02 03 23 Vol. 44 No. 24

KANSANS RALLY FOR LIFE IN TOPEKA

Fight to protect the unborn continues across the state

By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org

TOPEKA —It’s not every day you get to hear from life heroes.

Yet, that’s exactly who Hannah Schmitz and Margaret Ledom, both juniors at Hayden High School in

Topeka, found themselves listening to during the annual IGNITE rally held Jan. 24 at Topeka’s Performing Arts Center.

The rally was one of several events held in Topeka to commemorate the recent decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and also served to encourage the state’s pro-life movement. Other activities included workshops, a

march to the Statehouse, a rally at the Kansas Capitol and a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, Bishop Gerald Vincke of the Diocese of Salina, and Bishop Carl Kemme of the Diocese of Wichita, along with several dozen priests.

Debra Niesen, lead consultant for the archdiocesan pro-life office, kicked off the rally by describing a

life hero as “someone who is the voice, the hands, the love of Jesus Christ to someone who is vulnerable.”

“We are all called to be life heroes,” she said, “and we have many saints as examples — Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Joseph who protected Our Lady and baby Jesus, St. Gianna Molla, St.

>> See “PRO-LIFERS” on page 10

Please

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Students from Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, led the March for Life from the Topeka Performing Arts Center approximately three to four blocks to the Kansas Capitol. From left to right, the students are: Diego Luna-Reyes, Raul Gonzalez, Rafael Zamora, Veronica Hopkins, Elly’ana Sanchez, Magaly Guerrero, Ezequiel Leyba and Brenda Arevalo.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrated the annual Mass for Life as part of daylong activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that was overturned on June 24, 2022. He was joined by Bishop Carl Kemme of the Diocese of Wichita, Bishop Gerald Vincke of the Diocese of Salina and a number of priests from across the state.

I’m the fruit of my mother’s witness — but so are many others

In December, I received a Christmas card from a man who was a student in the 1952-53 kindergarten class at St. Thomas of Aquin parochial school in South St. Louis.

The class was taught by my mother.

Enclosed in his Christmas card to me was the Christmas card that he had received from my mother in 1952. On the back of the card was a handwritten note that read: “May you have a very Merry Christmas John.” It was signed: Miss Louise. I was very touched to receive the card and amazed that he had kept it for 70 years.

I have written before in this column of the tragic murder of my father on Dec. 18, 1948. At the time, my mother was three months pregnant with me, and my brother was not yet 2. My father’s sudden death had dramatically changed the course of my mother’s life. Her dreams had been shattered.

Mom used the death benefit from my father’s life insurance policy to make the down payment on a two-family flat in South St. Louis. We lived upstairs, and my maternal grandparents lived downstairs. Their rent made it possible for my mother to pay the monthly loan payments for our house.

In 1952, my mother did not have a college diploma, but she was a natural teacher. A few years later, my mother, having received a St. Rose Philippine Duchesne scholarship to Maryville College, suspended her teaching

career and earned a bachelor’s degree in less than three years. With her degree in hand, she resumed teaching and eventually became an elementary school principal. Her career in Catholic education spanned more than 40 years.

I never considered our family poor; however, I am not sure how Mom made ends meet. With help from my grandparents, my mother sacrificed heroically to provide for my brother and me. She rarely spent anything on herself. Her “social life” was being an active member in our parish Legion of Mary group.

Of course, in December of 1948, I was still in my mother’s womb and thus immune to the consequences of my father’s sudden death. As my brother and I matured, my mother took great care to tell us about our father. We were very proud of his military service in World War II and very interested in his abbreviated baseball career.

When I was a teenager, I asked my mother how she coped with my father’s death. She confessed that initially

she was crushed by this tragedy. She deeply mourned the loss of her husband. Mom also told me that my grandfather (her father) challenged her that she could not afford to overindulge her grief because she had two young boys to raise.

My mother never permitted my brother and me to consider ourselves victims. Though she acknowledged that not having a father to mentor us was a disadvantage, Mom was quick to point out the many ways in which we were blessed.

Interestingly, when I asked other relatives and friends of my parents about the time of my father’s death, all of them shared how my mother’s faith in the midst of tragedy inspired them. Many acknowledged that they had been renewed in their own faith by her example.

My mother never believed that God desired my father to be murdered. His death was the result of human sin. However, she did believe that God was faithful to his promise to be with his disciples always. She believed that God could bring forth good even from something that was obviously evil.

I am not certain that

my mother would have become a schoolteacher had my father lived. In retrospect, it appears obvious to me that one of the great goods God brought forth from the tragedy of my dad’s death was my mother’s career as a Catholic schoolteacher.

She was a gifted teacher. Mom always felt she could teach most effectively the subjects that were most difficult for her in school, because she understood better the learning challenges her students were experiencing. Most importantly, she was a great and joyful witness of her faith in Jesus and his church.

While an auxiliary bishop in St. Louis celebrating confirmations in the parishes, oftentimes a parent or a sponsor of the newly confirmed shared with me that they were a former student of my mother. They did not really care that I was a bishop, but they wanted to speak with me because I was Mrs. Naumann’s son. They wanted me to know the difference my mother had made in their lives.

This week, we celebrated Catholic Schools Week. I am very grateful for our Catholic schools. What makes our schools special are teachers like my mother. They help their students develop the gifts and talents that God has entrusted to them. Most importantly, they witness to the faith and the difference that friendship with Jesus makes in their lives.

Unfortunately, as much as we might wish, we cannot

ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN’S CALENDAR

Feb. 3

Bishops advisory group - Eucharistic Revival

Feb. 4

Regional Convocation Mass — St. Gregory the Great, Marysville

Mass — Sts. Peter and Paul, Seneca

Feb. 5 Visit St. John XXIII Seminary — Boston

Feb. 7

Wallbreaking — Villa St. Francis, Olathe

Feb. 8

Jesus Caritas — Salina

Feb. 10

Kansas Catholic College Student Convention

Mass — St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center

Feb. 11

White Mass — Our Lady of Good Counsel, Kansas City, Missouri

Vespers and dinner with the Community of the Lamb, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin and Bishop James Johnston — Lumen Christi, Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 12

World Marriage Day Mass — Prince of Peace, Olathe

protect children from experiencing difficulty, or even tragedy, in their lives. However, if they form an authentic relationship with Jesus, then no matter what happens to them, they will have access to the greatest source of strength, peace and joy. By keeping the faith, they will have confidence that Our Lord will draw forth good from life’s adversities.

Our Lord will use our adversities — and even suffering — as a means to draw us closer to him. Jesus can give us peace even in the midst of life’s storms. Our Lord can help us find meaning

and purpose while we are experiencing adversity. Jesus can give us the capacity for joy even at times of sorrow and loss.

This Tuesday, Feb. 7, my mother would have been 100 years old! She was certainly my most influential and effective teacher of the faith. Whatever good I have accomplished in my ministry as priest and bishop is the fruit of her influence and example.

However, what is even more beautiful are the many other lives that she impacted and inspired as a Catholic school teacher.

WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN

EVENT TO BE CO-HOSTED BY WORLD WAR I MUSEUM

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the first time in its 24-year history, the University of Saint Mary’s annual Lincoln Event will take place off its Leavenworth campus.

And the new venue has created quite the buzz among organizers.

The Lincoln Event will be held at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Not only does it move us to the Greater Kansas City area to allow more people to come and see,” said Karenbeth Zacharias, “but it also allows us to think about the conversations that we want to have in a little bit [of a] different way.”

Zacharias is chair of the division of humanities and liberal arts at the University of Saint Mary (USM) and director of the Lawrence D. Starr Center for Peace and Justice.

She and John Shultz, vice president for marketing and admissions at USM, are excited about the new setting. The plan is for the museum to be the event’s permanent home moving forward.

This year’s Lincoln Event will take place on Feb. 21, beginning with a reception at 6 p.m. The speaker portion of the evening will start at 7 p.m.

The topic is: “The Unfinished Business of Democracy: Lincoln, Wilson and the Issue of Race.”

Sponsored by Country Club Bank, the event is free to attend and will be livestreamed for those who are unable to be there in person.

It will include an art contest for local grade school students, which USM students will judge.

The Lincoln Event was created in 1999 to spotlight the University of Saint Mary’s Hall Abraham Lincoln Collection, which is housed in the campus’s Keleher Learning Commons.

“The concept was an annual Lincoln Event to acknowledge, recognize and celebrate the 10,000-piece Lincoln Collection that the university and the Sisters of Charity received,” said Shultz.

The collection was donated by Dr. Bernard Hall in 1969.

“The Lincoln Collection is extensive,” said Shultz. “It’s 10,000 pieces. It’s got a letter signed by President Lincoln

and first lady Mary Todd Lincoln.”

Two other notable documents are a copy of a telegram President Lincoln sent to his wife and an original copy of the 13th Amendment signed by Lincoln. Shultz said what makes the collection even more special is Lincoln’s ties to Leavenworth.

“He gave a key speech here on December 3 of 1859,” he said. “It’s thought of as a speech that helped launch his presidential campaign. Where he gave that speech is where the Country Club Bank of Leavenworth sits now.”

Each year, different experts address

various topics during the Lincoln Event.

This year’s speakers are Kate Masur, professor of history and Board of Visitors Professor at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois; and Chris Capozzola, professor of history, MacVicar Faculty Fellow and senior associate dean for open learning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The moderator is Randal Jelks, professor of American Studies and African and African-American Studies at the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

The style of the talk will be conversational, and there will be an opportunity for both in-person and virtual attendees to participate in a Q&A.

The audience can expect to learn more about Lincoln and Woodrow Wilson, who both fought for a united democracy in the United States in the face of war, said Zacharias.

“Lincoln is known as the Great Emancipator,” she said, “but there was a lot of unfinished promise that didn’t happen with Lincoln’s death.

“Wilson — who was often intimately tied internationally to the idea of the Fourteen Points and self-determination — domestically was a very different conversation.”

Zacharias said the topic of this year’s event is pertinent.

“We really want to remind people that the conversation about democracy in America . . . is one that has been ongoing since the beginning [of the country],” said Zacharias.

“Since the Civil War to today,” she continued, “those conversations — the ones that we have seen particularly convulse the country over the past few years — are [ones] that have happened throughout the history of America.”

The event is also timely as it occurs during Black History Month, she added.

“It is a perfect time to have this conversation on where we are on the continuum by looking backward at these two major figures in American history and certainly in the modern American historical frame,” she said.

To register, go online to: stmary. edu/lincoln. Click “Register Today” to pull up the World War I website, then click “Register” and scroll down to select your ticket type.

This year’s Lincoln Event — “The Unfinished Business of Democracy: Lincoln, Wilson and the Issue of Race” — will be held at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Because of a new partnership between the museum and the University of Saint Mary, the plan is for the annual event to take place at the museum moving forward.

Sustainability at heart of School Advancement Program

By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — “I hope I can be a conduit for the good work that’s already been established,” said St. Michael the Archangel, Leawood, parishioner Jane Rall.

As this new year begins, Rall has taken on the job of the School Advancement Program (SAP) consultant for the archdiocese, replacing Michael and Patty Morrisey.

She will be working with schools to implement a plan for board and business team development, fundraising, enrollment and sustainability.

The Morriseys are retiring after more than 16 years serving the archdiocese — first overseeing the expansion and growth of the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) and then founding and developing the SAP.

The couple began their work with the archdiocese after years of experience in the secular world.

“I did big business,” said Michael. “Patty was an educator and was also involved with the business world. Then, we owned small businesses.

“When we closed our last small business, we weren’t sure what we were going to do; but we were going to do something.”

The question of “something” was answered when the Morriseys were asked to help strengthen and build up the CEF’s ability to provide scholarships for Catholic education in underserved areas.

After 11 years, the Morriseys passed on the reins of a successful CEF and accepted the new challenge of pioneering the SAP.

“When we were doing CEF, we were giving schools money,” explained Michael. “With SAP, we’re helping them build a business infrastructure that will allow sustainability.”

That sustainability is based on schools following the SAP three-year plan.

“The first year, they help form a school business team,” explained Catholic schools superintendent Dr. Vince Cascone. “The second year, they do a signature event. And the third year, they really focus on enrollment management.”

Today, 10 schools that were once just surviving are beginning to thrive because of the SAP.

“Patty and Michael Morrisey have had a major impact on helping our schools be financially accessible to all families,” said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.

“They have a unique set of skills in motivating people to become involved, in building strong boards,” he added, “helping our schools to function in a more business-like and professional manner

in terms of their finances, and helping them to be successful in their development efforts.

“They will be greatly missed.”

Theirs are big shoes to fill, but Rall has an approach that’s grounded in her devotion to St. Teresa of Kolkata who said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

“I think that’s just a great way to live,” said Rall. “You can’t come in and solve a bunch of problems and challenges at once, but you can do small things every day to move forward.”

Rall will be moving forward with a wealth of experience.

She holds a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and has worked in both school and clinical settings. She has served on the board of the CEF and is currently serving on the School Business Team at Our Lady of Unity School in Kansas City, Kansas.

“We really wanted somebody to come in who could take it over and do a good

job,” said Patty. “And Jane was like an answer to our prayers.

“She has a real passion for Catholic education and that’s why she was drawn to help Our Lady of Unity — that’s most important.”

The priority of the archdiocesan school office is to be of service to parishes and schools, pastors and principals. The SAP is an important way to accomplish that goal.

“Our Catholic communities are so good at working together along the common mission,” said Cascone. “The SAP builds that community around the school with the mission of helping that school succeed.”

“Schools change, enrollments change,” said Rall. “But if you have good business practices in place, then schools can focus most on what they’re set up to do — ultimately the goal of getting kids to heaven.”

The Morriseys worked with Rall through January, and then retired with the confidence that they have left the SAP in good hands.

Archbishop Naumann is in no doubt of that.

“Jane has a great passion for our schools,” he said. “I am confident that she can not only sustain what Michael and Patty have started but build on that to help strengthen our schools.

“Our biggest desire is not to let finances keep any child from our schools or any family from being able to send their children to our schools.

“I think Patty and Michael made a great contribution in that area, and I know that

Help Catholic schools thrive

There is a great need for more people to help our Catholic schools survive and thrive. The SAP is looking for businesspeople that have the skill sets to assist schools on their business-operation side, particularly marketing and fundraising. You don’t have to be a parishioner to be part of a school board or business team.

For more information, send an email to Jane Rall at: Jrall@archkckcs.org.

Jane will as well.”

For the future, Patty is content to finally have time to be a grandmother.

“We have a seven-year-old and a twoyear-old granddaughter that live in D.C. that we do not get to see very often,” she said. “That was my reason for wanting to retire.

“We’ll have more time to spend with them while they’re little and watch them grow up more.”

Michael is on board to be a granddad, but retirement may not be in his vocabulary.

“I don’t see me as ever being done,” he said. “Whatever we do, we will look for ways to help others.

“That’s not grandiose; that’s just the way it is.

“That’s the way we feel.”

LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

Jane Rall, above, a parishioner of St. Michael the Archangel in Leawood, has taken on the job of School Advancement Program (SAP) consultant for the archdiocese, replacing Michael and Patty Morrisey, below.

FLEEING UKRAINE

Atchison community welcomes deacon and his wife

By Catherine Halbmaier Special to The Leaven

ATCHISON — The war is real.

That was the message Deacon Philip Gilbert, of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, shared with students in his talk at St. Benedict School in Atchison on Jan. 19.

Deacon Gilbert and his wife Christine were living in Lviv, Ukraine, when the war broke out. Now in Atchison, the couple shared their experience escaping Ukraine at two speaking events — one at St. Benedict School and the other at Maur Hill-Mount Academy earlier the same day. The talks detailed Deacon Gilbert’s journey from Lviv to Atchison, starting in the winter of 2022.

“On February 24, we woke up to air raid sirens,” said Deacon Gilbert in his talk. “Before this, I thought, ‘We’re in far western Ukraine, an hour’s drive from the Polish border which is EU and NATO [territory]. We’re fine.’

“I was wrong.”

Russian missiles had struck a town just south of where the Gilberts were living. Unable to board the packed evacuation trains, the Gilberts took an electric train.

“We were about 15 miles from the border — it’s now dark — and outside the window we can see lines of cars stopped in bumper-to-bumper traffic waiting to cross the border,” said Deacon Gilbert. “The next day we started walking.”

He and his wife arrived at the Polish border at 6 p.m. the following evening. After nine hours of waiting in line, the pair was given transport by a Polish couple who drove them to Krakow.

“While we were waiting at the border, the Poles and the Slovaks were constantly walking past with boxes of food, diapers for children, drinks, hot soup, blankets, raincoats,” said Deacon Gilbert. “On the one hand you see these Europeans — that is, Poles and Slovaks and Ukrainians — just bending over backwards to help strangers.

“And on the other hand, you know that there are rockets falling on residential buildings and uncounted deaths in the east of the country.”

In Krakow, the Gilberts stayed in a Dominican monastery.

“While we were in Krakow, we still were reacting to sounds, like a plane flying over or a bus driving down the street, because it sounded like air raid sirens,” Deacon Gilbert said.

Some 337,000 refugees entered Poland from Ukraine, Deacon Gilbert said. Many more crossed into other countries.

ON FEB 24, WE WOKE UP TO AIR RAID SIRENS. BEFORE THIS, I THOUGHT, ‘WE’RE IN FAR WESTERN UKRAINE, AN HOUR’S DRIVE FROM THE POLISH BORDER . . . WE’RE FINE.’ I WAS WRONG.

DEACON PHILIP GILBERT

After their stay in Krakow, the couple went to Italy where a friend hosted them.

Now, they are living in Atchison with Deacon Gilbert’s parents.

The deacon was raised in California and sent to Ukraine after entering the seminary. There, he completed a master’s degree and met his future wife.

In an interview with The Leaven, Deacon Gilbert and his wife described the welcome they have received from the Atchison community.

“Countless people have come up to us — people I don’t know — and said, ‘We’re so glad that you’re here. We’re keeping you in our prayers, the children mention you in their rosary every night’ — really, really touching things like that,” said Deacon Gilbert.

Some members of the Atchison community went the extra mile and organized a fundraiser in conjunction with Deacon Gilbert’s talk. High school siblings Thomas, Charles and Anna Rziha collected donations following the event.

“I had a sewing class with Deacon Philip’s mother, Mrs. Gilbert, and she was always talking about her son in Ukraine,” said 14-year-old Anna Rziha. “This year, my mom thought it was a great idea to maybe raise some money for the people in Ukraine, and so we got together with Deacon Philip and his wife and kind of planned out what we wanted.”

“Every year, we do a service project. And this year, we were in Italy in the spring and we were there when the war started. So, we thought about it a lot and we decided this would be our service project this year,” said 16-year-old Charles Rziha.

The Rziha family collected donations

from audience members as they left the talk. The money will go to hand warmers, ponchos and other helpful items for soldiers on the Ukrainian front.

“It’s kind of cool that, like, we’re not doing much, but we’re able to do something,” Charles Rziha said.

When asked how others can help, Deacon Gilbert suggested a fund at the St. Nicholas (Chicago) Diocese of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. People can write a check payable to St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy (with the memo “Support for Ukraine”) and mail it to 2245 W. Rice St., Chicago, IL 60622. Donations can also be made online at: chicagougcc.org/en/donate/ support-ukraine.html.

“The war is very real. It’s not just pictures; it’s death, violence, many suffer,” said Christine Gilbert. “The only thing I would like maybe to ask is if they can just keep Ukraine in their prayers.”

“We see pictures and maps and reports and statistics and [it looks] all very fake. It’s like any other news we see on television,” Deacon Gilbert said. “It’s no one we know; it’s the sort of thing that happens to other people.

“But this is very much happening to people, very much affecting millions of people.”

CNS PHOTO/KAI PFAFFENBACH, REUTERS

Refugees queue for the last train of the day to Poland after fleeing the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, at the main train station in Lviv, Ukraine, on March 17, 2022.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JD BENNING

Deacon Philip Gilbert, of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and his wife Christine were living in Lviv, Ukraine, when the war broke out. Deacon Gilbert spoke in Atchison on Feb. 24 about their escape from the war-torn country.

Fundraising begins with ‘starting the conversation’

By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org

LENEXA – When the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development offered its second symposium on Jan. 17 at Holy Trinity Parish here, participants were given a crash course on the art of fundraising.

The topic of the lunch presentation was: “Cultivating Major Gifts,” and speaker John Flynn made it clear that “asking for a gift is the easiest thing we do.”

The real effort of fundraising, according to Flynn, is the time spent with major benefactors before the ask “sitting one-on-one with people and having a conversation.”

Flynn, vice president of philanthropy for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), knows what he’s talking about.

Since he joined that organization in 2009, FOCUS has more than tripled the number of missionaries and campuses it serves.

Under his leadership, FOCUS reached a $250 million comprehensive goal for its “Run So As To Win” campaign.

Flynn explained the process of cultivating and soliciting supporters in seven easy steps — and participants were definitely taking notes.

“John was fantastic,” said Bill Maloney, executive director of stewardship and development for the archdiocese. “I thought he gave a great practical overview of the nuts and bolts of major gift cultivation and solicitation.

“But he also gave a great testimony on how to do that in our Catholic environment.”

Indeed, Flynn encouraged participants to see the place philanthropy plays in salvation history.

Alluding to the parable of the rich young man (Mt 19:16–30), Flynn said, “We have a great opportunity as development people to help people of great faith, influence and affluence in terms of bringing them closer to Christ.”

Flynn talked about straddling the fine line between being aggressive and being assertive when soliciting donors. He gave participants solid guidance with his “golden questions” to ask benefactors while cultivating a major gift.

Junior high youth rally set for

Feb. 26

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Don’t miss out on this year’s 20th Junior High Youth Rally, Feb. 26, at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg. The rally is open to any middle school student (6th, 7th and 8th graders) in the archdiocese. This is a great opportunity to engage those young people preparing for confirmation.

This year’s theme is: “Amazed in Deed.” Nationally known speaker Mike Patin will be the keynote.

“He was engaging,” said Terri Lynn, assistant director of stewardship and development. “I think the questions he offered to get started building a relationship with your major gift prospect were definitely the most valuable questions I’ve heard.

“A lot of people just don’t know how to get started in that conversation.”

Flynn also emphasized the importance of following up with donors after their gift is received.

“It’s extremely important to steward the relationship,” he said. “Report back on the impact their gift had, how it made a positive impact on your apostolate.

“The best supporters we have are the current supporters; those are our future supporters.”

The symposium offered participants a wealth of information, but its purpose was greater in scope.

“My goal is to bring all the development professionals from throughout the archdiocese together,” said Maloney. “It’s an opportunity for them to network and to have professional development.”

Maloney voiced appreciation to the Catholic Education Foundation for sponsoring the luncheon for this symposium.

The first two symposiums have been so successful, the office hopes to host

Don’t miss the next symposium

The archdiocesan office of stewardship and development invites anyone who does fundraising or development work in area parishes, schools, colleges, missions, etc., to consider attending future symposiums.

A third one is being planned for this spring. To make sure you’re notified, send an email to: stewdev@ archkck.org or call (913) 647-0325.

three or four each year.

“In the future, we may talk about different ways people can give,” said Maloney. “We may talk about databases at some point.”

Subject content may vary but the object of sharing ideas will always be at the forefront.

“The reason I think that’s important is we’re all trying to do the same thing,” Maloney continued. “But we don’t really compete.

“So there are a lot of good ideas out there that we could be sharing between our different organizations.”

Each parish organizes and brings its own group. Youth ministers/chaperones will register their groups with the archdiocesan youth office; collect fees and permission slips; and bring the appropriate number of Virtus-trained chaperones for their individual group: One adult for every eight youth is recommended. The registration deadline is Feb. 22.

The cost is $38 per person, which includes lunch. Buses will be available for those in rural parishes (for an additional $20 per person).

To register, go online to: archkck. org/youth-ministry/junior-highyouth-rally/.

Eunice (Haverkamp) and LeRoy Winkler, members of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Seneca (formerly of St. Bede Parish, Kelly), will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Feb. 12 at a Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul followed by a reception in the parish hall from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The couple was married on Feb. 12, 1958, at St. Mary Church, St. Benedict. Their children are: Stephen Winkler (deceased), LeRoy “Roy” Winkler, Paul Winkler, Marlene Sisson and James Winkler. They also have 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Solution on page 13

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD

John Flynn presented “Cultivating Major Gifts” at the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development’s second symposium on Jan. 17 at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa.

Red Mass invokes Holy Spirit’s guidance for new session

By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org

TOPEKA — Do you know what a game changer is? That was the question Bishop Gerald Vincke of Salina posed to those gathered Jan. 23 at St. Joseph Church in downtown Topeka during the homily he preached as part of the annual Red Mass.

Usually celebrated at Church of the Assumption directly across from the state Capitol, the annual Mass is offered by the Kansas bishops at the beginning of each Kansas legislative season to invoke the Holy Spirit’s guidance for all those serving in public office, as well as anyone in the legal profession.

This year’s Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and concelebrated by Bishops Vincke and Carl Kemme of the Diocese of Wichita. Father Anthony Saiki, rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas, served as master of ceremonies.

The term “Red Mass” comes from the red vestments worn by the celebrants — a color symbolizing the Holy Spirit, who is called upon to bestow the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel and fortitude to the gathered.

And, according to Bishop Vincke, the Holy Spirit is “the game changer” for all Catholics.

It was a “game changer,” he explained,

when Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars two days before.

But just as “a game changer” in the world of sports is someone or something that alters the course of the game, there are other game changers in life.

“For all of us in the life of the church,” said Bishop Vincke, “the game changer is the Holy Spirit.”

The bishop reminded the congregation of how the apostles preached the Gospel to a world that didn’t know Jesus yet — but it was the Holy Spirit who gave them courage to suffer persecution and martyrdom.

Referencing the Gospel of Luke, the bishop said, “There’s a . . . Scripture passage where Jesus is teaching the apostles how to pray. . . . And then he says, ‘How much more will the Father give you if you ask for the Holy Spirit’

(11:13). How much does God desire to give us the Spirit?”

The Holy Spirit, the bishop said, wants to be with us. The faithful should ask for his presence by simply saying, “Lord, I need you in my family life. I need you in everything that I do. Please send your Holy Spirit and send the spirit of truth as well.”

Later, Bishop Vincke said the Holy Spirit gives us courage and instructed the congregation to recall how St. Peter denied knowing Christ three times, but “when he received the Holy Spirit went out and preached Jesus Christ. . . . They (the Roman authorities) told him to stop talking about Jesus. And he said, ‘We have to obey God.’”

“The Holy Spirit, dear brothers and sisters,” he concluded, “is the game changer and can really turn the world upside-down.

“But we need to ask.”

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Bishop Gerald Vincke of Salina delivers the homily at the annual Red Mass at St. Joseph Church in downtown Topeka. The annual Mass is offered by the Kansas bishops at the beginning of each Kansas legislative season to invoke the Holy Spirit’s guidance for all those serving in public office, as well as anyone in the legal profession.

FOR ALL OF US IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH, THE GAME CHANGER IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.

BISHOP GERALD VINCKE DIOCESE OF SALINA

Young people and the Listening to young Catholics

By Timothy Matovina Catholic News Service

Pope Francis urged us in his apostolic exhortation “Christus Vivit” to “make more room for the voices of young people to be heard” (No. 38).

I find teaching to be a graced opportunity to heed this admonition, most recently with a group of 30 students in a course on Catholic history and pastoral practice in the United States.

This was not a typical group of college students. The summer course I taught was for our master’s program in theology, which forms Catholic pastoral leaders.

Three-fourths of the students are enrolled in the Echo graduate service program at the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life, a dynamic lay formation program that includes master’s studies and two years of full-time ministry in a parish or Catholic school.

Two other students are in a ministrystudy program with Catholic Extension. The vast majority of students are in their 20s, with others pursuing a master’s degree as a means of pastoral and faith enrichment.

Topics the students chose for their group presentations revealed concerns of many active young Catholics today. Some examined liturgical and devotional practices, others discussed saints and canonization causes.

One group focused on the church and disability, another on the history of Catholics and birth control. Groups also explored the public engagement of Catholics in ecumenism and in the wider U.S. society.

While class members are passionate about their faith and serving in the church, they seemed far less polarized than many Catholics of my generation.

We had individual presentations on natural family planning and Catholic responses to the AIDS epidemic, the social outreach of Catholic Charities and contemporary eucharistic adoration, the holiness of American saints and the history of our tepid institutional response to persons with disabilities. Several students addressed directly the polarization in church and society.

Students evidenced deep commitment to the beauty and truth of Catholic teachings, yet they did not seem intent on winning arguments about controversial issues.

Rather, they wanted to know about prayer and holiness, contemplation and action, catechesis and evangelization. They were fascinated with saintly lives and what they teach us.

One highlight was the day we visited the Catholic archives at Notre Dame’s Hesburgh Library, where we saw items such as the prayer book of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton with her handwritten marginal notes.

Three of the six group presentations encompassed explorations of Catholic lives, including St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, St. Junípero Serra, converts such as Isaac Hecker, and Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement.

Students were particularly enthused to study how Catholics have transmitted the faith during the past and present of our history in the United States.

They spoke regularly of their ministries and their desire to enliven their faith and that of their fellow Catholics, especially their young adult peers.

One class presenter summarized the challenges young leaders face in their lives and ministries. He avowed that young people confront a mental health epidemic rooted in three primary causes.

One is the negative impact of social media. Despite its potential for good, the prevalence of social media exacerbates low self-esteem, bullying, the “fear of missing out” (FOMO) phenomenon and

in general a distorted sense of our humanity.

Ultimately, social media forms young, and older, users in the dangerous presumption that our human value is based on what we project ourselves to be digitally, rather than our true identity as precious beings created in the image and likeness of God.

A second challenge is COVID-19, which has robbed young people of the person-to-person contact that is so essential for human formation.

A third is the generational divide, which of course always exists between succeeding generations, but appears to be even more impactful in our current reality.

Many Catholics of my generation

concur that being young is as difficult as ever. Even the childhood world our sons and daughters experienced differs significantly from that of our grandchildren — the former generation before COVID and at the inception of social media, the latter in the midst of both.

We express alarm about disaffiliation from the church, especially among our family members. In doing so, we can easily succumb to relatively simplistic analyses of disaffiliation and its causes.

If only our church officials were more involved in social justice, more traditional, more focused on the protection of children, more adept at preaching — the list could go on and on.

Listening to the students I met this summer gave me hope in the face of today’s challenges. The students reminded me that we are all called — both the younger and the older alike — to pray for and accompany the young amid the pressures and the joys of daily life.

They also taught me that, now more than ever, the outreach of young leaders to their peers is our most effective means as a church to inspire healing and faith among our younger sisters and brothers.

If we desire a more vibrant and youthful church, we need to personally invite young people to leadership and prioritize our collective support for them in their formation.

Matovina is a professor and chairperson of the department of theology at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. His most recent books are “Theologies of Guadalupe: From the Era of Conquest to Pope Francis” and “Latino Catholicism: Transformation in America’s Largest Church.”

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Pope Francis waves goodbye at the conclusion of a meeting of Scholas Occurentes in Rome on May 19, 2022. The event was for the launch of the “Laudato Si’ School,” a yearlong project of Scholas – young people to develop projects to promote protection of the environment. The pope has urged the church to “make more room for the voices of young people to be heard.”

CNS PHOTO/VICTOR ALEMAN, ANGELUS NEWS

Young people pray during the Youth Day portion of the 2018 Religious Education Congress at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. If we desire a more vibrant and youthful church, we need to personally invite young people to leadership and prioritize our collective support for them in their formation.

the Catholic Church

Strong campus ministry can help young adults continue in the faith

By Nicole M. Perone Catholic News Service

You would be hardpressed to find someone in the church who does not care about young people. The young are oft-discussed, occasionally included and wondered about as almost a foreign entity!

However, one avenue where the church has a consistent connection to young people is on college campuses through Catholic campus ministries. We rejoice when young adults, in the prime of self-discovery, make campus ministry a part of their story.

Personally, my undergrad experience, accompanied by the Jesuits, and my graduate school experience at a premier campus ministry on an Ivy League campus became “home” for me and informed my own vocation.

And yet — how do we serve not just the “easy targets” who are enthused about campus ministry but also reach those who might never darken the door?

As young adults begin to develop their own sense of identity, their own values newly removed from the systems that formed them, what role can we play?

As they experience the growing pains of young adulthood, like a forming conscience or a broken heart, can we accompany them not with proselytizing words but lovingly standing with them in the chaos?

One area where the church pours out resources is in evangelizing young adults on college campuses. While there are many programs that focus on the “bringing in,” a great opportunity for growth stands in the “going out.”

Even if we succeed in engaging a young adult in campus ministry for four enriching years, the drop-off postgrad is steep. For those who had a wonderful campus ministry experience, recall what those days were like after graduation.

You left (what I hope was) a vibrant, life-giving campus ministry with beautiful liturgies, profound encounters and quality programming that met your faith needs — and perhaps you were dropped into a very different situation in the “real world.”

Perhaps you followed a job far away or returned to your hometown and your childhood parish — and looking around, found the faith communities near you severely wanting after the nourishment of the oasis of campus ministry.

Sometimes, the post-collegiate

experience is not just a desert, but a hostile environment to young adults: Too many times, I have heard of (and experienced) situations where young adults approach a faith community with enthusiasm, armed with secular skills and unmatched energy, and are met with rebuke

and dismissal.

Regrettably, the world has addressed that more quickly than the church, capturing those gifts (often for good causes), and young adults lead in various other sectors. The deeply ingrained culture in the church of “paying your dues” and an expectation that one has little to contribute until one is of advanced age is, in my opinion, a blind spot that will be our downfall, lest we seize the opportunity that young people are!

While not all systemic challenges of the church can be resolved at once, one of many positive paths forward is to consider how we cultivate faith-based leadership capacities in young adults on college campuses, so that they feel better prepared for the transition from campus ministry into faith communities postgrad.

We know that “where our treasure is, there our heart is also,” and when we invest in the futures of young adults, it pays off dividends. The vast majority of young adults have experienced some sense of leadership preparation in a secular fashion during their college years — one only needs to review their jampacked resumes to know that!

However, sharing one’s gifts with the church in addition to other demands is a very different experience, with its own subculture to navigate.

Programs like ESTEEM and others that accompany young adults through those nuances leave the church better prepared with a cadre of brilliant, thoughtful, engaged young adults prepped with the energy and zeal to bring about the kingdom of God in meaningful ways.

We simply have to ask ourselves: Are we prepared to invest in them?

Perone is the national coordinator of ESTEEM, a faith-based leadership program for young adults on college campuses. She is also the chair of the board of members for the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults.

CNS PHOTO/SAM LUCERO, THE COMPASS

Students from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay sit on the grass during an evening outdoor Mass at the Richard Mauthe Center on the university’s campus on Sept. 11, 2011. Sadly, though, the post-collegiate experience can be a hostile environment for young adults.

Celine Do laughs during a campus ministry contest for ugly Christmas sweaters on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, Dec. 10, 2015. For those who had a wonderful campus ministry experience, recall what those days were like after graduation.

CNS PHOTO/TYLER ORSBURN

Pro-lifers: Speak the truth, live by the truth

Pope John Paul II and others — to look to as examples. We also have many life heroes just walking among us today.”

Introducing Lila Rose as one of those life heroes, Niesen said Rose is a writer, speaker and activist, as well as the founder and president of Live Action, an organization she launched at age 15.

In her remarks, Rose said that despite the ending of Roe v. Wade, the nation is still in tremendous confusion about the sanctity of human life, as more than 2,000 children die daily through abortion in states such as Kansas. But she encouraged those gathered.

“We can change our culture. We can win souls for Jesus Christ, and we can end abortion in America,” she said to much applause.

“I’m here because I want to win,” she continued. “I want to win back this country for life. I want to win souls for Jesus Christ. I want my own soul to be won.

“The only way to reclaim our great culture is to lovingly speak the truth and to refuse to compromise. We have to strive every day to not just speak the truth, but to live by the truth. After all, this is how saints are made.”

“Saints aren’t perfect. Saints make mistakes,” she added, “but every day saints get up again and they say, ‘How do I love God more today? How do I love him better? How do I love my neighbor more today? How do I love my neighbor better?’ And they speak the truth even when afraid.”

“So, let this be the day that we commit ourselves again,” she concluded, “to be the saints that our nation — that our world — needs.”

For Schmitz, Rose’s speech was especially powerful because of a video she showed. During her presentation, Rose played a video in which people on the street in Los Angeles and San Francisco were interviewed about their position regarding abortion.

“I really liked when she showed the video of asking the people if they were pro-choice or pro-life and then

WE CAN CHANGE OUR CULTURE. WE CAN WIN SOULS FOR JESUS CHRIST, AND WE CAN END ABORTION IN AMERICA.

showing them what happens during an abortion. They all changed their minds. I thought that was really impactful,”

Schmitz said. She plans to share the videos with others.

For Ledom though, the witness of Austin Krause, a theology teacher at St. James Academy in Lenexa who shared the story of his son Joseph Anthony, touched her heart.

Diagnosed in utero with anencephaly, Joseph’s brain and skull cap did not form properly. At least 90% of babies with this diagnosis, Krause said, are aborted. For he and his wife Mary Kate, that was never an option.

Instead, the two poured love into their son’s brief life, welcoming him into the world on June 24. And while most babies born with the same condition live minutes or only hours,

Joseph went home with his parents on June 27. Through it all, Ledom noted, Austin and Mary Kate embraced the suffering and tried to let God shine through them.

“If there’s a hardship that I’m going through,” Ledom said, she’s going to remember the Krauses’ story and try to imitate their example.

“I’m going to think about how I can show God through this,” she said. “How can I push through this hardship and see what God has planned for me through it?”

Note: See “He Never Spoke a Word” in the Oct. 7, 2022, issue of The Leaven for Joseph Krause’s story.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action, gave the keynote address at the IGNITE rally Jan. 24 at the Topeka Performing Arts Center. Rose founded the nonprofit organization from her parents’ living room when she was 15 years old. Its mission is to “defend the rights of the most vulnerable and make abortion unthinkable.”

LILA ROSE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF LIVE ACTION

DEALING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Speakers address how churches can protect the lives of mothers

By Kimberley Heatherington OSV News

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — In October 2022, the New England Journal of Medicine reported a statistic both shocking and grim: “Homicide is the leading cause of pregnancyassociated death in the United States; pregnant and postpartum women are more than twice as likely to die from homicide as from either hemorrhage or hypertensive disorders.”

However, the journal invoked the statistic as part of its argument that state abortion restrictions, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Women’s Health Organization decision, would lead to negative consequences for pregnant women experiencing intimate partner violence. “Studies show,” the NEJM article continued, “that abortion access plays an important role in reducing IPV.”

Addressing this all too common notion that protecting women from domestic violence requires abortion — as well as discussing the ways Catholics can accompany pregnant women failed both by their partners and those who counsel abortion — was the subject of a Jan. 29 session during the 2023 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering on “Peace Starts Here: Healing Wounds from Abortion and Domestic Violence.”

Organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, 10 other USCCB departments, and 20 national Catholic organizations, the CSMG was held in Washington Jan. 28-31.

Mary McClusky, assistant director of Project Rachel Ministry Development at the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, said that, despite the fact that the lives of both pregnant women and their children in domestic violence situations are often at risk, there is always hope.

Sharon O’Brien, co-founder and director of Catholics for Family Peace, echoed this, saying that while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the World Health Organization, make it clear that while domestic violence is a “mental health issue” that ends up being a “physical reality” and “oftentimes, a fatality,” the “good news is, it’s completely preventable.”

According to the CDC, about one in three women reports having experienced severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetimes.

Domestic violence signifies a pattern of behavior used to control an intimate partner through fear and intimidation. “When you’re in a domestic violence situation,” O’Brien told the audience, “you make some pretty scary decisions in order to keep you and your children safe.”

However, domestic violence isn’t limited to physical abuse. “Fifty percent of domestic violence is actually the emotional, psychological aspect,”

O’Brien explained. Neurologists have observed the brain interprets verbal abuse and insults identically to a physical slap. There also is an impact upon spiritual health.

A woman with an abusive partner may be coerced to terminate a pregnancy; her refusal to do so can, statistically, lead to murder. “The relationship between abortion and domestic violence — they’re not two independent things — is deep, and it’s mind-boggling,”

O’Brien reflected.

While previous generations of spouses may have believed they had to remain in an abusive situation for the sake of a marriage, “the church actually has a long history of being crystal clear that domestic violence has no place in any family,” said O’Brien. “It has no place in a Catholic family.”

In 2002, the USCCB updated its statement “When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women.” In the opening paragraphs, it declares: “we state as clearly and strongly as we can that violence against women, inside or outside the home, is never justified. Violence in any form — physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal — is sinful; often, it is a crime as well. We have called for a moral revolution to replace a culture of violence.”

Amy Erardi, coordinator of pastoral care in the Office of Life, Justice and Peace in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, proposed the audience could help pregnant domestic violence victims protect their lives and the lives of their unborn children by asking three questions: “What?” “So what?” and “Now what?”

“What” should recognize that

pregnancy is not always a happy event, especially for victims of violence. Pregnancy resource centers must be sensitive to the fact that patients, even when they arrive on their own, may still be tracked or monitored by an abusive partner. Erardi said that at the pregnancy resource center where she volunteers, “we’re seeing women come in with an earpiece, or their cell phone is just left on, for someone on the other end to listen to the entire conversation.”

To assist at the parish level, Erardi suggested the USCCB-designed program Walking with Moms in Need, as well as Project Rachel.

The “So what?” component of her model, Erardi said, asks why we should care. The answer is because we are messengers of God’s grace — people of peace — who “stand against violence. This includes domestic violence, and violence of abortion.”

Prevention underscores the third and final question, “Now what?” Education at the local level, Erardi added, is crucial. “That is our call to action,” she said. “To find resources — to share resources — so that we can educate within our dioceses.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence,

call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

OSV NEWS ILLUSTRATION/CNS FILE, EMILY THOMPSON

This illustration depicts domestic violence. “The Centers for Disease Control as well as the World Health Organization make it very clear that domestic violence is a health issue — a mental health issue to begin with,” Sharon O’Brien, co-founder and director of Catholics for Family Peace, said Jan. 29, 2023, during a workshop at the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington.

WHEN YOU’RE IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION YOU MAKE SOME PRETTY SCARY DECISIONS IN ORDER TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN SAFE.

SHARON O’BRIEN CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF CATHOLICS FOR FAMILY PEACE

EMPLOYMENT

Administrative assistant – St. Joseph Early Education Center in Shawnee is seeking a full-time administrative assistant. Interested individuals should email cover letter and resume to Melissa Thomas at: mthomas@stjoeshawnee.org. For more information, you can call (913) 631-0800.

Principal - Our Lady’s Montessori School is seeking to hire a principal with a knowledge of Montessori education and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Qualities must include a love for the Catholic faith and children, and be willing to collaborate with the SOLT Sisters to help the Catholic identity and the SOLT charism of the school thrive. Qualifications we are looking for: experience in formation of children; management of faculty; organizational and leadership skills; and excellent written and verbal communication skills. To request an application, submit a cover letter and a resume to: jwallace@olmskc.org.

Elementary assistant - Our Lady’s Montessori School is seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated Catholic to serve as an assistant in an elementary classroom. We are looking for someone who has a deep love for God and a deep love for children. Experience with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is preferable but not required. All employees are expected to fully support the teachings of the Catholic Church. In order to request an application, please submit a cover letter and a resume to: jwallace@olmskc.org.

Elementary lead - Our Lady’s Montessori School is seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated Catholic, AMI trained 6 - 12, to lead our upper elementary classroom ages 9 - 12. We are looking for someone who has a deep love for God and a deep love for learning. Experience with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is preferable but not required. All employees are expected to fully support the teachings of the Catholic Church. In order to request an application, please submit a cover letter and a resume to: jwallace@olmskc.org.

Administrative assistant for the office of marriage and family life and the office of children’s catechesis - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking to fill a full-time position of administrative assistant that serves the office of marriage and family life and the office of children’s catechesis. This position will be based upon a work week of 40 hours per week and is located at the chancery office. To see a full job description or to apply for this position, please visit: https://archkck.org/jobs.

Chief executive officer - Catholic Community Health (CCH) of Northeast Kansas is looking for a proven health care executive to join and lead our management team as the chief executive officer. CCH owns and operates a skilled nursing facility, hospice company and in-home care service company. Reporting to the board of trustees, the chief executive officer (CEO) provides strategic leadership for the organization by working with the executive leadership team to establish and execute both short- and long-range goals, strategies, plans and policies. To learn more about this position, or to apply please visit: archkck. org/jobs.

Assistant principal – St. Joseph School in Shawnee is accepting applications for a new assistant principal for the 2023-24 school year. The preferred applicant is a practicing Catholic; has a strong desire to help others foster a relationship with Christ; has demonstrated experience in spiritual and instructional leadership within Catholic schools; and holds or is working toward Kansas licensure in educational leadership. The assistant principal works directly with the principal to uphold the mission of the school and to provide ongoing support in a variety of ways for teachers, students and parents. The assistant principal is responsible for specific tasks related to discipline; school-wide assessments; scheduling; technology; classroom support for teachers; supervision; as well as other duties. Interested applicants should apply online at: www.archkckcs.org and select “Employment” to access the online application. Once the online application is submitted, email resume and cover letter to Jodie Maddox, principal, St. Joseph School, at: jmaddox@stjoeshawnee.org.

Part-time program coordinator - St. Michael the Archangel preschool is seeking a part-time program coordinator. The position involves administrative responsibilities and assisting curriculum development. Specific duties include: processing payments using preschool data software; corresponding with families; assisting with classroom instruction; implementing preschool programs and policies; and abiding by principles of sound Catholic education. The program coordinator must meet state requirements for working as a lead teacher in a preschool classroom. Please submit resume and cover letter to Jennie Wente at: jennie.wente@stmichaelcp.org.

Early childhood educators – With multiple locations in Johnson County, Special Beginnings Early Learning Center provides high quality child care in a safe, loving Christian environment. Our classrooms are full, and we are looking to add to our amazing team. We are looking for both full-time and part-time teachers for all ages of children. If you have an excellent work ethic, a heart for children and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education, we would love to meet you. For more information or to apply, call Carolyn Andruss at (913) 894-0131, ext. 102.

Part-time retail sales associate - Trinity House Catholic Books and Gifts is looking for retail sales associates to become part of a team of the largest Catholic book and gift store in the archdiocese. Candidates must have excellent interpersonal skills, exceptional knowledge of our faith and the desire to help others in their journey. Position requires 24 - 32 hours per week, but willing to entertain a flexible schedule. Send resume via email to: trinityhouse01@gmail.com.

Parish business manager - St. Ann Parish in Prairie Village, is seeking a full-time business manager to oversee all financial, human resource and other administrative aspects of the parish. The position will have responsibilities for budgeting, financial reporting, and cash flow management, as well as managing the human resource and IT functions. The individual will work closely with the pastor, school principal and young child-care director regarding financial, human resource and other administrative matters, and positively interact with volunteers and parishioners to support the parish mission. The successful candidate will have a business-related or human resource degree with a working knowledge of accounting principles and practices. The ideal candidate will also be a proactive, team-oriented leader and possess strong communication and interpersonal skills. The position should have at least five years of demonstrated supervisory experience. A complete job description can be found at: www.stannpv.org. Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to Father Craig Maxim at: frcraig@stannpv.org.

Director of human resources - Catholic Community Health (CCH) of Northeast Kansas is looking for a proven human resources director to join our management team. CCH owns and operates a skilled nursing facility, hospice company and in-home care service company. Reporting to the chief executive officer, this position manages and oversees all human resources functions for Catholic Community Health and its individual companies in a professional, ethical, efficient and organized manner, including recruitment, policy development, compensation, benefits administration and employee relations. The incumbent works directly with the executive management team and direct reports to ensure compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations as well as archdiocesan policies and procedures. To learn more about this position or to apply, please visit: archkck.org/jobs.

Website SEO and social medial specialist - Trinity House Catholic Books and Gifts is seeking an individual for full- or part-time employment or independent contractor to help manage and grow our web store and social media platforms. Candidate should have a proven track record of success with development, expansion and integration of several technology platforms. Candidate must have excellent written communication skills and understand application of HTML, Java, CSS and web platforms such as Volusion and Square Space. Please send resume via email to: trinityhouse01@gmail.com.

Pastoral coordinator - Haskell Catholic Campus Center, Lawrence, seeks a flexible, creative person to provide a nurturing space for prayer, religious education and Christ’s joy. Our Catholic community of Haskell Indian Nations University students, employees, university personnel and alumni calls for good communication skills and solid grounding in Catholic religious education and practice. Flexible and creative coordination of the varied tasks of sacramental formation, activity planning, cooking, cleaning, bookkeeping and property maintenance are key! This is a full-time position (40 hrs./week). Annual salary, $32,000 (negotiable) plus benefits. Please email Jean Finch at: katerihcsc@gmail.com for more information, or mail a resume to: Jean Finch, 2301 Barker, Lawrence, KS 66046.

Executive administrative assistant to the vicars general - The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph seeks to fill an executive administrative assistant position for the offices of the vicar general for administration and chancellor and the vicar general for pastoral affairs. This position will provide high level administrative support in the areas of communication (written and verbal), organization, record-keeping and general office tasks. This position is full time, benefit-eligible based upon 40 hours per week and officed in the chancery building in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. To see full job description and apply, go to: www.kcsjcatholic.org.

Caregivers - Daughters & Company is looking for several compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide light housekeeping/light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation services for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication.

A CNA background is helpful, though not mandatory. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match up hours desired. Contact Gary or Laurie at (913) 341-2500 if you want to become part of an excellent caregiving team.

Faculty and adjunct faculty job openings - Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kansas, a Catholic college offering higher education for those who may not otherwise be served. Adjunct faculty job openings include: biology; clinical nursing and math coordinator. Faculty job opening available for the nursing school and for professor of philosophy. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.

Catholic elementary school principal – Sacred Heart School in Emporia is seeking a highly motivated individual with demonstrated skill in spiritual and academic leadership of both students and staff. In addition, familiarity with enrollment management, technology and the tithing/stewardship model would be considered especially desirable.

Sacred Heart has approximately 61 students in K5th grades taught by nine teachers. Applicants for principal must be practicing Catholics, understand the mission of Catholic schools, and have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Please apply online at: www.archkckcs.org and send resume and credentials to: Superintendent Dr. Vince Cascone, Catholic schools office, via email to: vcascone@archkckcs.org. For specific questions regarding the school or parish, please contact Father Carter Zielinski at: czielinski@archkck.org.

Web and graphic designer - Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is looking for a talented Web and graphic designer to join the marketing team! This position is responsible for enhancing and strengthening communication with those served, volunteers and donors through the design and functionality of the public website, as well as keeping employees upto-date through the intranet. Ideal candidates must have 2-4+ years of experience designing, building, implementing and managing responsive web pages and be skilled in WordPress. Graphic design skills and knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud are also required as this role will take the lead in designing agency marketing materials. For more information and to apply, visit: https://catholiccharitiesks.org/ careers/.

Stylists needed - Are you addicted to the TV show “Say Yes to the Dress”? Are you self-motivated, love fashion and enjoy helping people look their best? If so, we want to talk to you! Sincerely Susan, a unique destination shop boutique is a warehouse environment where clients come in by appointment only. You must have a sense of style and a great personality to be able to interact with our “moms.” Hours are flexible. Must be willing to work a minimum of one evening per week and weekends. Must be able to stand and walk on concrete for long periods of time and reach overhead to pull gowns. Previous retail experience preferred, but not necessary. Hourly rate is based on experience. If interested, call (913) 730-8840.

Staff job openings - Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, has the following staff job openings available: Academic librarian; vice-president of business affairs/chief financial officer. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.

After-school care provider - St. Michael the Archangel School is looking for a part-time after-school care provider. Monday through Friday, 3:30 - 6 p.m., on days school is in session. Duties include gathering students when school is out; planning activities for students in program; monitoring and assisting children while in program; releasing to parent or guardian at the end of the day; and picking up the space at the end of the day. Must work well with children and parents. Email your resume to the principal, Diana Tate, to apply: diana.tate@stmichaelcp.org.

Manager assistant - St. Mary’s Food Kitchen has an immediate opening for a Manager Assist. Duties include: work closely with the manager, provide support to the day’s coordinator, ensure policies and procedures are followed and operational standard are achieved, participate in the frequency and scope of required daily cleaning tasks, availability to fill in for manager when absent, perform other work-related duties as assigned, interact with guests for improved service. This position is part-time. Weekends and holidays (time and a half). 9am-2pm with the occasional start time of 8:30am. $20/hour. To apply, please send a resume along with two references to Amelia Cortes, kitchen manager, at: stmfoodkitchen@gmail.com.

Extended day care position - Holy Spirit Catholic School in Overland Park is seeking an enthusiastic person to be the group leader in our after-school care program. This well-established program runs from 3 - 5:45 p.m. each school day. We are looking for a faith-filled, responsible, organized and creative person. Applicants should have knowledge of child development and be able to implement age-appropriate activities. The ability to communicate clearly with children, colleagues and parents is most important in order to foster positive relationships. Applicants must attend Virtus training, ongoing childcare training and be at least 18 years old. Contact Tessa Piscitello at (913) 492-2582 or email: tpiscitello@hs catholic.org for more information.

Drivers and aides - Assisted Transportation is now hiring safe drivers and aides to transport students with special needs in Johnson, Wyandotte and Clay County, Missouri, in company vans. Drivers earn $14 - $16 per hour. Aides earn $12 per hour. Part-time and full-time schedules available. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. Make a difference in your community by helping those in need. Call (913) 5214955 for more information. EEO

SERVICES

Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704.

WELLERBEEF.COM - Want beef served at your family table from a local, Catholic, veteran-owned family farm? Our cattle are born and raised on our own pastures. No antibiotics, no hormones and no steroids. We offer grass-fed and traditional. Multiple sizes available to order: from a starter pack to a whole cow. Free delivery in the metropolitan Kansas City area, and we pay the butcher’s processing fees. Look us up online, check us out and see all the options to personalize your order. Experience beef well done! We are currently taking orders and making deliveries. WELLERBEEF.COM

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.

ACT Prep - Founded by a Bishop Miege graduate, Pathway Prep has helped over 250 students during the last four years improve their scores. In-person or virtual sessions available. For more information, visit: pathwayprepkc.com and contact Alex Pint at (913) 991-8217 or: alex@pathwayprepkc.com.

Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.

Catholic counseling - For individuals, couples, families, adolescents and young adults. Sam Meier, MA, LPC. Call (913) 952-2267 or book an appointment at: StillwatersKC.com, in-person or Telehealth.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Popcorn ceiling texture removal

Interior painting

Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 30 years’ experience. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.

Local handyman - Painting int. and ext., wood rot, masonry (chimney repair), gutter cleaning (gutter covers), dryer vent cleaning, sump pump (replace, add new), windows, doors (interior and exterior) honey-do list, window cleaning and more! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 9274118.

HOME REMODELING & MAINTENANCE

Kitchens, baths, interior & exterior work

Licensed & insured - Shawnee & Lenexa area (913) 927-5240 or email: dknelson2001@gmail.com

Gearing up for spring! We now offer financing on all your home improvement projects with approved credit. Here is a list of the construction services I offer: flooring; tile; interior/exterior painting, as well as deck and fence staining; ceiling scraping/re-texturing; bathroom, kitchen and basement remodeling; siding; decks and covered porches. We also do cabinet refinishing! Look me up on Facebook at “Father & Son Home Exteriors & Remodeling.” I work on all jobs, no subcontractors. Thank you to all my clients! (913) 709-7230.

EL SOL Y LA TIERRA

*COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

*LAWN RENOVATION *MOWING

*CLEANUP AND HAULING

*DIRT GRADING/INSTALLATION

*LANDSCAPE DESIGN* FREE ESTIMATES

HABLAMOS Y ESCRIBIMOS INGLES!! CALL LUPE AT (816) 252-1391

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) 5791835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.

Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com.

FOR SALE

Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC).

For sale - Double lawn crypt at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa, Garden of Hope section, double lawn crypt, lot 78 C, space 4. Conveyance fee included. Asking $5000. Call Lou at (512) 656-1801.

For sale - Two plots at Resurrection Cemetery Faith Garden, section C, lot 51, spaces 1 and 2. Flat marker only. Asking $4400, seller pays $200 conveyance fees. Retail price is $5190. Call Pat at (816) 5824394.

>> Classifieds continue on page 13

CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN

DIVORCE MINISTRY

Church of the Ascension (St. Luke Room)

9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park

Feb. 4 at 6 p.m.

Are you divorced and feeling lost and alone? The church welcomes you and offers healing. Please join us for formation and fellowship. For more information, send an email to: info@thecall2love.com.

ST. JOE’S FOSTERING HEARTS

VALENTINE BASH

St. Michael the Archangel Parish

14251 Nall Ave., Leawood

Feb 5 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

St. Joe’s Fostering Heart groups will be hosting this event. Please join us for pizza, cookies and Valentine decoration for all ages. There will also be prizes and games for all ages.

PANCAKE AND MENUDO BREAKFAST

Our Lady of Unity Parish

2910 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 5 from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Pancakes, eggs and sausage links cost $6. The cost for a large menudo plate is $10, and $5 for a small plate. All the fixings are included, plus coffee and juice.

GROUNDBREAKING AND BLESSING

Villa St. Francis

16600 W. 126th St., Olathe

Feb. 7 at 3:30 p.m.

Villa St. Francis is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann to kick off its new rehabilitation wing and parking lot project. Following the groundbreaking and blessing, there will be a social with appetizers and beverages provided. Please RSVP to: thowell@catholiccommunityhealth.org.

UNDERSTANDING MEDICARE

Keeler Womens Center

759 Vermont Ave., 100-B, Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 8 from 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Get the most from your Medicare benefits. Come and receive unbiased information and assistance from a licensed professional. Get all your questions answered about Medicare and receive help signing up for services or adjusting your current coverage plan.

HOLY WOMEN SERIES: ST. JOSEPHINE BAKHITA

Keeler Womens Center

759 Vermont Ave., 100-B, Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 9 from 2 - 3:30 p.m.

Come and learn more about this amazing woman who was enslaved as a child and later became a modern-day saint.

IGNITE THE GREEN AND WHITE

2023

FOR XAVIER SCHOOL

Riverfront Community Center

123 S. Esplanade St., Leavenworth

Feb. 11 at 6 p.m.

Prepare to be ignited as we celebrate Catholic education! Xavier school’s Ignite the Green and White event features a cocktail reception with heavy appetizers, a student showcase and a silent auction. Visit the website at: leavenworthcatholicschools. org/give/ignite-the-green-white and scroll down to sponsor a child, purchase event tickets and register for the silent auction.

GREEN CLUB EVENT

St. Patrick Parish Center

1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 11 at 6 p.m.

There will be 15 games of bingo beginning at 6:30 p.m. Concession food stand will have nachos for $4; hot dogs for $2.50; and chili dogs for $4. There will also be

bottled water, candy and chips available for purchase. For more information, call Fritz at (913) 515-0621.

BINGO NIGHT

Sacred Heart Church

2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

The Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus will be hosting bingo for cash prizes. Refreshments will be sold. For more information, call Bob at (913) 850-3348.

ANNUAL SOUP DAY

St. Mary Parish

9208 Main St., St. Benedict

Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

St. Mary’s Altar Society will be hosting a soup day. There will be chili and chicken noodle and vegetable beef soups available for dine-in or carryout. Everyone is welcome.

LITURGY OF THE HOURS WEEKEND

Conception Abbey (Guest Center)

37174 State Hwy. VV, Conception, Missouri

Feb. 17 - 19

Embrace the rich history behind the practice of sanctifying the hours of the day, and learn how to continue to pray these hours on your own once you return home. For more information, go online to: www. conceptionabbey.org/guests/.

CURSILLO 2023 WINTER RETREAT

St. Joseph Parish

11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee

Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

There will be breakfast and lunch, talks and discussions, relic and miracle panels, Benediction and adoration. Attendees have the option at 7:45 a.m. to join the parish community in the church for the rosary, Mass and chaplet of Divine Mercy before the 9 a.m. check-in. The cost is $25. Register and pay online at: www.CursilloKCKS. com. Pay at the door is also available. Question? Email: cursillokcks@gmail.com.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

St. Bede Parish

7344 Drought St., Kelly

Feb. 19 from 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Join us for our annual pancake breakfast. There will be pancakes, sausage and eggs. Takeout meals will be available. The cost is a freewill donation.

MARDI GRAS AT THE CATHEDRAL

The Cathedral of St. Peter

416 N. 14th St., Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Come celebrate the last Sunday before Lent at the cathedral and enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner. A freewill offering is requested for the dinner. Takeout is available. There will also be several great prizes to be raffled at the event. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the event. Proceeds will go to support future programming at the cathedral. For more information, call (913) 371-0840 or visit the website at: www.cathedralkck.org.

SEASONS OF HOPE GRIEF GROUP

Sts. Peter and Paul Parish

411 Pioneer St., Seneca Sundays at 5 p.m.

Anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one is welcome to join the Seasons of Hope Grief Group. For further information, contact Roger Becker at (785) 364-6393.

CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN

Church of the Ascension

9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park

Feb. 20 - April 10

The Called to Love Again ministry will host a Lenten book study for divorced people. The book study will be on Monday evenings. The cost is $15 per book. Please register before Feb. 10 by emailing: info@ thecall2love.com.

HOLY ROSARY RALLY IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA

St. Mary/St. Anthony Parish

615 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 22 from 3 - 4:15 p.m.

We will pray the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the rosary. Benediction will follow, as well as an opportunity for attendees to enroll in the brown scapular. For more information, visit the website at: www.rosaryrallieskc.org.

‘PRAYING THE LENTEN SCRIPTURES’ Sophia Spirituality Center

Online

Feb. 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30

Pray the Sunday Gospels of Lent with others using techniques such as centering prayer, lectio divina and guided meditation to listen with the ear of our hearts for inspiration from the reading, from the Spirit and from one another. The fee is $60 for the series.

LENTEN SILENT RETREAT: PENETRATING MYSTICAL TRUTH

Christ’s Peace House of Prayer

22131 Meager Rd., Easton

Feb. 24 at 5:30 p.m. - Feb. 25 at 4:30 p.m.

Start your Lent with a deep understanding of the mystical, with insight and practical usefulness. This retreat will give you an overview of the brilliant vision, helping know the Christian mystical vision of truth. The more deeply you comprehend mystical truth, the more you will be transformed by its power. There will be conferences, eucharistic adoration, confession, and time for private prayer, reflection and walking. Cabins/courtyard rooms: $170 single/$250 couple or single guest rooms $100. To attend, fill out the form online at: Christs Peace.com or call (913) 773-8255.

‘ABIDING IN CHRIST - A LENTEN JOURNEY OF THE HEART’

Sophia Spirituality Center

751 S. 8th St., Atchison

Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. through Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.

To abide in Christ means to keep in constant close communion with him, lean on him, rest in him, pour out our hearts and experience him as our fountain of life and strength. As you enter into Lent, reflect on Jesus in your life through silence, lectio divina, reflection and sharing. The fee is $150 which includes a private room and meals.

FINISH FAITHFUL CONFERENCE

St. Michael the Archangel Parish Hall 14251 Nall Ave., Leawood

Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

All things preplanning for your legacy will be presented by six speakers on different topics. To register and for an agenda, go online to: archkck.org/finishfaithfulregistration or call Terri Lynn in the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development at (913) 647-0365.

LENTEN BUSY PERSON RETREAT Marillac Center

4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth

Feb. 26 - March 31

Retreat-goers will have the opportunity to meet once a week at your convenience with a Sister. At the beginning of the retreat, materials and resources will be provided for your private prayer. If you would like to participate in this retreat, contact Sister Sharon Smith at: ssmith@scls.org by Feb. 17. The cost is a freewill offering.

WOMEN’S CONFERENCE ON HEALING AND FORGIVENESS

Holy Trinity Parish

13615 W. 92nd St., Lenexa

May 4 from 5 - 9:30 p.m.

May 5 from 2:30 - 4 p.m. and 6 - 10 p.m.

May 6 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Come join us to experience Christ’s divine mercy and the power of healing and forgiveness in your life. We will have several inspirational speakers, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, eucharistic adoration and opportunities for reconciliation. There will also be a wine and cheese social on Friday evening. The early registration cost of $85 ends March 19. The registration fee after that will be $125. For more information, visit the website at: CatholicWomens ConferenceKC.com.

>> Continued from page 12

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 - Do you have a car or truck that you need to get rid of? If you do, CALL ME!

I’m a cash buyer. We’re Holy Trinity parishioners. My name is Mark. (913) 980-4905.

$$PAYING CASH MONEY$$

For military items, pocket and wristwatches, American coins, old buttons, lanterns, spurs, silver flatware, crocks, pocketknives, oil lamps, lanterns, Southwest items/jewelry. Most old items considered. Call Patricia today at (913) 980-4905.

PILGRIMAGE

Pilgrimage to Medjugorje - May 10 - 18 or May 20 - 28, 2023. The cost is $2500 per person, which includes airfare, bus transportation, accommodations, two meals per day and daily local guides. Hosted by visionary Mirjana Loldo. For details, call Grace Legaspi at (913) 4491806.

CAREGIVING

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. Family member with dementia or need help at home? - We specialize in helping seniors live SAFELY at home, where they want to live! We also offer free dementia training and resources for families and caregivers. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www. Benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591.

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 has never felt so good. Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer (913) 599-5000.

WE WANT TO BUY YOUR HOUSE - There are so many new companies in town advertising to buy houses. But we’re the only ones that have been here and we’re local Holy Trinity parishioners. I will give you a fair price on any conditions you are up against. Call Mark Edmondson. (913) 980-4905.

Classified advertising

Cost is $20 for the first five lines, $1.50 per line thereafter.

To purchase a Leaven classified ad, email: beth. blankenship@theleaven.org.

SOLUTION

27-30

Mk 7: 14-23

Feb. 9

Thursday Gn 2: 18-25

Ps 128: 1-5

Mk 7: 24-30

Feb. 10

Scholastica, virgin Gn 3: 1-8

Ps 32: 1-2, 5-7

Mk 7: 31-37

Feb. 11

Our Lady of Lourdes Gn 3: 9-24

Ps 90: 2-6, 12-13

Mk 8: 1-10

You’ll never hear the end of this

Ibought a new coffee cup for Christmas. Every time I use it, I chuckle because it reminds me of my family . . . and my heritage.

When I was in graduate school in Rome, we priests took turns celebrating Mass, in Italian, for the Polish nuns who staffed the kitchen at our residence. After saying Mass the first time, I realized that I’d forgotten to introduce myself. As I greeted the nuns leaving Mass, I mentioned my name.

“Oh, we all know who you are,” said one of them. “We can hear your laugh echoing all through the courtyard!” Really?!

Fast forward a few years and it’s time for the annual turkey dinner at Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. It was a warm October day, and the windows were open at the rectory next to the church.

MARK MY WORDS

of minutes later, she bursts out singing, “Oj, Marička pegla,” a lively Croatian polka song.

ZITA c. 1218-1278

At age 12, Zita began working as a domestic in the household of a wealthy weaver in Lucca, Italy, and remained there her entire life. Initially, the devout and punctilious Zita antagonized her fellow servants, and drew the ire of her employers for lavish gifts of food to the poor. But she gradually won over everyone by her goodness and was put in charge of the house. Later in life, she spent much time visiting the sick and imprisoned. At her death, she already was acclaimed a saint in Lucca and her cult spread to England through Lucchese merchants in London.

FATHER MARK GOLDASICH

About an hour into the dinner in the church basement, a woman approached me and said, “Father, I don’t want to alarm you, but I think that someone is fighting in your house! We can hear shouting from inside!”

I’m sure I blushed as I explained, “Don’t worry. It’s OK. That’s

just my uncles playing cards at my dining room table.”

Fast forward again a few more years, and picture me heading into the ER at Providence Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. My mom had fallen and hit her head at the assisted living center and was now at the hospital to be checked out.

As I entered the room where Mom was, I expected to see her moaning in pain with her eyes closed. Instead, she’s sitting up in the bed, bright-eyed and smiling. A couple

I was so embarrassed that I hissed, “Mom! Stop singing! We’re in the emergency room! People can hear you!” She stopped and pulled an invisible zipper across her lips. That lasted all of 30 seconds until she belted out the second verse of the song.

When a nurse came into the room, I was mortified. The nurse just smiled and said, “You know, I’ve never seen someone so happy in the ER!”

OK, let me get back to that coffee cup that I spoke of. It has the Croatian flag on it, along with the words, in all caps: I’M NOT YELLING, I’M CROATIAN. Since this wasn’t a personalized mug, I’ve got to believe that my family is not the only Croatian clan that is LOUD.

In fact, if you were

lucky enough to be at my home parish of St. John the Baptist on Strawberry Hill when the Croatian national team was playing in the World Cup, you’d have seen (and especially heard) what I mean.

Put a few Croatians in a room and we’d give the boisterous crowd at Arrowhead Stadium a run for their money!

The lyrics from “Come from the Heart,” by Susanna Clark and Richard Leigh hit home for me: “You’ve got to sing like you don’t need the money/ Love like you’ll never get hurt/ You’ve got to dance like nobody’s watchin’/ It’s gotta come from the heart if you want it to work.”

In this month of February when we’re reminded of what makes life so sweet, go ahead and sing, dance, love and laugh . . . just let it come from your heart.

Are we answering the call to ‘be’ light to the world?

Got a light?

Not so long ago, that was a common question in a world where people unabashedly smoked cigars, cigarettes and pipes. It meant: Got a match? Or a lighter? It was usually muttered as a mumble by some guy with a cigarette already between his lips. (Watch any old movie on TCM and you’ll see what I mean.)

Now that public smoking has gone the way of public telephones — again, watch old movies to see what I’m talking about — I think this question has a new resonance for Christians, offering us a way to look at our lives.

Here, in three little words, we find what

DEACON GREG KANDRA

amounts to a potent examination of conscience. Are we giving off light? Affirmation? Hope?

Looked at another

way: Are we still on fire with the flame we received at baptism? Or has the spark started to sputter and fade?

As we slide deeper into Ordinary Time — and for much of the world, deeper into the icy grip of winter — this is no small concern. Consider the very element we’re talking about. Light throws off illumination, warmth and energy. It scatters shadows and dispels fear. It makes it possible to see.

And if we look hard enough, we see something central to our lives as disciples. Our call as Christians is nothing less than to “be” light, drawing on the source of light, Jesus Christ, to give encouragement and hope to a world that so

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians must not “put pressure on others” to convert or induce in them “feelings of guilt,” but take a weight off their shoulders through joyfully sharing the Gospel, Pope Francis said.

At his general audience Jan. 25, the pope explained that Jesus frees people from all forms of oppression and that this

often feels discouraged and hopeless.

This is a good moment to look within and ask: Are we answering the call? Do we give off light?

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus refers to light, and he makes “being” light, and sharing it with the world, a sacred command.

In the Christian school of discipleship, being light is not an elective. It is a requirement — a “must.”

“Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

In the beginning, in Genesis, God’s first recorded words in Scripture announce what the Creator wants and what his creation

freedom is cause for joy.

“Oppressed is the one who feels crushed by something that happens in life: illness, struggles, burdens on the heart, feelings of guilt, errors, vices, sins,” said Pope Francis. “Let us think, for example, about feelings of guilt. How many of us have suffered from this?” He said, “If someone feels guilty about something they did and they feel bad, the good news is that with Jesus this ancient

needs: “Let there be light.”

But our human capacity for sin soon cast a pall over creation. And so, God whispered those words again, sending a new light into the world through Christ.

In these first weeks of a new year, we hear about the early days of Christ’s ministry and realize once more how we are meant to carry the light of Christ into places of darkness and pain.

This Sunday, let’s look anew at our lives — at what we have done and what we have failed to do — and ask ourselves the question that we don’t hear often anymore, but that still demands an answer: Got a light?

evil of sin, which seems unbeatable, no longer has the last word.”

In fact, “God forgets all of our sins, he has no memory of them,” the pope said. Even if someone repeatedly commits the same sins, God also “will always do the same thing: forgive you, embrace you.”

Pope Francis added that Christians must be joyful in sharing the Gospel, since “the faith is a stupendous love story to be shared.”

Christians must not be oppressed by guilt, but filled with joy, pope says

Father Mark is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989.

Deacon Greg Kandra is an award-winning author and journalist, and creator of the blog “The Deacon’s Bench.” He serves in the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York.

How can deacons do justice to both of their vocations?

In my last column, I looked at how we might form an understanding of permanent deacons as “married clergy” that does justice to both marriage and holy orders.

One key principle is the fact that “being precedes doing.” All that means is that our identity (“who we are”) is more fundamental than our activity (“what we do”).

Our actions flow from our identity. In the animal world, dogs do “doggy” things and cats do “catty” things. As men and women, we do “human” things, and as children of God redeemed through the blood of Christ, we do

ORDAINED TO SERVE

tree bears evil fruit” (Mt 7:17).

holy or “Christ-like” things.

As Jesus says, “Every sound tree produces good fruit, but the bad

There is obviously a close connection between the tree and its fruit, between being and doing. After all, “You will know them by their fruits” (Mt 7:20). Still, the tree comes before the fruit. We sometimes confuse this natural

order of things. This can have devastating effects when it comes to concern for the unborn and other vulnerable populations. Our identity and value come from who we are — not what we do or are able to do. Our identity as human persons traces back to our conception as persons created in the image of God.

Similarly, our identity as Christians stems from our baptism, when we are reborn as children of God. It’s not so much that we love God and do all sorts of “religious” acts, but rather that God first loved us (1 Jn 4:19).

The identity of married persons is rooted in their mutual

consent to give completely of themselves to each other as husband and wife, just as Christ loves his church (Eph 5:22-33). This surely entails many “actions,” but these actions do not define the relationship.

Also, the marriage is ordered to fruitfulness, but the couple is just as “married” regardless of whether the Lord blesses their union with children.

Now we come to the diaconate, and sometimes we get ahead of ourselves. We think about the distinctive actions of the deacon and miss the crucial aspect of the deacon’s identity, the indelible “sacramental character” (CCC 1570) from which the

actions come.

When we emphasize what the deacon does, we tend to place a disproportionate emphasis on the liturgical or parochial dimension of the deacon’s service. His identity then becomes that of a “priest lite” — an officiallooking cleric who cannot celebrate Mass or hear confessions.

Responding to that caricature, the deacon may feel pressured to spend more time away from his family in “ministry.”

In the next installment of this series, we will examine how the married deacon actually brings the grace of the sacrament home with him.

Marriage deserves the same reverence as the other sacraments

Could you imagine a priest deciding he would only celebrate Mass for his family and friends? Of course not! We instinctively know that the sacrament of holy orders exists for the good of the whole church.

Although perhaps not as obvious at first glance, the same is true of the other sacrament of vocation: matrimony. The church depends on them both.

Priests are a sign to us of the breadth of God’s love through their celibate availability. They remind us that heaven is worth great sacrifice, and they bring the presence of Jesus to us in

FAMILY MATTERS

the most important moments of our lives.

Married people are the sign to the church of the depth of God’s love. They are called to mirror the love of

the Trinity by making a total self-gift to their spouse, loving and trusting so completely that their love gives life to those around them.

Married couples are meant to show the church that God is not distant or indifferent. He is a passionate lover who would rather

die than risk spending eternity without us!

To help make matrimony the sign in the church that it is intended to be, we have to do two things. First, married couples need to approach their own vocation with wonder and awe.

Each couple’s sacrament reveals Christ’s love for the church in a unique way that no one else’s can. When this reality hit me, it changed everything.

Suddenly, my marriage was no longer about my own happiness. Other people were counting on me! This motivates me to reconcile hurts more quickly and makes me realize that it’s not only

not selfish to spend time with my husband . . . it’s a gift to my kids and the church.

Secondly, as a church we need to treat matrimony with the same reverence as the other sacraments, rather than just as an incidental living situation. Some practical ideas of how to do this:

• Invite married couples to serve together on committees, as faith formation leaders, in works of mercy or at liturgy.

• Announce weddings and anniversaries at Mass or invite couples to receive a blessing for those occasions.

• Ask parishioners to spiritually “adopt”

specific couples from engagement to their third anniversary.

• Offer regular opportunities for marriage enrichment and support for couples in crisis.

• Offer child care (or welcome children) to as many parish events as possible so couples can attend together.

Just as we all appreciate our wonderful priests as a gift to the church, so too should we celebrate the sacrament of matrimony.

Catholics of every state of life are welcome to come celebrate World Marriage Day with Archbishop Naumann on Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. at Prince of Peace Church in Olathe.

Join us in a holy moment reaching far further than you think

Archbishop’s Call to Share is again in full swing throughout the archdiocese. And, once again, the faithful of the archdiocese are responding fantastically. Seeing how we can all come together as one church to be disciples of Jesus through our gifts is a joy.

Last year, 14,000 parishioners throughout the archdiocese responded with a gift to Call to Share.

Each of these gifts is a response to God’s call to do something good for others and be part of something special.

Your response to Call to Share is transforming

YES TO THE CALL

“Catholic moment.”

diaconate, inspire college students to grow their relationship with God, and help families with basic needs to stabilize their lives.

what you prayerfully believe God is calling you to do.

people’s lives. Archbishop Naumann has referred to Call to Share as our

This moment each year is our opportunity to look beyond ourselves and be the apostles God is calling us to be. It is a moment when we have the chance to impact the lives of engaged and married couples, support men called to the

We are all called to have these “Catholic moments” each day. Last year, I was gifted a book by Matthew Kelly titled “Holy Moments.” The gift of the book was a “holy moment” created by my coworker.

The book defines a “holy moment” as “a single moment” in which you open yourself to God. You make yourself available to him. You set aside personal preference and self-interest, and for one moment, you do

The premise of the book is quite simple. Each moment of every day, we have the opportunity to create “holy moments.” We can shine the light of Jesus into the lives of the people we encounter.

There are no small acts of kindness. Every act of kindness and generosity has a ripple effect well beyond anything we can imagine. God works through us to create this tidal wave of goodness worldwide. One holy moment today can create thousands of holy moments for years to come.

Archbishop’s Call to Share does just that. It creates a ripple effect of Catholic moments throughout northeast Kansas. Just think of the impact on future generations when a college student walks into one of our Catholic campus centers and their life is changed by growing in their relationship with God. Your gift to Call to Share has that type of impact.

You can create a holy moment by visiting our website at: archkck.org/donate/ home/.

Every gift will impact someone in northeast Kansas.

LEON SUPRENANT

Leon Suprenant is the co-director of the office of the permanent diaconate. He may be reached at leons@archkck.org.

LIBBY DUPONT

Libby DuPont is a consultant for the archdiocesan office of marriage and family life.

BILL MALONEY

Bill Maloney is the executive director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development. You can email him at: wmaloney@archkck.org.

‘GIVING PEOPLE HOPE’

The archdiocese offers help to those struggling with mental illness

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — If Joshua Ruoff could tell Catholics who are struggling with mental illness one thing, he would tell them this: You are not alone.

“Mental health affects everyone across all demographics,” said Ruoff, lead consultant for the archdiocesan specialneeds ministry.

“Maybe [people] don’t know how they’re struggling or why they’re struggling,” he said, “but they just know they’re struggling and [are] looking for a place of hope.

“That’s really what mental health ministry is about — giving people hope.”

The archdiocese is striving to be a resource for people suffering from mental illness and mental health issues.

Catholics are encouraged to take advantage of the list of local and national resources the archdiocese has compiled online at: archkck.org/special-needs/ mental-health.

The archdiocese also recently created a new mental health ministers program.

“It’s much like Stephen Ministries,” said Ruoff, “but it’s a mental health focus.”

Mental health ministers are laypeople who provide a support system for anyone who’s struggling with his or her mental health.

They’ll connect those individuals to resources and walk with them in their journey to find hope and healing. They’ll also embolden them to deepen their prayer and spiritual lives.

Ruoff hopes at least two people per parish will step up to serve in this ministry, and he emphasized that they don’t need to be mental health professionals.

“We’re not asking people to go out and diagnose people and treat them,” he said. “We’re simply asking them to be there, to be that presence of Christ reaching out to someone in need and helping them get the help they need.”

‘A ministry of service and presence’

Individuals interested in becoming mental health ministers don’t have to undergo training, said Ruoff, but it is encouraged. Those who undertake the training sessions can gain the knowledge and tools to make their ministry as effective as possible.

That training is possible thanks to the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (CMHM), which funds the archdiocesan mental health resources.

“The CMHM supports parishes and dioceses in establishing mental health ministries that provide vital spiritual

TAKE THE SURVEY

U.S. Catholic magazine created a survey for Catholics on mental health and the church. Find it online by searching: “U.S. Catholic mental health survey.”

accompaniment for people experiencing mental illness, as well as those who care for them,” said Deacon Ed Shoener, the association’s president.

CMHM also provides grants to start ministries and offers training programs, along with other practical resources, he added.

Deacon Shoener stressed the importance of this ministry within the church.

“Mental health ministry is a ministry of service and presence,” he said. “Mental health ministers see Christ in those who live with a mental illness.”

Deacon Shoener said being a mental health minister is like being the good Samaritan to those in need.

“We walk with people living with a mental illness to help them find the support and services that they need,” he said.

He also stressed that people who are suffering from mental illness are not defined by that illness.

“They have much to offer the church and the community,” he said, “because living with an illness gives them unique

insights into suffering, humility, compassion, friendship and love.

“We need to eliminate the stigma and discrimination that people living with a mental illness encounter in the church and in human society.”

olic counseling.”

Many individuals, families and children have already benefited from that initiative, he said.

‘Christ

in their darkest of times’

Deacon Mike and Jacque Moffitt of St. Paul Parish in Olathe are also working hard to develop a strong mental health ministry within the archdiocese.

The Moffitts, both psychologists, created the Fully Alive initiative in 2019.

“We started the mental health program before the USCCB suggested that each diocese have a vital and vibrant mental health ministry and before the COVID pandemic hit the world,” said Deacon Moffitt.

“The original vision was one of providing mental health services, education and our Catholic faith in an integrated matter,” he added.

The couple organized a list of local Catholic counselors, which can be accessed online at: archkck.org/family/ care-support/catholic-counselors.

“We also initiated the Clergy Referral Program,” said Deacon Moffitt, “which allows priests and deacons to refer persons with financial hardships to Cath-

Fully Alive has also hosted several educational presentations on mental health topics, including suicide, depression and anxiety, and forgiveness.

It’s presented to Catholic schools on the educational curriculum mandate for Social Emotional Learning, said Deacon Moffitt, as well as on specific mental health topics requested by schools.

Ruoff is excited by the steps the archdiocese is taking to assist those facing mental health problems in a way that goes beyond connecting them with resources.

“Mental health ministry in the Catholic Church is also about their relationship with Christ,” he said, “and knowing that Christ is with them in their darkest of times.

“I hope that this ministry allows people of the archdiocese to view all those individuals as children of God and to know that it is our calling from God to help them and to be the presence of Christ in their life.”

To learn more about the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, visit the website at: catholicmhm.org.

For more information on the archdiocesan mental health ministers program, send an email to Ruoff at: jruoff@ archkck.org.

is with them

The archdiocese recently created a new mental health ministers program comprised of laypeople who provide a support system for anyone who’s struggling with his or her mental health.