learn a little bit more, and we all can come together and learn more about each other, too.” Lee said he also liked leading the younger students. “It is kind of cool to be the one they look up to,” Lee said. “It is important to be a model for them.” While STREAM Day offers benefits to any student, Xavier is unique because of its close proximity to Fort Leavenworth. Several students in the school are members of a military family, which means multiple relocations throughout their school-age years. Sladky said she thought that made having a multi-grade STREAM Day that much more important.
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“These activities help us to create those bonds across all grade levels, instead of just in our own grade,” Sladky said. “Military students that are moving around — they are coming to a school where a lot of the kids have been together a long time. Sometimes, it is hard to fit in where they have close groups, but this is another day where you get to work with more kids in a greater area, making more friends and connecting to our school in a new way.” “There are nine different activities. You will have something for every kid that, when they walk away, they have found a passion or they found something that engages them,” she added. “I think that is something they can continue on with when they go to their next school down the road. “They will be able to say, ‘I found this at Xavier, and I want to find that at my new school, too.’”
Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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Varsity Catholic helps make disciples of future coaches Special to The Leaven
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cross the nation, thousands of student athletes are competing in college sports. Many are role models for their peers, who watch their behaviors and actions on — and off — the playing field. With the rigorous training and academic pressure, it can be difficult for student athletes to keep their identity rooted in their faith and not their performance. In the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, many of these college athletes have the opportunity to develop their faith formation as well as their athleticism. At Benedictine College in Atchison, for example, nearly 150 athletes were involved in Bible studies last year, hosted by Varsity Catholic, a division of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students serving the needs of student athletes. Benedictine, which hosted the first FOCUS missionaries in 1998, has boasted a Varsity Catholic presence
on the campus since 2008. For the 2019-20 academic year, FOCUS has 197 trained Varsity Catholic missionaries serving on 146 of the 164 total campuses that FOCUS serves. “We are excited and blessed to have Varsity Catholic on our campus to serve our student athletes,” said Joe Wurtz, dean of students at Benedictine College. “Last year alone, we had 17 Bible studies on 14 teams, along with a weekly athlete Holy Hour that the missionaries hosted. Varsity Catholic is transforming lives in Christ on our campus.” With nearly 20 of these athletes being mentored as leaders and evangelists, Benedictine College has some of the highest Varsity Catholic involvement in the nation. “Our hope is to bring the fullness of the Gospel to college athletes. They are typically a more difficult group of students to reach due to their time restraints, pressures and overall college experience,” said Thomas Wurtz, founder and director of Varsity Catholic. Launched in 2007, Varsity Catholic
has impacted thousands of student athletes, serving about 1,500 last year. “Recognizing that many of today’s college athletes will become tomorrow’s coaches, who will serve the millions of young people involved in sports in our country, Varsity Catholic seeks to not only transform the culture of athletes but also the entire culture,” said Wurtz. The archdiocese is also putting missionaries into the field. Justin Broyles, a member of St. Joseph Church in Waverly, participated in track and field at Emporia State University. He is now on the front lines, serving as a Varsity Catholic missionary in FOCUS at the University of WisconsinPlatteville. “I am excited to serve student athletes, helping them find their true identity as sons and daughters of God to become the best version of themselves,” said Broyles. “It is always exhilarating when looking at the prospect of
sharing the love of Christ with athletes who share the same love of sport with me. “I can offer the unique experience of being a student-athlete and a disciple of Jesus back to him for the good of those in similar situations on campus. At the beginning of the semester, I had the opportunity to speak to the baseball team, and seven guys signed up for Bible study!” With billions of dollars being spent each year on sports in the nation, countless hours devoted to practice and games each day, and millions of young people impacted each year, the Holy Spirit is working through Varsity Catholic to provide the church a great service and avenue to incarnate John Paul II’s call to a new evangelization. More information on Varsity Catholic can be found online at: focusoncampus.org/varsity.
‘They help me be a better priest’
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>> Continued from page 1 psychologist was so helpful,” he added. And Father Zarse wasn’t the only one who found it so. Five years after leaving the seminary, he and his classmates participated in an email thread taking the temperature of their adjustment to life in the priesthood. “Everyone said the most helpful class we took in theology was not Scripture or dogmatic or systematic theology,” he said. “It was actually Dr. Harvath’s pastoral counseling class because it was so concrete.”
Women as professional support After newly ordained priests make the adjustment from seminary to parish life, they find the input and perspective of women colleagues to be invaluable. Msgr. Tank entered the seminary at 14 years old and stayed until his ordination. And while he was not professionally engaged with women during that time, he found the step to working closely with them an easy one. “[The women I work with] bring a . . . compassion to their work,” said
“I’VE GOT NO MALES I WORK WITH. GOING FROM THAT ALL-MALE ENVIRONMENT TO ALL-FEMALE WAS A MAJOR ADJUSTMENT.”
Father Nathan Haverland, pastor of St. Gregory Parish, Marysville
Msgr. Tank. “In some ways, they soften me and in some ways, they say, ‘Father, you need to get a little tougher!’’’ Women Father Zarse works with in Sabetha, from a parishioner who pushes him to exercise to Enflame delegates, have been central to his ability to live his priestly vocation well, especially during a year of “firsts” — as a pastor and as a small-town resident. Gina Sallman, Sacred Heart’s DRE, lead catechist, bookkeeper and administrative assistant, grew up in the city and moved to Sabetha, like Father Zarse, and she’s used her experience to help him adjust. “She’s been such a gift for me,” said Father Zarse, “because it’s such a culture shock for a city boy to move into the country for the first time!” Father Haverland has been struck
as well by the atmosphere of inclusivity women he works with bring to the workplace in the parish. “I think they bring a great complementarity and they help me be a better priest,” he said. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Father Zarse has a special place in his heart for the women he works with. “Jesus has given me these four women not only to help me exercise my priestly ministry in a way that is structured, organized and well thought-out, but also to take care of myself,” he said.
Building a culture of respect Respect and recognition for women’s gifts in the church doesn’t stop
with him, said Father Zarse. Father Haverland works to make sure that the gifts of women are reflected and included in parish boards. “I always try to have an even amount [of men and women],” said Father Haverland. “No question that there should be equal representation.” And the key to appreciating the strengths and perspectives of women in the parish and beyond lies somewhere very specific for Father Zarse. “I really believe that the strength of every man lies in the heart of the woman he loves,” he said. “Our Lady is the most important woman in my life, and I feel Our Lady’s heart is shining through these women I work with.” But it’s not always easy. “I’ll be honest, it’s hard as a priest,” said Father Zarse. “The world is full of so many beautiful women. On one hand, you really do have to guard your heart and on the other hand, you really need to work with them.” The witness of the goodness and faithfulness of the women he works with keeps Father Zarse striving for greatness. “They make me want to be holy,” he said.
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
Volunteering comes naturally to KCK couple By Jan Dumay Special to The Leaven
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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — When it comes to volunteering, Mark and Denise Schieber of Kansas City, Kansas, have always felt they get back much more than they’ve given — and they’ve given a lot. But they wouldn’t have it any other way. “We’re both farm kids,” said Denise in the couple’s cozy living room decked out for Christmas. “There was this expectation our parents put into us. Neither of us had a whole lot growing up, but you just dealt.” “My mother died when I was 12,” she continued, “and we had people who just gave us stuff. And my dad was always appreciative of that. There were nine of us, from ages 3 to 20. “Mark and I grew up happy, and, family-wise, you took care of each other. To pass that on is natural.” And so the Schiebers’ three grown children have the volunteer spirit, too, even working in food kitchens while they were still in college. Their oldest son and his wife are foster parents. The Schiebers, who will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary on Jan. 3, have an impressive volunteer resume. They both are on the Development Advisory Board for the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison. Mark, 62, a retired accountant, is on the finance committee for Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, where his children attended, and served on the board 11 years. He served on the board of the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas for six years. They have been active volunteers for their parish, Our Lady of Unity, as well, including serving as eucharistic ministers and lectors. Denise, 60, a retired preschool and kindergarten teacher, is on a committee that helps out at “St. Mary’s Food Kitchen,” preparing, transporting and serving food. She is on the funeral committee, which plans and prepares luncheons for grieving families. Mark serves on the finance committee and has mowed the church’s lawn with the Knights of Columbus, which he has belonged to for 20 years. In outreach efforts, both traveled twice to missions in Guatemala, in 2014 and 2016, to help with things like building stoves for the needy. “We met wonderful people there, so thankful,” Denise said. “They just cook on floors and they have a lot of lung problems from just breathing in the smoke. People asked us, ‘You paid
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LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAN DUMAY
Denise and Mark Schieber have an impressive resume when in comes to their volunteer work. “Mark and I grew up happy, and, family-wise, you took care of each other. To pass that on is natural,” Denise said. to go work somewhere?’ ‘And I say, ‘Well, yeah, we did.’ But the people were so appreciative. They had tears in their eyes thanking us for doing this stuff.” “For us, it didn’t seem like that big a deal,” she added. “We get some of the same feelings when we help people here. The people have tears, hugging and thanking you for something we take for granted.” One of their most rewarding volunteer gigs has been helping Sister Bridget Dickason, OSB, director of Keeler Women’s Center in Kansas City, Kansas, which has as its mission the empowerment of women in the urban core through education, advocacy, and personal and spiritual development. One of the Schiebers’ duties is to help pick up and deliver furniture to the needy who are starting out with very little. Often, they don’t have anything — not even a chair or pots and pans. Mark recalls one particular move that involved trying to get an 8-foot couch up 3-foot-wide stairs into a doorway with a sharp right angle. “We got it in there,” he said with satisfaction. “But we told them we’re not coming back to take it out.” Sister Bridget is certainly appreciative of the couple’s help. “They’re wonderful people with generous hearts,” she said. “They’re very attuned to what Keeler’s needs are. They’ve always been so willing to help at the drop of a hat whenever I call.” But things changed 18 months ago when Mark was diagnosed with appendix cancer, which they hoped was taken care of with surgery and chemotherapy. But it returned in November and moved to his lung cavity.
Three ways to find your volunteer passion According to Denise Schieber, finding your volunteer passion requires discovering what your gifts and talents are and putting them to use. Don’t take anything you may offer for granted, even if it’s only a smile or a warm handshake. “What you have to offer you think may not be important, but it may be a lot more important than you realize,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to offer help.” 1. If you like to shop, work with a charity and go to thrift stores and buy necessities like dishes and donate them. If you like to cook, prepare meals for food kitchens. If you’re friendly, be a church greeter. 2. Donate gift cards or cash to a charity. For example, a $25 gift card to Walmart goes a long way toward helping someone. A donated bus pass allows someone in need to get to work. 3. Become active in your parish and instill in your children a love of volunteering so that they, in turn, can carry that forward.
He’s had to curtail volunteering for Keeler for a while, although he’s still active on the board and at his parish. He’s hoping the latest rounds of chemotherapy will keep the cancer at bay. His health challenges have brought home to him how blessed he has been — and how never to take anything for granted. When he helps people, he has one thing uppermost in mind. “It’s important to look for the face of Jesus in everyone you serve,” he said.
Latin Mass offered for Epiphany
AXICO — The Extraordinary Form of the Mass — also known as the traditional Latin Mass — will be celebrated for the solemnity of the Epiphany at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 6 at Sacred Heart Parish here. Epiphany celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus. In some countries, it is also known as the Feast of the
Three Kings. It is celebrated 12 days after Christmas, and in England the feast was also known as Twelfth Night. Father Marty Adams, FSSP, will be the celebrant and homilist. Music will be provided by the Children’s Schola Cantorum from Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka. Lucas Tappan will play the organ. Latin-English missals will be available
to assist those who are unfamiliar with the Extraordinary Form, said Father Marty, who is assistant chaplain at the Latin Mass Community of St. John-Mary Vianney in Maple Hill. The Extraordinary Form is how the Mass was celebrated for most Roman Catholics for centuries until the Second Vatican Council. It is notable for its use of Latin and Gregorian chant.
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Correction To register for the Cursillo winter retreat led by Ralph Martin on Feb. 1 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, go online to: cursilloKCKS.com; send an email to: cursillokcks@gmail.com; or call Jean Snyder at (913) 217-7269.
Dan and Mary Lou (Harries) Glynn, m e m b e rs of St. Benedict Parish, Bendena, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in Lawrence with their children and grandchildren. The couple was married on Dec. 27, 1969, at Immaculate Conception Church, St. Marys. Their children are: Rebecca Feuerbacher, Anna Hurla, Quillan Glynn and Bridget Starnes. They have six grandchildren. Cindy and Tom Creal, members of Church of the Ascension, Overland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 27. The couple was married at St. Teresa Church, Lincoln, Nebraska, on Dec. 27, 1969. They have four children; Katie (deceased), Kirsten Maher, Tommy Creal and John Creal. They also have 13 grandchildren. They celebrated with their children and grandchildren this summer in Breckenridge, Colorado. Robert and Mary (Sampson) Field, m e m b e rs of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 27. The couple was married on Dec. 27, 1969, at Sacred Heart Church, West Des Moines, Iowa. Their children are: Tom Field, Lori (Field) Eckerberg, and Annie (Field) Hunt. They also have five 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.
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
FAMILY LIFE
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Outsmart your brain with your resolutions this new year
t’s the beginning of a new year and many of us, moved by good intentions, make New Year’s resolutions. This is an opportunity to introduce positive changes in our life. Many of our New Year’s resolutions are about changing one of our habits. Our life seems to be defined by habits. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, wrote: “We are what we repeatedly do.” Unfortunately, as we know from experience, our good intentions do not often produce the results we want, because our habits are stronger than our good intentions. George Santayana, a philosopher and novelist, wrote: “A habit is stronger than reason.” Our habits are shortcuts that our brains create to make our life easier. Our habits give us routines that we follow without much thought. Because of this, changing our habits is difficult. Our brain resists such change. If we are serious about changing a habit, we need to outsmart our brain. We need to be strategic on how we go about implementing our New Year’s resolution. Psychologists tell us that to change a habit we need to replace what we do with a different routine. They have discovered that every habit has three components: a cue (or a trigger for a
JOHN BOSIO John Bosio is a former marriage and family therapist, director of religious education and diocesan family life coordinator. He is a member of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers.
behavior to start), a routine (the behavior itself) and a reward. The most effective way to modify a habit is to change the routine, psychologists tell us. I once had a co-worker who made a long commute each day and was in the habit of spending his drive time on his cellphone. When he became aware of the dangerous distraction that the phone was creating, he decided to change his routine while driving. Whenever he got in the car, to avoid the temptation to use the phone, he would lock his cellphone in the trunk of the car. He changed his routine and changed the habit. All of us have poor
habits in our daily interactions with our spouse that we may wish to change. For example: We do not pay full attention when our spouse speaks. We check our text and email messages during a meal with our spouse and family. We express our disagreement with a sarcastic remark or gesture. We respond defensively when our spouse makes a suggestion, and other similar behaviors. On the other hand, there may be positive habits that we want to introduce in our relationship. Pope Francis lists some. In the “Joy of Love,” he encourages couples to develop routines that strengthen their relationship: “These could include a morning kiss, an evening blessing, waiting at the door to welcome each other home, taking trips together and sharing household chores.” (No. 226) What do you want to change this year to make your marriage better? Think of something very small and easy to do. The simpler the behavior, the easier it is to change. Here are some steps for you to consider: 1. Change always begins with “me.” So, pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you and to give you the courage to take the first step. Don’t wait for your spouse to change. Resolve to act.
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Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote: “We are what we repeatedly do.” By taking that as advice, we can change our bad habits to start the new year. 2. With the help of the Holy Spirit, identify a small behavior that you want to eliminate or one that you want to introduce. For example, start the habit of kissing your spouse good morning each day, or stop your habit of interrupting your spouse whenever he/she is speaking. Instead, when you feel the urge to interrupt, take a deep breath and continue listening. 3. Repeat the new behavior every time the
situation occurs. Do not feel discouraged if, at times, you fail. Persist. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the courage to be persistent. Soon, a new habit will be formed. When I was in junior high in Italy and studying Latin, I learned an expression written by the Roman poet Ovid: “Gutta cavat lapidem.” It literally it means: “The drop hollows the rock.” A small drop of water wears out the stone not
Question for reflection: Is there one habit that you wish to change or a new one that you want to start this year? by force but by repeated persistence. Our behaviors done repeatedly shape our life, as Aristotle wrote: “We are what we repeatedly do.”
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DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
FEATURE
FUELED BY FAITH
In health scare, Gaffigan relied on combined dose of faith and humor
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By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service
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ASHINGTON (CNS) — Jeannie Gaffigan didn’t initially set out to write a book about having her brain tumor removed. It is a story that pretty much rolled out of her usual observations on life, faith and family that have been such an integral part of what she’s been doing for the past several years as the co-writer and producer of comedy specials, two books and a television series with her husband and business partner, Jim Gaffigan. “When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith and Funny People,” released Oct. 1, recounts the unexpected discovery of a pear-sized tumor in Gaffigan’s brain in 2017, her three-day journey from learning about its existence (almost by accident) to surgery and a complicated recovery where she was unable to eat or even drink water for six months. “Obviously when I was sitting there looking at my MRI scan and saw that thing in my brain, I did not think of a joke immediately,” she said. But in retrospect, thinking that it looked like a pear, she said, was “kind of funny but at the time I couldn’t even believe it; it seemed like something out of a movie.” Gaffigan, a mother of five who is accustomed to seeing humor in everyday observances, could have easily hit the panic button with this “emergency medical situation,” as she describes it. But here’s the thing: She didn’t. She was even able to see humor in it — from the unglamorous dry shampoos at the hospital to the feeding tubes that her husband joked could be part of a new cooking show. She is convinced that the only way she could jump from crippling fear of what was happening (or could happen) to a pretty calm acceptance of it and even an ability to see absurdity and grace in the new routines and giving up her own control stems from the strength of her Catholic faith. As she put it: “When you recognize that God gives you ways to cope with hardships, you can’t just crawl into bed and say: ‘Just handle my life for me, it’s hard.’” Gaffigan recognizes that her sense of humor, which she described as her “lens at which I look at life and marriage” is a gift from God, but still, she hadn’t intended to write about her way of looking at this particular situation, at first. Prior to the 10-hour surgery and lengthy stay in the intensive care unit, she had been in the process of writing a book about what it was like to keep it together as a busy mom and wife of a touring comedian. All of that was put on hold after a visit with her children to their pediatrician who ended up recommending that Gaffigan get her head examined, literally, for her recent inability to
“I CAN’T JUST SIT THERE AND DWELL ON THE FACT THAT I HAD BRAIN SURGERY EVEN THOUGH IT’S AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE. THE TRAIN IS MOVING; I’VE GOT TO MOVE ON.”
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“WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THAT GOD GIVES YOU WAYS TO COPE WITH HARDSHIPS, YOU CAN’T JUST CRAWL INTO BED AND SAY: ‘JUST HANDLE MY LIFE FOR ME, IT’S HARD.’”
hear out of one ear. That initial test then put everything in fast forward with little time to think about it. In one interview, Gaffigan said that as she was being wheeled into surgery, she was telling her husband her computer passwords and about ordering groceries online, fearing he wouldn’t know how to keep the household routine going. During her recovery, she promised her publicist she would finish the book she started, but he told her to put that aside noting her bout with a brain tumor couldn’t just be another chapter; it had to be its own story.
Fortunately, it was a story Gaffigan had already been trying to piece together for her own sake — trying to remember what exactly had happened in the chaos of it all. She thought she was no different from pianists who might write songs about a personal tragedy to help them therapeutically. Her initial manuscript was a lot more Catholic, she said, but in the end, she made the book for everybody. As she put it: “I made it a little more ‘you might not be Catholic or understand how the Blessed Mother understands my suffering more than anyone else does,’ but that’s the way I cope with it.” “I made it more universal so what that did was it brought it out of the Christian section of the bookstore and put it more in the comedy section.” And to Gaffigan, that’s evangelization, not proselytizing. “It’s like saying: ‘Look, I don’t know what you would do, but this is how I did it.’ And I feel like that’s more gentle and I feel like people are more open to that. There’s no secret. I’m not trying to dunk someone into the baptismal font, and you know, handcuff them to their RCIA classes; I’m just telling my story.” Different publishers said they were interested in prolonging
publication of the book more for Mother’s Day 2020 to see where she was at that point, but Gaffigan wasn’t interested. “In a year, I will have a different book in me,” she said, adding: “This is what happened; this is where I’m at right now, then I want to move on, because I can’t just sit there and dwell on the fact that I had brain surgery even though it’s an important part of my life. The train is moving; I’ve got to move on.” And the train — with five kids, work, volunteering and her husband’s comedy tour — is moving rapidly. Gaffigan, who says she has recovered from the surgery but jokes that she still misses the daily nurse care, spoke to Catholic News Service Nov. 14 by phone after ducking into an empty music room at her son’s school where she was helping out. For now, she is laser-focused on her family and a personal calling that she feels strongly about: working with young people in the community and in her parish at the Basilica of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York because she is concerned that young people in the church seem to fall off the radar in the gap years between confirmation and young adult programs. Gaffigan concludes her book saying she is grateful for the tumor, which not only gave her a second chance but a deeper appreciation for her faith, family and the ability to swallow water. When she had no time to mentally prepare for this surgery, Gaffigan said, she wished she could have read a book by someone with a lot going on, facing a similar crisis, and how they dealt with it. So she thought of “that pretend person” that might pick up her book while facing a challenge, medical or otherwise, while she was writing. But she also hopes her book speaks to those who have never had anything bad happen to them. Between the lines throughout the book is Gaffigan’s message that “all of this is just temporary, and you don’t realize that until you almost lose it. “If I can convey that message to people who are doing just fine, that’s even more of a victory than [reaching] people that are facing a big obstacle,” she said.
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MIXED-ISH A Catholic family’s story
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erhaps it says something special about Catholicism that — at its heart — it’s a family. A family like no other, of course. A Holy Family. But still a family — a family like ours, if ours included a foster father, a virgin mother and a Messiah. But that’s kind of the point. While all families share many things in common, each is uniquely itself. We are born into our family, and sometimes marry into another. Some, we even fashion ourselves. However it is formed, families are the unit within which we live our lives, grow in holiness and hopefully help each other find our way to heaven. In an effort to recognize the contribution of families to both church and society — and the many ways in which they are both surprisingly similar and uniquely themselves — The Leaven would like our readers to help us welcome the Bradfields — the first family to be featured in its new series, “Welcome to the Family.”
Story by Olivia Martin Photos by Jay Soldner LENEXA — Josie squealed and flashed a big smile as her mother Elyssa Bradfield scooped her up and took the pink earrings from her hands. “What happened?” asked Evan Bradfield, Josie’s father. “I thought she was about to flush them down the toilet!” said Elyssa. Luckily, the 20-monthold didn’t make it that far. And the family was able to continue their dinner together without going fishing. Elyssa, a 7th- and 8thgrade science and religion teacher at St. Ann School in Prairie Village, and Evan, an English teacher at St. James Academy in Lenexa, have been married for three years. And they are pregnant with their second child, a boy. When The Leaven asked them if they would share their experience as a Catholic mixed race family, they agreed.
But there is an obvious starting point, said Elyssa. “First and foremost, we are a Catholic family,” she said.
Learning about another “I grew up in Omaha,” said Elyssa. “My parents moved from Togo when they were in college. I grew up there with a pretty heavy West African influence.” Evan grew up in Wichita, and both he and Elyssa attended Catholic elementary and high schools. They met and started dating at Benedictine College in Atchison. “[Mine] was not an incredibly diverse upbringing,” said Evan. But as part of his degree at Benedictine, he learned about diversity in a class on race and ethnicity. And he learned about the history and present reality of racism. “It was mind-blowing,” he said. “I remember I was sitting on the steps of St. Benedict’s (the parish in Atchison) one
Elyssa Bradfield is a 7th- and 8th-grade science and religion teacher at St. Ann School in Prairie Village. Being part of a mixed marriage, she worries about her childrens’ self-image because of their race.
night and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, how do we even move forward in a world so hurt?’” Evan said this class taught him that there’s a lot of the world he didn’t and maybe would never fully understand — particularly the experience of belonging to a historically oppressed race. And it helped him assess his preconceptions. Karen Wood, a sociology professor at Benedictine, taught and continues to teach this course. “I want [students] to understand the complexities of race and ethnicity,” said Wood, “as well as the ways in which history, language and narrative matter, in that they can affect opportunities and outcomes for certain groups.” Wood helps students begin to approach race and ethnicity in two ways: by helping them recognize that everyone has preconceived notions or bias; and by learning about others through reading their stories and asking questions. “There are a lot of people who just don’t know other types of people and they’re biased or prejudiced but don’t realize they are,” said Elyssa. “I think [I’ve experienced] a lot of that in my life, in little things that people would say to reinforce [their bias], not even knowing . . . that it made me feel like I was less than them. “And I think if they knew they were saying those things, they would feel very upset.” Because if you hear something often enough, you start to believe it. “For both my kids, I do have the fear of their self-image, not being confident in who they are or feeling good about themselves in a way they don’t know or understand until it hits them [that it’s because of race],” said Elyssa. Evan has his worries, too. “I worry more about the fact that they’ll have experiences that I won’t know how to empathize with, necessarily,” he said. “I think that’s a concern of any parent. “But the added complexity that they’re half white and half black? That has [not] been insignificant, historically.”
Teaching by witness Gently educating others about the dignity of all humans, regardless of skin color, is something the Bradfields do simply by living their lives. But they also make themselves available for dialogue. “When I show pictures of my family to people, and then they see that I have a mixed kid and a black wife . . . I don’t really know what’s being taught,” said Evan. “We are witnesses to the things we believe in.” For Elyssa, she helps her young students be mindful and respectful of people of other races as the opportunity arises. “I don’t do lessons on racism,” she said. “But when I hear them saying something, I try to take a moment and . . . [teach them how to speak] about humans as if they’re humans and not just something to laugh at.” But Evan, teaching at the high school level, can discuss race more directly, particularly through discussions of the
Evan and Elyssa Bradfield, with their daughter Josie literature his students are assigned. “I think the story of racism in America is something really important to teach and talk about,” he said, “but I find that it’s really difficult to teach.” As the conversations on race inside and outside of the classroom become more serious and perhaps uncomfortable, they also become more fruitful, said Evan. “I do think Evan is a really great advocate for people who are different, especially for black people,” said Elyssa. “I always joke that he’s super woke!” But she also finds Evan a particularly good advocate because he is respectful of those who oppose him. “He’s not offensive or rude,” she said. “But he does point out that . . . you don’t necessarily know what it’s like on that other spectrum. I think it’s much more meaningful than if I ever say anything, because people assume I’m being sensitive.” Evan’s approach is not patented, however. This respectful and authentic way of communicating is accessible to everyone.
Anti-racist is the Catholic way In the face of bias and uncomfortable conversations about race, people can feel helpless. But there is a way to change for the better: Christ. “Catholics need to start taking charge in all of these situations,” said Elyssa.
e, clean up after cooking dinner together. Being part of a mixed-marriage brings a unique set of worries and challenges for the young couple.
What you can do (to combat racism) • Become a good listener. • Be a good friend. • Be curious and interested in others. • Read about people of different races and discuss what you read — fiction or non-fiction — with others. • Have purity of intention. • Ask respectful questions about differences with authenticity and vulnerability. • Recognize you may never fully understand someone else’s experience — and that’s OK. But keep trying. • Pray to become an instrument in ending racism.
“The Catholic Church is the first real social justice warrior — people who see injustice and are upset about it.” Wood agreed. “We must combat racism with this kind of gentleness because all of us are in need of having our hearts open to the ‘other’ and we cannot do that with confrontation,” she said. Wood also shared her gratitude for the presence of African missionaries in the archdiocese — and hopes their presence can be a source of healing and education. “What a blessing and an opportunity it is for us to have African priests and Sisters in our archdiocese,” she said. “While their experiences are significantly different from black Americans, the
Evan Bradfield is an English teacher at St. James Academy in Lenexa. He worries that his children will have experiences that he won’t be able to relate to because of his race. beauty of their witness and the joy of their vocations has the potential to open the hearts of American Catholics in the pews in a very gentle and tender way.” And, ultimately, one thing is clear: It’s
the church’s duty to oppose racism — and be a leader in doing so. “Whether or not it makes you feel uncomfortable, you have to be willing to say something,” said Elyssa. “It’s what
we’re called to as Catholics. “We’re trying to stand for [the essential truth that] everyone is a human being . . . and [that knowledge] helps us better understand who God is.”
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
NATION
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Cause opened for Catholic educator dedicated to those with disabilities
RIE, Pa. (CNS) — Bishop Lawrence T. Persico Dec. 17 announced the opening of the canonization cause for Gertrude Barber, a renowned Erie educator and Catholic woman of faith who dedicated her life to serving children and adults with intellectual disabilities/autism and their families. “It is an honor to open the cause for sainthood for Dr. Gertrude Barber,” the Erie bishop said. “Her family members, and the thousands of families who have been touched by the work she initiated in her lifetime, are surely thrilled to be part of this historic moment. “But I am particularly pleased that the good work of Dr. Barber, motivated by her Catholic faith and undertaken on behalf of those in need,” he continued, “will now be known more fully by those throughout our region and beyond.” Bishop Persico made the announcement during a gathering of supporters and members of the Barber family with staff, students and adults at the Barber National Institute. Five days earlier, on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he issued a formal decree opening the cause. A diocesan news release said the decree will be shared in Catholic churches across the Diocese of Erie the weekend of Dec. 28 and 29. It also can be found at www.DrBarber. org. Gertrude Agnes Barber (19112000) was born in Erie and lived with her family on Newman Street, a short distance from what is now the Barber National Institute, while she attended Villa Maria Academy. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a doctorate in education at Pennsylvania State University, and a doctor of laws degree from Catholic-run Gannon University in Erie. She also had a doctorate of pedagogy from Edinboro University in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. Barber “had a natural desire for learning; she was a successful scholar and built her career around education by passing on her message
CNS PHOTO/COURTESY BARBER NATIONAL INSTITUTE
and practically applying that all individuals have a right to develop to their fullest potential,” says a biography of her on the website www. barberinstitute.org. She began her career as a teacher and then worked as a home and school counselor, psychologist, coordinator of special education programs, and finally as assistant superintendent of the Erie School District. “This position presented many challenges when it became her job to tell parents of children with special needs that no services were available to educate their children in the community,” her biography says. “Barber decided it was time to make a change. In 1952, with the help of a group of dedicated teachers and parents, she established the first classroom for children with developmental disabilities.” This was the founding of the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber Center. In 2003, the center name was changed to Barber National Institute, which currently serves 5,370 children and adults annually in locations across Pennsylvania. It has about 2,600 employees. The institute provides services in
the areas of autism, deaf and hearing impairment, behavioral health diagnosis, and intellectual disabilities. With the formal opening of her sainthood cause, Barber now has the title “Servant of God.” A formal inquiry will begin a review of her life, work and holiness. Bishop Persico has approved the appointment of Msgr. Thomas McSweeney to serve as diocesan postulator for the cause. He is a retired priest and former director of Erie’s diocesan Office of Evangelization for Communications. Msgr. McSweeney will be the main point of contact for the gathering of documentation and formal interviews with anyone who wants to discuss interactions they had with Barber during her lifetime. The testimony will become part of the official documentation for the canonization process, all of which will eventually be sent to the Vatican. Although Barber died years before Bishop Persico’s 2012 appointment to head the Diocese of Erie, he noted he had heard about her good works and her faith commitment from his earliest days in the diocese.
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Firm says city is violating First Amendment by banning Nativity
R Gertrude Barber is pictured with children in an undated photo in Erie, Pa. Bishop Lawrence T. Persico of Erie announced Dec. 17 the opening of the canonization cause for Barber, founder of what is now called the Barber National Institute for adults and children with intellectual disabilities and behavioral health challenges.
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EHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (CNS) — City officials in Rehoboth Beach are violating a Catholic group’s constitutional right to free exercise of religion by banning its Nativity display on city property, according to the First Liberty Institute. The Knights of Columbus Star of the Sea Council 7297 had displayed its creche from at least 50 years in Rehoboth Beach’s town square until it was asked to move the Nativity last year to a different location. Now the city government has a blanket ban on including the Knights’ privately funded Nativity scene as part of holiday displays at the town’s bandstand circle or adjacent to it on the boardwalk. Officials said city policy prohibits the display on any public property because of its religious nature. On behalf of the Knights, the First Liberty Institute sent a letter to city officials urging them to reverse the ban. The institute, based in Plano, Texas, describes itself as the largest nonprofit legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious liberty. In its Dec. 12 letter, First Liberty said that both the “blanket ban on religious displays” and “the city’s prohibition of the (Knights’) religious Christmas display while allowing a secular Christmas display by another local organization” is “textbook viewpoint discrimination.” “Such viewpoint discrimination is repugnant to the First Amendment, unlawful and provides” the Knights of Columbus council “entitlement to relief.” The letter was sent to Mayor Paul Kuhns and City Manager Sharon Lynn. In a November TV interview about placement of the Knight’s creche, Kuhns reiterated that “city policy is not to have religious displays on public property or city property.” “City officials either have terribly wrong information or such animus toward religion and people of faith that they would rather break the law than allow a Nativity display at Christmas time,” said Roger Byron, senior counsel for First Liberty Institute.
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DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
VATICAN
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Pope says helping migrants is moral duty By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Before blessing a large resin cross constructed around a used orange life vest, Pope Francis insisted human beings have a “binding” moral obligation to save those whose lives are threatened, including the lives of migrants and refugees. “We must rescue and save because we are all responsible for the lives of our neighbor and the Lord will ask us to account for them at the moment of judgment,” the pope said Dec. 19 as he met 33 migrants and refugees brought to Rome two weeks earlier by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner. The group, which included 14 children and teens, arrived in Rome from the Greek island of Lesbos Dec. 4. Most were originally from Afghanistan, but there also was a woman from Togo and a young mother and her 3-month-old baby from Cameroon. The group included both Christians and Muslims. The life vest in the center of the cross, which the pope blessed and had hung in an alcove by the guest elevators in the Apostolic Palace, was picked up by a migrant rescue organization in the central Mediterranean Sea July 3, 2019. A small plaque below the cross gives the
date along with the GPS coordinates of where it was recovered. Pope Francis said he wanted the jacket to be part of a cross because the cross symbolizes both suffering and redemption through the triumph of Jesus. “The unknown migrant, who died hoping for a new life, participates in this victory,” the pope said. Several years ago, Pope Francis was given another orange life vest. He said he gave it to the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development with the comment, “Here is your mission.” “By that I meant the inescapable commitment of the church to save the lives of migrants in order to welcome them, protect them, support them and integrate them,” the pope said, as the group from Lesbos looked on, except for the toddler who played at his feet. No one knows who the life vest in the cross belonged to, he said. “We are facing another death caused by injustice. Yes, because it is injustice that forces many migrants to leave their homelands. It is injustice that obliges them to cross deserts and endure abuse and torture in detention camps. It’s injustice that rejects them and makes them die at sea.” Pope Francis said he wanted to display the life vest “’crucified’ on the cross to remind us that we must keep our eyes open, keep our hearts
open and to remind everyone of the binding obligation to save every human life, a moral obligation that unites believers and nonbelievers.” “How can we not hear the desperate cry of our brothers and sisters who prefer facing a stormy sea rather than dying slowly in Libyan detention camps, places of torture and despicable slavery?” the pope asked. Pope Francis called for the closure of all detention camps in Libya, where many of the migrants and refugees attempting to reach Europe are held for a time. And, he said, “we must set aside economic interests because at the center must be the person, every person whose life and dignity are precious in God’s eyes.” The arrival in Italy of the 33 migrants and refugees was an extension of the “humanitarian corridor” project worked out by the Italian Interior Ministry, the Catholic Community of Sant’Egidio and the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy. Most of the 3,000 migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers resettled in Italy under the project have been from Syria; travel documents and permits to stay in Italy while awaiting an asylum hearing are granted on the basis of “vulnerability” because of age, family size or physical or mental condition.
CNS PHOTO/CINDY WOODEN
Blessing this cross featuring a refugee’s orange life vest, Pope Francis said Dec. 19 that he wanted it displayed in the Apostolic Palace as a sign “that we must keep our eyes open, keep our hearts open and to remind everyone of the binding obligation to save every human life, a moral obligation that unites believers and nonbelievers.”
Before the bell: Pope pays surprise visit to Rome high school
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OME (CNS) — On the last day of school before Christmas vacation, the students of Rome’s Pilo Albertelli High School were summoned to the school’s courtyard. Some 800 students met Pope Francis there Dec. 20; he was ready to listen to their questions and offer his reflections. The pope was accompanied by Andrea Monda, director of the Vatican newspaper, who until last year was a religion teacher at the public school near the Basilica of St. Mary Major. The Vatican did not release a transcript of the encounter. According to L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Pope Francis responded to a question on “the theme of solitude, which can grip you and throw you into melancholy,” but he also spoke of the importance of learning to be alone to think, to pray, to review one’s day and one’s actions.
He responded to a question about love and spoke about self-giving, which is something people need to learn as they mature. It’s a matter of “pruning,” he said, but it leads to real maturity. As usual, the newspaper said, the pope used stories from his own teen and young adult years in Argentina to illustrate his points, including his insistence that living in a multicultural, multireligious society is a good thing and that, by their example, Christians can witness to their faith without “proselytizing.” The Vatican newspaper reporter said everyone in the courtyard seemed shocked when the school bell rang, then they broke out in laughter. “At that point, the pope stood up and wished everyone a merry Christmas,” but before leaving, he took another question, this one about war and peace, particularly about deterrence — threatening destruction to maintain peace.
Pope sets term of office for dean of College of Cardinals
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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — After accepting the resignation of 92-year-old Cardinal Angelo Sodano as dean of the College of Cardinals, Pope Francis changed the norms of the office so that the dean would be elected to a five-year term renewable only once. Cardinal Sodano, the former Vatican secretary of state, was elected dean in April 2005 after Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean under St. John Paul II, was elected Pope Benedict XVI. In his apostolic letter issued “motu proprio” (on his own accord), Pope Francis said that given the size of the
College of Cardinals and the workload being dean entails, he decided it was best for the office to have a defined term of service. The letter was released by the Vatican Dec. 21 after Cardinal Sodano performed his last official task as dean. Pope Francis used the occasion to express “my gratitude, including in the name of the members of the College of Cardinals, for the precious and punctual service he (Cardinal Sodano) has offered as dean for many years with availability, dedication, efficiency and a great ability to organize and coordinate.”
CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA
Pope Francis answers questions from students at Rome’s Pilo Albertelli High School Dec. 20, 2019. He made a surprise visit to the public school on the last day before Christmas vacation.
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CLASSIFIEDS
EMPLOYMENT Director of human resources - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of director of human resources. The archdiocese provides shared services for 120 associated organizations. Services include: benefits administration; Workers’ Compensation; retirement plans; and a standardized payroll process. Applicants must be a practicing Catholic in good standing and an active and faithful steward in their parish. Applicants must have expertise in creating and implementing HR policies and processes; client employee services and support; legal compliance; HRIS and data management; and employee benefit management and administration; Workers’ Compensation, leave management and related processes; employee relations and performance management; and employer/employee communications. This position manages a staff of three HR professionals; is the chief human resources consultant to parishes, schools and other archdiocesan organizations; and manages all human resource functions at the chancery. The successful candidate will have expertise in multiple HR disciplines, demonstrated skill with innovation and process improvement, and have excellent people skills. For a complete job description and to download the job application, go online to: archkck. org/jobs. Send cover letter of recommendation from your pastor and resume to: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, attn.: Carla Mills, Chief Financial Officer, 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, KS 66109; or email to: cmills@archkck.org with subject line HR Director. Application deadline is Jan. 24. 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. 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. Part-time administrative assistant for general counsel - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of administrative assistant for our in-house legal counsel; part-time flexible schedule working 20 – 25 hours per week with the possibility of increased hours in the future. The office is located in the northern Overland Park area. Qualified applicants must have experience handling reception duties; ordering office supplies and managing vendor relationships; must be proficient using the Microsoft Suite of office products (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet and the ability to learn other software and online systems as required; file management of both paper and electronic files. Applicants must be a practicing Catholic in good standing and an active and faithful steward in their parish. Previous experience working in a legal office is preferred but not required. The successful candidate must also have a valid driver’s license and the ability to pick up and deliver documents to various courthouses, chancery offices and other law offices. For a complete job description and to download the job application, go online to: archkck.org/jobs. Completed application and resume/cover letter can be emailed to: jobs@archkck. org. Application deadline is Jan. 10. 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.
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! Principal - Our Lady of the Presentation, a dynamic and growing parish located in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, seeks a faith-filled principal with proven leadership skills and a commitment to Catholic education. Our Lady of the Presentation is an accredited, nationally recognized Blue Ribbon elementary school that strives to educate the whole child. Qualified candidates must be a practicing Catholic with administrative certification or the ability to become certified. Candidates must also have teaching and administration experience. Applications close on Jan. 15, 2020. Applications may be made to the Catholic schools office on the website at: careers.hireology. com/thecatholicdioceseofkansascitystjoseph and scroll down to “Principal - Our Lady of the Presentation.” Customer support specialist - My Catholic Faith Delivered is looking for a customer support specialist to help with the day-to-day needs of our clients in the areas of online learning and Catholic education delivery. Responsibilities include: resolving customer inquiries; technical support and other assistance as necessary via phone and email support; maintaining end-to-end responsibility for customer’s needs providing timely, reliable and courteous service; providing information about our online products and services; assisting with the development and improvement of processes, standards and documentation; developing and maintaining a knowledge base of the evolving products and services we offer; recommending potential products or services by analyzing customer needs; contributing to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; and performing other duties as assigned. Qualifications include: proven customer support experience; ability to build strong relationships with clients and act as a trusted adviser; results-oriented and capable of creatively solving problems as they arise; ability to prioritize and multitask; and excellent communication, organization and time management skills. Familiarity with cloud software solutions, learning management systems content management systems, and graphic design software a plus. Full time. Salary: $33,000 to $38,000 per year. Resumes can be emailed to: jfoster@mycatholicfaithdelivered.com. Construction field technician - Looking to hire construction field technician to do light delivery and trim carpentry work. Experience is great but willing to train the right person. Also willing to train to install custom window coverings. Includes delivery van for use to job sites. Clean driving record required. Position available PT or FT. Call Laura at Gallery Design (913) 782-6000. Administrative assistant, office of evangelization - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking qualified candidates to fill a full-time position of administrative assistant for the office of evangelization. Qualified applicants must have experience handling general office duties; assisting with travel arrangements; creating and maintaining databases; using software platforms to create fliers and promotional materials; must be proficient using the Microsoft Suite of office products (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet and the ability to learn other software and social media as required; file management of both paper and electronic files; must be a practicing Catholic in good standing and an active and faithful steward in their parish. Must have a high school diploma or equivalent plus a minimum of three years’ prior experience working in a professional office environment. Must have strong writing and creativity skills. Must be self-motivated with the ability to work independently as well as part of a team. For a complete job description and to download the job application, go online to: archkck.org/jobs. Completed application and resume/cover letter can be emailed to: jobs@archkck. org. Application deadline is Jan. 10. 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. 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.
HOME IMPROVEMENT 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. Interior painting - Renew your ceiling and walls with a fresh coat of paint. replace drywall or plaster repaired with no mess!! 25 years of experience. Call anytime. Jerry (913) 206-1144.
Sheetrock repaired - We can repair your ceilings and walls and can retexture with popcorn or knockdown ceilings. We can repaint old yellowed ceilings. Interior painting for 25 years with no mess!! Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 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 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. 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. 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. DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time. Windows - Doors - Decks - Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and be glad you did. Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com 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. 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. 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
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.
SERVICES 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. Tree trimming/landscaping Free estimates licensed/insured/references (913) 620-6063 Give a Unique Piece of Art This Christmas Original art and prints by Karen Kaffenberger, Three Trails Art Studio (Holy Cross parishioner) Florals, animals, landscapes & more Visit www.threetrailsartstudio.com (913) 735-9080 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. 2 Blond Chicks Home cleaning service You dirty it, we clean it. Jackie, (559) 816-4398 Janice, (913) 265-9448
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Handyman - Furloughed railroader trying to keep the bills paid for my family. I advertised here as Father and Son Home Exteriors and Remodeling for 13 years previously. I can do carpentry, windows, doors, trim, siding and decks. Also paint, sheetrock and tiling. No project too big or too small. Give me a call and ask for Josh at (913) 709-7230. 8 to Your IdealWeight Get Real, Get Healthy, Get Empowered. Release your weight and restore your power in 8 weeks! http://8toyouridealweight.com/coach/kathi/ 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. HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com 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. Quality work - Kitchens, bathrooms, painting and home repairs. Nothing too big or too small. Insured. Call Jimmy at (913) 206-4524. Rodman Lawn Care Lawn mowing, aeration, verticutting, mulching, Hedge trimming, leaf removal, gutter cleaning Fully insured and free estimates John Rodman (913) 548-3002 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. Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided. Call (913) 940-2959. Clutter getting you down? - Organize, fix, assemble, install! “Kevin of all trades” your professional organizer and “Honey-do” specialist. Call or email me today for a free consultation at (913) 271-5055 or KOATorganizing@ gmail.com. Insured. References.
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. Whole Estates Need to sell a home and everything in it? We buy it all at once in as-is condition. Call (816) 444-1950 or send an email to: www.wholeestates.com. WE 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.
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)
WANTED TO BUY Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee Maderak, (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee. Wanted to buy - Old cars or hot rods. Uncompleted project cars in any condition, with or without titles. Cash buyer. Call (913) 980-3559.
CASH FOR YOUR HOME (913) 980-4905
Any condition in the metro area Leave anything behind. We will even help you with your move
Mark Edmondson - local parishioner http://www.buykcproperty.com
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CALENDAR SERRA CLUB OF JOHNSON COUNTY CHILI COOK-OFF SOCIAL HOUR Curé of Ars Parish (Father Burak Room) 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
The Serra Club of Johnson County prays, encourages and supports religious vocations. Join us for a social get-together and learn more about our mission.
MAKING SENSE OF OUR CRAZY BUT PRECIOUS WORLD Conception Abbey Guest Center 37174 State Hwy. VV, Conception, Missouri Dec. 31 - Jan. 1
The purpose of this retreat is to find practical ways of naming and celebrating the goodness of God’s love in our human experience, thus making a difference for us and those around us. For more information, go online to: conceptionabbey.org/guests or call (660) 944-2809.
wrapped gift to exchange ($20 limit). For reservations, call BJ Newell at (913) 6208476 or send an email to: bjnewit8@yahoo. com. Tickets are $35 per couple and include a meal and private dining room.
SPIRITUAL REFLECTION AND PLANNING Christ’s Peace of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton Jan. 10 - 12
The retreat will begin on Jan. 10 at 5:30 p.m. and end on Jan. 12 at 4:30 p.m. The focus of the retreat is spiritual growth. Create growth goals: Devise steps to reach goals and write a vision statement for the year. There will be private time for prayer/reflection, daily eucharistic adoration, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, confession and Mass at the local parish. The suggested donation is $170/ single or $250 for couples for the cabins and courtyard rooms or $80 for the single guest rooms. To attend, send an email to: info@ christspeace.com or call (913) 773-8255.
TAIZE PRAYER Annunciation Chapel 4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
Ring in the new year with Taize prayer, a meditative, candlelit service that includes chants sung repeatedly, silence and prayers of praise and intercession. These prayer services emerged from an ecumenical community of monks in Taize, France. For more information, visit the website at: www. marillaccenter.org or call (913) 680-2342.
FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTION St. Paul Parish 21650 W. 115th St., Olathe Jan. 4 at 8 a.m.
All are invited to attend First Saturday Devotion. Our Blessed Mother promises to be present at the hour of death to all those who make the five First Saturdays in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For more information, call Barb at (913) 481-1745.
SACRED HEART BREAKFAST Sacred Heart Parish (hall) 106 Exchange St., Emporia Jan. 12 from 8 - 11 a.m.
Join the Knights of Columbus for breakfast. The suggested donation is a freewill offering.
BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS Divine Mercy Parish Christian Formation Center 555 W. Main St., Gardner Jan. 12 from 7:30 - 10 a.m.
Join the fun and fellowship and enjoy a hot and hearty breakfast. The cost for a meal of pancakes, sausage, eggs, and biscuits and gravy is: $6 for adults; $3 for kids 6 - 12; and free for kids 5 and under.
POTLUCK DINNER Most Pure Heart of Mary (Formation Room) 3601 S.W. 17th St., Topeka Jan. 5 from 1 - 3 p.m.
The Christian widow and widowers organization will host the potluck dinner. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call (785) 233-7350.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS CHRISTMAS PARTY Cinzetti’s Restaurant 7201 W. 91st St., Overland Park Jan. 11 at 7 p.m.
The Divine Mercy Knights of Columbus invite parishioners to join them for their Christmas party. There will be a “Switch, Steal or Unwrap” gift exchange, so bring a
BLOOD DRIVE Good Shepherd Parish 12800 W. 75th St., Shawnee Jan. 13 from 1 - 6 p.m.
Schedule appointments online at: www. savealifenow.org using the sponsor group code: 2U, or call Jack Carson at (816) 2252789. Walk-in donors are welcome but appointments help in staffing. A Chiefs T-shirt or Chiefs hat will be given to each donor.
HOPE FOR YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES AFTER DEATH BY SUICIDE St. Joseph Parish 11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee Jan. 14 and 21 from 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Fully Alive is a new integrated mind-bodysoul wellness program that will begin with a two-week session about after-suicide support using the book, “After Suicide: There is Hope for You and Them.” The evening will begin with Mass, followed by small group discussion facilitated by Catholic counselors. The evening will end with prayer. Adults
and teens, accompanied by a parent, are welcome. RSVP with number attending to Tom Racunas, special-needs ministry, by calling (913) 647-3054 or by sending an email to: tracunas@archkck.org. It is not necessary to give your name when you respond.
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breakfast. The retreat will be give by Sonja Corbitt. The cost to attend is $20. Register online at: www.kcnativity.org/journey-tojoy. Contact Susan Vogliardo at: suesues6@ hotmail.com or by phone at (816) 215-0189 with questions.
TAKE-A-LOOK THURSDAY Holy Spirit School 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park Jan. 16 from 9 - 11 a.m.
Come join us for information, tours of the school and refreshments. Choose a learning environment that is welcoming and Christ-centered. For more information, call Anita Pauls at (913) 492-2582 or email her at: apauls@hscatholic.org.
CALLING ALL MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER COUPLES Precious Blood Renewal Center 2130 Saint Gasper Way, Liberty, Missouri Jan. 18 from 1 - 4:15 p.m.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter is offering an afternoon of enrichment for any couple that has experienced a Marriage Encounter Weekend. The afternoon, “Lighting the Way Together — Castles to Lighthouses,” will reinvigorate your communication and rekindle the love in your relationship. Mass will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m. with a freewill offering to defray the program costs. For more information or to RSVP, send an email to Rich and Wendy Lorenz at: wendyteach3@yahoo. com by Jan. 10.
WIDOWED WOMEN OF FAITH Perkins Restaurant and Bakery (Back Room) 1720 S.W. Wanamaker Rd., Topeka Jan. 21 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
HELP FOR HURTING MARRIAGES Kansas City, Kansas Jan. 24 - 26
Have you thought about separation or divorce? Have you stopped sharing how you feel? Retrouvaille is a lifeline for hurting marraiges. For more information, contact the KC registration team at (800) 470-2230 or visit the website at: www.helpourmarriage.com.
KANSAS MARCH FOR LIFE AND IGNITE PRO-LIFE YOUTH RALLY Topeka Performing Arts Center 214 S.E. 8th Ave., Topeka Jan. 22
Come for a day of prayer for the legal protection of unborn children and to acknowledge the 47th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. This event is presented by the pro-life office of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. For more information, visit the website at: archkck.org/prolife. The event is free and open to all. Register groups at: www.archkck.org/ignite.
JOURNEY TO JOY Church of the Nativity 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood Jan. 25 from 8:15 - noon
All women are invited to this mini-retreat. We will begin with Mass, followed by a light
TASTE OF KCK Resurrection Catholic School 425 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas Jan. 25 at 6 p.m.
Taste of KCK is an evening of food, culture and community. Enjoy a social hour with live music, an ethnic buffet dinner and a program. There will be a speech by Father Mark Goldasich and we will honor the Church of the Nativity for its support. We will also recognize Father Harry Schneider for his lifetime of service. Proceeds support students at Resurrection School. Individual tickets are $70 and can be purchased online at: rcskck. org or by mailing a check to: Resurrection, 425 N. 15th St., Kansas City, KS 66102. Sponsorships are also available.
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. Visit our Facebook page at: www.face book.com/giftofself143 or send an email to: calledtolove143@gmail.com.
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.
CALENDAR submissions CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon, Thursday, 10 days before the desired publication date. INCLUDE: time and date of event; street address; description of event. SEND SUBMISSIONS TO: beth. blankenship@theleaven.org.
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD Dec. 29 THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH Sir 3: 2-6, 12-14 Ps 128: 1-5 Col 3: 12-21 Mt 2: 13-15, 19-23 Dec. 30 SIXTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD 1 Jn 2: 12-17 Ps 96: 7-10 Lk 2: 36-40 Dec. 31 SEVENTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD 1 Jn 2: 18-21 Ps 96: 1-2, 11-13 Jn 1: 1-18 Jan. 1 SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD Nm 6: 22-27 Ps 67: 2-3, 5-6, 8 Gal 4: 4-7 Lk 2: 16-21 Jan. 2 Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops, doctors of the church 1 Jn 2: 22-28 Ps 98: 1-4 Jn 1: 19-28 Jan. 3 The Most Holy Name of Jesus 1 Jn 2:29 – 3:6 Ps 98: 1, 3-6 Jn 1: 29-34 Jan. 4 Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious 1 Jn 3: 7-10 Ps 98: 1, 7-9 Jn 1: 35-42 Jan. 5 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Is 60: 1-6 Ps 72: 1-2, 7-8, 10-13 Eph 3: 2-3a, 5-6 Mt 2: 1-12 Jan. 6 André Bessette, religious 1 Jn 3:22 – 4:6 Ps 2: 7-8, 10-12a Mt 4: 12-17, 23-25 Jan. 7 Raymond of Penyafort, priest 1 Jn 4: 7-10 Ps 72: 1-4, 7-8 Mk 6: 34-44 Jan. 8 Wednesday 1 Jn 4: 11-18 Ps 72: 1-2, 10, 12-13 Mk 6: 45-52 Jan. 9 Thursday 1 Jn 4:19 – 5:4 Ps 72: 1-2, 14, 15bc, 17 Lk 4: 14-22a Jan. 10 Friday 1 Jn 5: 5-13 Ps 147: 12-15, 19-20 Lk 5: 12-16 Jan. 11 1 Jn 5: 14-21 Ps 149: 1-6a, 9b Jn 3: 22-30
What you see is what you get
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his new year, more than previous ones, there’s much anticipation, particularly for those of us who wear glasses or contact lenses. Why? Because in just a few days, we’ll all be seeing 2020! That opening is so bad that even those who usually enjoy “Dad jokes” probably groaned and hissed. But what would the new year look like if we did change our view going into it? I’m reminded of an old story about two little boys. One of them was an optimist and the other, a pessimist. When Advent rolled around one year, the parents decided to do a little experiment. They asked the boys to compile their Christmas lists. The parents then went out and bought the pessimist everything on his list. For the optimist, however, the parents put some manure in a fancy, wrapped box. As Christmas morning dawned, the parents put the two boys into separate rooms so they could see what would
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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.
transpire. The pessimist tore into his pile of gifts. He found something to complain about with each one: “This radio controlled car is the wrong color.” “I wanted the 1000piece puzzle, not this 500-piece one.” “I’m sure I asked for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, not the 11 Pro.” On and on, the little pessimist whined, tears of rage in his eyes. Meanwhile, in the other room, the little optimist eagerly tore
into his one present. As he opened up the box of manure, he let out a scream of joy. When his parents asked why he was so thrilled, he replied, “You can’t fool me! I know that where there’s this much manure, there’s got to be a pony somewhere!” Now that you’ve opened your Christmas gifts, which of the two little boys do you most resemble? Growing up, I was more like the pessimist. Don’t get me wrong, I never complained out loud and always thanked the giver of the gift. But inside, there was often a sense of disappointment. I suppose that I always enjoyed the anticipation of what the wrapped
gift might contain, rather than what it actually turned out to be (because it was rarely what I’d hoped for). As I got older, I turned into the optimist — not that anyone ever gave me a box of manure. (And, please, don’t get any ideas!) Each gift that I receive reminds me that someone was thinking about me . . . and that is a gift in itself. One of my resolutions in 2020 is to get a more positive perspective and to help others do the same. I got a jump on my resolution a couple of weeks ago. One of my parishioners was lamenting that we didn’t have a Midnight Mass for Christmas. I explained that, several years ago during a liturgy committee meeting, the topic of Midnight Mass came up. Members of the choir said, “You know, Father, all of us are getting older and that’s awfully late to be out. So, you can go on having a Midnight Mass, but you won’t have a choir to sing at it.” Needless to say, we’ve been having a 10
p.m. Mass ever since! With that in mind, I proposed this solution to my disappointed parishioner. “On Christmas Eve, as soon as it gets dark outside, set your watch two hours ahead. Then, come to ‘Midnight Mass’ as usual. You’ll continue to feel the still of a winter’s night, we’ll have Christmas hymns and readings as usual and then, when you get home after church, reset your watch to the correct time and enjoy an ‘extra’ two hours of sleep. It’s a win-win situation!” I’m not sure my parishioner is convinced, but it seems like a good idea to me. I’m hoping to transform myself from a “devil’s advocate” into an adventurer in the new year. It’s much easier for me to poke holes in new ideas and point out all that can go wrong rather than encouraging a different take on things and being open to where it may lead. Who knows? What appears to be a box of manure might indeed mean that there’s a pony somewhere!
Why we are commanded to ‘honor’ rather than obey
ong ago, when I learned the Ten Commandments as a child, I wondered why the Fourth Commandment instructed us to “honor thy father and thy mother” instead of telling us to obey them. I thought that that would have made more sense. My parents made it clear that obedience was my principal responsibility toward them. As a child, I realized that I owed them obedience. But later on, as an adult, I understood that that obligation had ceased, while I still needed to honor them. That explains the stipulation of honor toward parents. It is an enduring requirement, one which remains even after the children have
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.
left the home. In biblical tradition, the Ten Commandments are referred to as the Ten Words: “And he wrote on the tablets the words
of the covenant, the Ten Words” (Ex 34:28b); “And He told you his covenant that he charged you to do, the Ten Words, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone” (Dt 4:13). English translations often render the phrase “Ten Words” as “Ten Commandments,” but in the original Hebrew, it is clearly “Ten Words.” This way of speaking is reflected
POPE FRANCIS On the eve of his 83rd birthday, Pope Francis met with a group of his peers — although many were a few years younger — and told them that “old age is a time of grace.” “Grandparents, who have received the blessing of seeing their children’s children, are entrusted with a great task: transmitting the experience of life and the history of the family, the community, the people,” the pope said Dec. 16 during an audience with members of the Italian National Association of Senior Workers. The association represents workers with at least
in the equivalent term, the Decalogue, which derives from the Greek for “ten words.” Consequently, the Fourth Commandment, which instructs us to honor our father and our mother, corresponds to the Fourth Word. And if a single word could encapsulate that commandment, it would be “honor.” Significantly, the word “honor” occurs several times in Sunday’s first reading, Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 — three times, to be exact. This reading is part of our celebration of the feast of the Holy Family. In a sense, this passage from Sirach is a reflection on the Fourth Commandment. While it is not explicitly directed toward adult children, parts of it
suggest that such is its intended audience: “My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life.” Traditionally, the Fourth Commandment has been interpreted as not being limited to one’s biological parents, but as also applying to other forms of legitimate authority: teachers, employers, pastors, government leaders. These relationships constitute an extension of the family, the fundamental unit of society. It is natural that the responsibilities that are attached to the family also accompany those relationships. We owe them honor also.
20 years of seniority in a company, defending the rights of older workers and promoting volunteer service by older people. Pope Francis, who was born Dec. 17, 1936, told association members that one’s later years should be a “season of dialogue,” because “the future of a people naturally presupposes a dialogue and encounter between the old and young to build a society that is more just, more beautiful, has more solidarity and is more Christian.” As one grows older, he said, “the Lord renews his call to us. He calls us to preserve and hand on the faith; he calls us to pray, especially to intercede; he calls us to be alongside those who are in need.”
— CNS
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY
B
ecause suffering almost always imposes itself on us during life, and especially at the end of life, it can be helpful to reflect on the need to accept some personal suffering as we die, even as we recognize the importance of palliative steps and other comfort measures. In the last week of life, more than 90% of patients require medical management of symptoms such as pain, nausea, delirium, spasmodic contractions of muscles, vomiting, hallucinations or generalized agitation. Many of these symptoms can be addressed with medication, and serious pain can often be managed with powerful opioids like morphine or fentanyl. These remarkable drugs, however, call for discernment in their use because at higher dosages, they can limit mental clarity and induce an extended semi-dreamland state as death approaches. The U.S. Catholic bishops offer an important
Palliative care must not deprive patient MAKING SENSE OF BIOETHICS
FATHER TAD PACHOLCZYK Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, and serves as the director of education at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia.
observation about participating in our own dying process in their Ethical and Religious Directives. “Since a person has the right to prepare for his or her death while fully conscious,” it says, “he or she should not be deprived of consciousness without a compelling reason.” In some cases, the harsh symptoms
associated with dying may prove refractory to treatments, prompting physicians to consider, during a patient’s final stretch of days, the possibility of a globalized form of sedation known as “palliative sedation.” This approach, which relies on the monitored use of sedatives, barbiturates, neuroleptics, benzodiazepines or other anesthetic medications, entirely deprives the patient of consciousness as he or she enters into a deep comatose state until death. One concern is that the reception of the sacraments, whether confession, the anointing of the sick or the
Eucharist/viaticum becomes problematic for an unconscious person. This purposeful and complete shutting down of consciousness also raises broader ethical and spiritual concerns about categorically precluding participation in one’s death, as well as the last days of life. St. John Paul II once remarked that the meaning of suffering has been revealed to man in the cross of Jesus Christ. The church has indeed ascribed a certain primacy to the way he endured and sanctified the sorrowful and painful events surrounding his crucifixion, even before his preaching and teaching, or his healing and forgiving. Through those final sufferings, Jesus brought about the redemption of humanity and the entirety of creation. Paradoxically, his redemptive activity upon the gibbet of the cross was preeminently an inward, internalized movement of his will. Since he could not so much as budge a limb, his chief action and
motion upon the cross was the surrender of his innermost being, embracing and assenting fully to God the Father’s designs. His example reminds us how the movement from external activity to the acceptance of God’s will, from outward action in the world to inward activity of the soul, is one of the most important movements during our life’s journey. When Christians speak of “the value of redemptive suffering,” they are hinting at how, even in the midst of great personal suffering, human activity can be reoriented from that corporal, outward-looking glance to an inward, spiritually directed transcendence. The inward movement of our being in our final days and hours can involve a kind of transformation or conversion, sometimes quite dramatic, as in the case of the good thief. It can involve a contemplative internalization of the mysteries of human existence, a stripping away of everything and
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a period of “rending naked” the soul. That’s why it is so important for us not to be entirely deprived of our consciousness except for the most extreme reasons. That’s why it’s so important for us to be prepared to learn how to endure some pain so that we can more fully cooperate with the redemptive meaning of suffering. Our concluding time on earth may thus serve an important role in our own eschatological fulfillment. Our last days and hours can also powerfully affect the course of that fulfillment in others around us, as occurred in the lives of various bystanders on that historic day on Calvary. When we find ourselves nailed to our hospital bed, it can become an important personal moment for us to engage the possibility of a spiritual transformation opening before us, as we pass through the pains of childbirth to the joy of new life (Jn 16:21).
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Sam Garcia
DECEMBER 27, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
FEATURE
16
BEST GIFT EVER By Maureen Pratt Catholic News Service
I
f you were one of the three kings, what would you pack in your coffer to give to the baby Jesus? The question might sound utterly fanciful, but it really isn’t. Each Epiphany, when we hear about the visit from the three Wise Men from afar, bearing royalty-worthy gifts, we are, in our own time and place, embarking on a journey of our own, into a new year that will land us back at the manger, welcoming the Christ Child anew after 12 months have passed. Of course, we could arrive at Epiphany 2021 just ready to hear a good story and nothing more. But, with some advance present planning, we might be able to bring one or more wonderful gifts of our own. How will we spend the new year so we do not arrive empty-handed when we again greet Jesus in the manger? With the Wise Men as guides, we might find some gift ideas or, at least, some starter questions. One of the “Wise Men” in Jesus’ time put gold into his coffer — a glittering, valuable commodity, but it didn’t start out that way. Rather, the gold presented to Christ started out as a yellow metal embedded in a harder, coarser rock that had to be pounded and pulverized to yield its treasure. Then, the fine flakes of gold were refined, melted for days at high heat. Finally, at the end of the process, gold could be shaped and achieve its greatest value. What process could be started now that would result in a personal gift good as gold? One forged in effort, perseverance and deliberate care? In the ancient world, frankincense was often more valued than gold, with medicinal properties and other cherished uses. It had to be obtained from even farther off, from India and elsewhere, collected as it oozed from incisions made in trees of the genus Boswellia, then stored carefully and transported over long distances. What gift for Jesus could be found farther afield than the “usual” ones we rely on each year? What new activities, service or sacrifice could expand the horizons of local giving and charity? The third traveler’s gift of myrrh was aimed for use at the more difficult aspects of life, those that are neither easy to face nor understand. A resin like frankincense, myrrh also came from gashes made in far-off trees, hardened, then carried by merchants to the Temple in Jerusalem and other places for use in worship and funerals, its scent blending with others to evoke mourning and remembrance.
CNS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ
The Adoration of the Magi is depicted in a stained-glass window at St. Dominic Church in Oyster Bay, N.Y. Each Epiphany, we hear about the visit from the three Wise Men from afar, bearing royalty-worthy gifts. How might this year be used to reach people who are emotionally fragile, physically broken, socially estranged? How might the remembrance of our own suffering be offered with respect and compassion to them? The luxury of moments in which to deeply consider the
Wise Men’s gifts in light of what we can contribute might fade into the flurry of one task, one activity after another. This could lead us up to Epiphany 2021 breathless, with half-done gifts hastily “wrapped,” perhaps thinking we always have another year to do something better.
The Wise Men chose to give their best. They carried their precious cargo across many miles, evading Herod’s wrath, keeping the guiding star in their sight. And when their long trek led them to strangers, a family of three in humble surroundings, the mother just recovering from
childbirth, the newborn bundled in scratchy cloth, they offered their best and worshiped the newborn King, with no regrets of half-finished work, but only awe. Wonderful inspiration for the months ahead and encouragement for every step along the way to Bethlehem, next year!