03 08 24 Vol. 45 No. 29

READY TO RALLY

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas hosted its annual junior high youth rally on Feb. 25 at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg. The event featured keynote speakers Stacey Sumereau, host of the popular “Called and Caffeinated” podcast, as well as Braden Johnson, a well-known Catholic speaker who grew up in Kansas and now travels all over the country talking about his faith. Local musician Mikey Needleman provided the music for the event and Mike Debus a painting performance. The rally culminated in a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.

— Photos by Jay Soldner

Braden Johnson, a young Catholic presenter who travels the country speaking to youth groups, gets the crowd pumped up during his keynote address.

Nino Gonzales, a member of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Louisburg, youth group, enjoys some quiet time out in nature at the junior high youth rally.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann addresses a packed house at the junior high youth rally on Feb. 25 at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg.

Sister M. Gemma Kissel, FSG, joins in the fun of the youth rally, which drew hundreds of kids from across the archdiocese.

Kids from parishes all over the archdiocese descend on Prairie Star Ranch for the annual junior high youth rally on Feb. 25.

Pray for those entering the Catholic Church this Lenten season

We have reached the halfway mark for the Lenten season. We should keep in our prayers the hundreds of individuals in our archdiocese who are preparing for baptism or reception into full communion with the Catholic Church.

The day of our baptism is the most important day of our life. Through the waters of baptism, we receive the very life of Jesus. We are given the dignity of becoming a temple of the living God. We are also given a destiny to live with God, the saints and the angels forever.

What could ever compare with the gift of our baptism? There is nothing this world can offer that can rival the grace of baptism. There is no material thing, no worldly pleasure, no human relationship and no recognition or honor that comes close to the gift of eternal life and the dignity of being a beloved daughter or son of God.

Those already baptized as Christians will enter the Catholic Church by making a profession of faith, being confirmed by the Holy Spirit and receiving the great gift of the Eucharist. However, some time before the Easter Vigil, the candidates for full communion with

ARCHBISHOP

JOSEPH F. NAUMANN

the Catholic Church will first receive the sacrament of reconciliation.

We need to pray for these candidates that the Lord will grant them the grace to make a sincere and heartfelt confession. This can be an intimidating and even dreaded experience for adults entering the church. In receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, they also provide us with an example of the importance of sacramental confession in restoring the beauty and joy of the divine life we received through the waters of baptism.

The sacrament of penance or confession is for all of us the opportunity to renew and recover the purity and innocence of our baptism. Jesus was constantly forgiving sinners. Our Lord’s mission as savior and redeemer was to liberate human beings

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS

from the enslavement of sin and the finality of death. Unless we understand ourselves to be sinners in need of mercy, then we cannot really understand Jesus and his mission.

Lent is a six-week preparation for the renewal of our baptismal promises on Easter. The most important action that we can take to prepare for Easter is to avail ourselves of the gift of sacramental confession.

Several years ago, I remember hearing Jen Fulwiler, when she was a host of a radio show on the Catholic Channel, talk about the peace she experienced after receiving the sacrament of reconciliation. She was an only child of parents who were both nonbelievers. Her father was a committed atheist and her mother was probably more of an agnostic. I encourage you to read her book, “Something Other Than God,” which is a memoir of her conversion to Catholicism.

Fulwiler wrote of the tremendous peace, the great sense of being

unburdened, that she experienced after receiving the sacrament of reconciliation. She thought to herself: “I don’t believe this is for free.”

Jesus knew that people throughout human history would need the gift of the forgiveness of sins, not just those who happened to be alive during his brief earthly ministry. It was on Easter night, at Our Lord’s first encounter with the apostles after they had abandoned him during his passion and crucifixion and, in Peter’s case, denied even knowing him, that Jesus empowered them to forgive the sins of others in his name. It was at the moment when the apostles were most aware of their sinfulness — their unworthiness — that Our Lord bestowed upon them the power to forgive the sins of others.

In so doing, Jesus made clear that it was not because of the apostles’ innocence or worthiness that they received this power to grant God’s mercy. Jesus chose to use weak human instruments to be vessels of his mercy in order to make clear it was not because of their personal holiness but rather because his divine power could use sinners to free sinners from the bondage of evil.

Do not allow Lent to pass without receiving

ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN’S CALENDAR

March 10

Mass — Holy Trinity, Paola

March 12

Administrative Team meeting — chancery

March 13

Benedictine College fireside chat and dinner — Benedictine College, Atchison

March 14

Communio update with Tory Baucum

March 16

Symposium on Transforming Culture — Benedictine College

March 18

All-school Mass — Curé of Ars, Leawood

CEF board meeting — Savior Pastoral Center

March 19

Eucharistic adoration — Maur Hill-Mount Academy, Atchison

Priests Personnel board meeting — chancery

Confirmation, Leavenworth parishes — Immaculate Conception, Leavenworth

March 20

Presbyteral Council meeting — chancery

Jesus Covenant prayer partner call

this great sacrament of mercy that restores our baptismal purity. Give yourself the gift of hearing the words of absolution liberating you from your sin, by one designated by the church whom Jesus empowered to bestow his divine mercy.

Pray for those being baptized and received into the church this Easter, that they will experience the peace

and joy only Jesus can provide.

Also, take advantage of the sacrament of reconciliation so that you can taste anew the peace and joy that only the God-man, the Redeemer, the One crucified on Calvary who forgave his executioners, the One who defeated death on Easter, can renew and restore.

24 years in, retreat director still ‘DOING WHAT HE WANTS ME TO DO’

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

OVERLAND PARK — “This is the best thing I’ve ever done, without a doubt in my mind,” said Phil Farnan.

The teacher of more than 50 years has spent the past 24 leading Kairos retreats for seniors at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park.

“I’m convinced that I’m doing God’s work,” he said. “I’m doing what he wants me to do.

“And so, I continue to do it.”

Farnan is an English and theology teacher who’s been at Aquinas since it opened in 1988.

He became a leader on the school’s fifth Kairos (K-5).

“The rest is history,” said Brian Schenck, president of Aquinas.

“He is a giving man,” said Schenck. “He is genuinely there to set the example of Christ for the leaders and the seniors.”

‘He taught me how to pray’

It’s been two decades since Courtney Shriver DeNegri attended Kairos.

“I still carry around a little prayer card that [Farnan] gave me on K-33,” she said. “It’s still in my wallet.

“I brought it out my first time I came back as an adult [leader], and I said, ‘This is what Kairos is.’”

DeNegri is now the department head for business and technology at Aquinas and serves as a faculty leader for the retreat.

Held multiple times each school year at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, Kairos is led by faculty, as well as students who attended a previous retreat.

Although its details are kept private to protect the experience for future participants, its purpose is threefold, said Farnan.

“It’s to hopefully improve their relationship with God, their relationship with each other and their relationship with their families,” he said.

The school’s 150th retreat was held in February.

Mark Blaise, a 2009 graduate who attended and led Kairos as a student, said it wouldn’t have made it this far without Farnan, who’s shaped his own life.

“I listened to him when he told me that it’s my job to make a relationship with God,” said Blaise, “and that it needed to change. It needed to evolve. It’s not like the old man in the clouds.

“He taught me how to pray.”

Blaise is now the director of campus ministry at Aquinas and a faculty leader for Kairos. He believes Farnan is “the ultimate anchor for the retreat.”

“And the kids respect him and his faith to know he’s not just pulling their leg or telling them what they want to hear,” added DeNegri.

Recipe for success

Brian Schenck, president of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, and Ryan Best, theology department chair, brought Kairos to the school in 1999.

“In the tradition of passing it from school to school, our leadership team attended the retreat as a participant [at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri] to get an idea of how it works,” said Schenck.

Since then, Aquinas has passed it on to St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City, Missouri, Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park and Dowling High School in Des Moines, Iowa.

Kairos is an optional experience designed to bring students closer to their classmates and help them build a personal relationship with Jesus.

Aquinas holds its retreats at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, and they last three nights and four days. During that time, students are away from their cellphones and other distractions.

Phil Farnan, the school’s Kairos director, encourages all schools to consider the retreat as an option, but he admits it takes dedication.

“To start, it takes some commitment from some adults,” he said. “Once you get started, the key is student leadership.

“If the students take ownership of the program, it’s going to succeed.”

‘God spoke to me’

“I was reluctant,” said Farnan of his first Kairos experience. “I had heard a little bit about it, but I didn’t really want to go.”

After enough nagging from his fellow staff members, he agreed to give it a shot.

“I went, and it was amazing,” he said. “I can’t even begin to explain to you.”

Multiple moments from all those years ago still spark emotions.

“God spoke to me while I was there and said, ‘Farnan, this is where you’re supposed to be,’” he said. “And ever since then, my life’s been different.”

As for the effect Kairos has on students?

“For the most part, you never get to see the results,” said Farnan. “And to be quite honest, the results for most of the kids that go on Kairos is temporary.”

But witnessing teens who are positively impacted months after it’s over has been a lesson in letting go.

“I have to do my part,” said Farnan, “and if it works, it works. And if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I can’t control it.”

Although he’s been on nearly 150 retreats, “it never gets old,” said Farnan. “Every one of them is different — for a lot of reasons, but mostly the kids.”

‘Positive impact’

Barb Loughman noticed changes in her oldest son after he attended Kairos.

“Afterwards, he had an appreciation for our family, his faith [and] basic values we want our kids to have as Catholics,” she said.

Each of her nine children attended the retreat while at Aquinas, and a few were also student leaders.

Now a theology teacher at Aquinas and a Kairos leader, she again experiences its fruits firsthand.

“As a faculty member, it allows you to see kids in a different way than just in a hallway or in a classroom,” said Loughman.

Blaise sees the retreat as a “rite of passage” for students.

“I think Kairos is an important part of the spiritual development of kids on discovering there’s more to life than the here and now,” he said.

“But you have to take yourself out of the here and now to find God,” he added.

Leaders believe the retreat has a ripple effect on the school community.

“The kids come back,” said Blaise, “and they’re not dreading senior year. They’re much more focused on the here and now and making the best of what they have for the last year they have together.”

Kairos has also touched the lives of its leaders.

For Farnan, his spiritual life changed the moment he led K-5.

“I had a pretty good faith life before that,” he said, “but not like this now.” His goal as a leader is simple.

“I hope and pray that I’ve had a positive impact on some of the people that I’ve been in touch with,” he said. “That’s my hope.”

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

From left, faculty members Courtney Shriver DeNegri, Mark Blaise and Phil Farnan, along with seniors Hunter Noravong and Lance Meade, of Overland Park’s St. Thomas Aquinas High School, participate in a “hands meditation” during a Kairos retreat at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

The pipes are calling: Leawood parish launches organ project

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

LEAWOOD — Call it a pipe dream, or rather, a pipe organ dream come true for St. Michael the Archangel Parish here.

It’s certainly a dream come true for Anne Dow and her fellow choir members. They sent corks popping when they learned that Opus 1, the parish’s long-awaited organ, would be built.

“We were very excited,” said Dow. “When the contract was finally signed, we literally broke out the champagne, we were so happy. And we toasted the St. John’s Abbey Organ Builders and sent the video to them.”

This past October, work began on the parish’s $1.68 million organ project at the newly established St. John’s Abbey Organ Builders in Collegeville, Minnesota. Leading the project is Martin Pasi, whose firm was absorbed into the new abbey organ building company.

Plans are for the new organ to be installed in the St. Michael choir loft in Spring 2025.

The new organ will have 3,204 pipes — the largest will be 16-feet tall; the smallest, 2-inches tall. It will be 30-feet wide, 10-feet deep and 17-feet high. It will be made of solid white oak and metal alloys of lead and tin. It will weigh 10 tons.

“It’s an absolute one-of-a-kind organ,” said Kevin Vogt, director of worship and sacred arts at the parish. “It’s somewhat of a challenging space to work in because there’s so much area in the choir loft but the ceiling is very low.

“Seventeen feet is a very low ceiling but it’s a very large church, so it needs a certain amount of volume and quite a bit of variety of sound or tone colors to make music effective in a large space like this to undergird congregational singing.”

It would be nice to have a 32-foot bass pipe but that isn’t possible, so designers did other things with the organ design to compensate for the space it will occupy.

“One of the things that’s fun about it is that it has four sections we call divisions,” said Vogt. “One is played by the feet. Three other sections or divisions are played by each of the three keyboards by hand. Each of those three divisions will be set side by side because we have so much width to work with. Two on the side are intended for the accompaniment of voices.”

A long-range goal

Building this grand organ was always part of the plan.

“When the church was built in 2009, there were some things left unfinished,” said Vogt. “We left the choir loft unfinished, but it was always in the original plan that there would be an organ.

“We saved a little bit of money by getting a temporary organ from a church in Columbus, Ohio. So, we’ve had a little pipe organ, but it was designed for a church the size of a large garage. The Episcopal church we got it from was about that size.”

The present born-again Catholic organ, built in 1970, makes beautiful sounds, but it simply isn’t big enough for a church the size of St. Michael. It will be donated and moved in mid-February to Christ the King Parish in Kansas City, Kansas.

“The [present] organ has no scope whatsoever,” said Tom Zachacz, the parish assistant for music. “It’s not very expressive and is kind of monochromatic in sound. Even though we don’t need a lot of volume, when we do need the volume, it’s just not there. It sounds good in the room, but we need something that will activate the room.”

To get by until the new Opus 1 arrives in 2025, the parish will use a tiny “trunk” organ, nicknamed “the dinghy,” which is small enough to be moved around as needed.

The great tradition continues

There are a few reasons why this is a special organ and a special project.

This organ is being designed and built in the great European and Benedictine traditions of organ construction and use.

Pasi, now an American citizen, was born in Austria and learned the art and craft of organ design and construction there. He moved to the United States and, over the course of his career, established his own company — Pasi Organ Builders, south of Tacoma, Washington. Pasi’s company made 29 large, custom-built organs.

Vogt got to know Pasi when St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was music director, contracted Pasi to build an organ.

“We first became acquainted 25 years ago and have worked on several other organ projects together,” said Vogt.

Nearing retirement age, Pasi decided to pass on his knowledge and tools to the Benedictines at St. John’s Abbey, which already had a large woodworking and furniture-building shop.

The church has used the organ for sacred music for more than 1,000 years, and the Benedictine order has an

organ-building tradition from about the ninth to the end of the 18th century.

The organ at St. Michael is the first to be built by St. John’s Abbey Organ Builders.

“The pipe organ as we know it is largely the result of technical developments over the last 1,000 years by Benedictine monks,” said Vogt, “but the St. Michael organ will be the first example of organ building by Benedictine monks since the French Revolution [of 1789].”

The organ will draw from that great European tradition.

“It’s a pipe organ with mechanical action,” said Vogt. “It has some electricity in it, a blower to provide the air to fill the large bellows, and the lights. But other than that, it doesn’t depend on electricity for anything. It’s all mechanical with a series of linkages made of wood, metal and carbon fiber. When you press a key down there are a series of mechanical linkages that go from the keyboard to the pipes.”

This is a very old way of making organs. The benefit of linkages is that the organist has a very fine control over how the pipes make their sounds. Also, it’s a simple technology. So long as the raw materials are available, repairs can be made.

“The technology of an organ like this was settled about 1750,” said Vogt. “Organs made this way have a great longevity. Some organs in Europe that are made in this traditional way have lasted for 300 to 400 years. There’s a bigger expense on the front end to make an organ this way, but in terms of longevity and ease of maintenance, it’s just about the most economical thing anyone can think of doing.”

The new Opus 1 at St. Michael can be thought of as a “generational gift,” said Vogt.

Even after the organ is built and installed, there’s still work to be done. In the future, Vogt plans for the construction of choir stalls on both sides of the loft, which will facilitate the prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.

“Doctor Vogt designed an organ that’s basically like an 18th-century south German design,” said Zachacz. “Those organs feature a lot of different sounds, so there’s a lot of variety in the [music] they make.

“So finally, for the first time, we’ll have an organ that can not only accompany very effectively but can also play a wide variety of organ literature.”

COURTESY

Organ builder Martin Pasi completes the first metal pipe for the new St. Michael organ. When completed, the organ will have 3,204 pipes, the largest being 16-feet tall, and the smallest 2-inches tall. Constructed of hardwoods and metal alloys of lead and tin, the organ will weigh 10 tons.

COURTESY PHOTO

This preliminary rendering of the St. Michael organ illustrates what it will look like once it is installed. The wooden case of the organ will be 30 feet wide, 10 feet deep, and 17 feet high and made out of solid white oak.

Young Stag is statehouse-bound as advocacy coordinator

By Dean Backes

Special to The Leaven

ROELAND PARK — Through four years of high school, Lola Kernell has been a spark of hope for the many lives she has touched. Now, as she embarks on life beyond Bishop Miege High School here, the senior will take her show of inspiration on the road.

Last spring, Kernell, who has Down syndrome, approached Sara Hart Weir, the executive director of the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD), at an Advocacy Day at the Statehouse in Topeka where she expressed her desire to work in public policy and advocacy for people with disabilities.

As luck would have it, Hart Weir and her staff were eventually in search of an individual with lived experience of a disability to join their staff. Kernell was an obvious choice.

“Lola had expressed an interest and if you’ve ever met her, you’d know that she is an effective advocate and an incredible public speaker,” Hart Weir said of hiring Kernell in January. “She’s passionate about changing our system in Kansas to work better for our population.”

For now, Kernell’s position is part time. But once she walks the stage and receives her high school diploma, Kernell will go to work full time as the KCDD’s advocacy coordinator.

The A-plus student, who is officing out of Down Syndrome Innovations in Mission, will write and deliver speeches, make presentations in front of her peers, recruit and train people with diverse abilities, create videos and write a blog called, “Lola’s Corner.”

Kernell has been participating on staff calls and is an integral part of all of KCDD’s programming and advocacy. In April, she will travel to Washington to take part in the National Disability Policy Summit. Once the Kansas legislative session wraps up, Kernell will join her colleagues and travel the Sunflower State putting on advocacy training sessions.

A small team that focuses on empowering advocacy for individuals with disabilities, their family members and caregivers, KCDD is dedicated to improving the statewide system in Kansas for people with disabilities, making it easier to navigate supports and services.

“That’s my dream job,” Kernell said. “I love being a public speaker. I like to be in front of crowds. A part of my dream is to be an advocate for those who are like me — with different needs.

LOLA IS GOING TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DOWN SYNDROME AND OTHER DISABILITIES.

SARA HART WEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE KANSAS COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

“Since this is all done for inclusion, it all comes down to giving a voice to the voiceless — the ones that society puts aside.”

During the hiring process, Hart Weir and her team took into consideration Kernell’s qualifications, experience and passion for the position, just as they would for any new hire. Since her role is brand-new, Kernell will set the bar as advocacy coordinator for KCDD.

Hart Weir said Kernell’s biggest attribute is that she does not take no for an answer.

Catholic App Series

Bless Every Home

J

oin a community of followers who pray for one another and share the Gospel. Users can get to know families who live nearby and build a relationship with them.

Bless Every Home also gives the option to receive daily reminders with prayer prompts and families to pray for that day.

Deacon Dana Nearmyer, director of evangelization for the archdiocese, said his favorite aspects of this app are the short daily prayers and customized neighborhood that connects him to others.

“The great commandment is to love God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength,” he said. “The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.

“This app helps me to do both.”

“She has lived experience,” Hart Weir continued. “This is a system that she has grown up in. Lola is going to bring that experience — not only to our team — but to our council and to the halls of the Statehouse in Topeka.

“Lola is extremely qualified for this position and so much more. We’re just getting started with the impact we’re going to have because Lola is going to change the system for future generations of children and adults with Down syndrome and other disabilities.”

Hart Weir described Kernell as a go-getter and was quite impressed with her resume.

While attending Bishop Miege, Kernell made the honor roll each semester and was involved in French Club, National Honor Society and campus ministry. A recipient of the Eric Druten Memorial Junior Scholarship, Kernell has also received awards in French and theology.

Dual-enrolled at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park and Benedictine College in Atchison, Kernell is an active lector and server at her home parish, Curé of Ars in Leawood. She hopes to one day study theology at Benedictine and will have three classes earned toward a degree when she graduates from high school.

— By Moira Cullings

“THE GREAT COMMANDMENT IS TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, MIND, SOUL AND STRENGTH. THE SECOND IS TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. THIS APP HELPS ME TO DO BOTH.”

A lover of the arts, Kernell enjoys writing songs and poetry and has had a stage or ensemble role in 10 of 11 productions performed during her four years at Bishop Miege. The props room at the Eastern Kansas League school was named “Lola’s Closet” after she organized it for an American Heritage Girls project.

Kernell performed monologues for Luisa in the “The Fantastics” and Cinderella’s stepsister in “The Ugly Stepsister Speaks Out” for the Kansas Thespians Festival, earning a superior rating — the highest possible.

And through Down Syndrome Innovations’ Ace program, she has worked for the Kansas City Royals, the Kansas City Chiefs and Nautical Manufacturing & Fulfillment, Lenexa. Kernell lists Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Byron Pringle and Eric Hosmer as her favorite current and former Kansas City athletes.

Hoping to be a voice for the voiceless, Kernell’s ultimate goal is to help others make it to heaven and to one day be canonized.

“It’s important to me because my faith is important to me,” Kernell said of why she enjoys helping others. “My faith is important to me because it gives me purpose in my life. My dream for my faith is to be a saint.”

Whether she realizes it or not, Kernell has been an inspiration to her peers, her educators and anyone else that has crossed her path.

“I think some people come into your life and are a spark of hope and that’s what I would call Lola,” Bishop Miege principal Maureen Engen said. “Not just for her own class, but for everyone in this school.

“She genuinely loves people, and that’s why I say she won’t just come and go. You just don’t forget her.”

Bishop Miege Learning Resource director Mallorie Hurlbert said God is at the center of everything Kernell does.

“Lola is filled with her faith,” she said. “She does everything in the name of God and brings that into the classroom and into our community. She really projects what we look for in our Catholic faith, but also in the differences within our community.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Lola Kernell, who has Down syndrome, is an A-plus student at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park. When she graduates this year, she will go to work full time as the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities’ advocacy coordinator.

Deacon Dana Nearmyer director of evangelization for the archdiocese

‘It’s amazing how together we brighten our space’

One day in January as I began to write this reflection, I saw these headlines in the news:

• 100 days of war in Israel and Gaza

• America’s growing political divide

• 2023 record KC homicides

• Freezing temperatures risk many lives

These headlines present a dark and wounded picture of our world. Although they change a little every day, they can present a bleak picture.

One evening as I was reflecting on some of our present-day realities, the lights in the monastery (except for some emergency lights) suddenly went out. Someone had hit a power pole in the neighborhood, causing one area of town to go dark.

Immediately, I reached for my phone and found one of my favorite features, the flashlight. (Whoever would have thought that our phones could be used as a flashlight?) I found a couple of battery-operated candles, which gave me enough light to

SISTER MARY ELIZABETH SCHWEIGER, OSB

get to a power source to recharge it.

maneuver around my room and then venture out into the monastery to explore what was happening.

As I held my one light amid the darkness, I met others with their own flashlights. It’s amazing how together we brighten our space. Knowing I could still find my way around gave me a certain sense of security in those few hours of darkness until I looked at my phone and realized that its power was rapidly declining. I needed to

I can’t help but think that this was a perfect image and metaphor for me as I reflected on the headlines in our world. I am like a flashlight that can help enlighten the world. When our lights are joined together, they can bring a lot of brightness to our universe.

However, we certainly need a power source we can plug into on a regular basis to get recharged. Really, we need to stay plugged in all the time.

My source of energy is my relationship and connection to God.

God is the power station. If I stay connected, God provides me with a whole network of energy sources. Scripture is one of the energy sources where I can get my batteries recharged. When I hear these words of Jesus, I know that I am not alone, and I have the strength to stay grounded and shine brightly:

• “I am the light of the world.”

• “Love one another as I have loved you.”

• “Ask and you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened.”

• “Be not afraid, I am

with you.”

Another energy source is the wisdom from St. Benedict. Here I find direction in knowing what to do. There is such power in these words:

• “Listen with the ear of your heart.”

• “Be the first to show respect to the other.”

• “Strive to love God and others with a sincere and selfless love.”

• “Let peace reign in your hearts.”

Taking time for prayer, contemplation, and reflection is an energy source. I allow silence and space for

God to work through me, filling my whole being with magnetic energy and love.

Community is yet another power source. As I connect, listen and respond to others, my light grows brighter, and the energy and influence begin spreading beyond my control. Networking possibilities are endless.

As men and women charged with the responsibility of bringing peace and unity into our world, we can make a difference. We are not alone. We are in this together. We need to stay connected with one another to generate a light that makes for a broader vision.

When each of us is fully charged, shining brightly with hope, love, compassion, forgiveness and caring, we can bring light into our darkened world. When we stay focused, grounded and connected to our Source of Power, all things are possible. We become “energizer” disciples.

Reprinted with permission from Threshold magazine.

COPYRIGHT © BY CLIFF LEITCH, THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE REFERENCE SITE, WWW.CHRISTIANBIBLEREFERENCE.ORG. USED BY PERMISSION

Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger, OSB, is the prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison.

Learning to be ‘lovers of human love’

By Jack Figge Special to The Leaven

ATCHISON — Shoes line the hallway, the savory smell of homemade soup wafts through the door and above the window hangs a sign that says: “The gathering place.” These are the sights and sounds of liturgy for Dr. Tory Baucum, but it’s a different type of liturgy — a domestic liturgy.

Every Sunday, a group of Atchison’s Benedictine College students gather at Tory and Elizabeth Baucums’ apartment to talk about life and learn about human love as part of the John Paul II Fellowship.

“I’m investing in a small group of students that I think will have an impact — a disproportionate impact — when they graduate,” said Baucum. “It may be for some that they just have really good families. That’s why my wife and I have them in our home every week — so that they can see how we practice hospitality with them, to give them a model, in the hopes that they will do something similar when they have their own home.”

Three years ago, Baucum arrived at Benedictine College to become the founding director of the Center for Marriage and Family Life. As part of his job, he was tasked with starting a fellowship for students centered on cultivating authentic love for the human person.

Thus began the John Paul II Fellowship.

Centered around three pillars — restoring, forming and exploring families — the JPII Fellowship seeks to form students into lovers of human love through embracing community, domestic liturgies and serving underprivileged communities.

Baucum hopes that by the time a fellow graduates, he or she will be a “lover of human love.”

“I want my students to become lovers of human love,” said Baucum. “People know what the church teaches about morality and sexual morality, and they know those are true. But if people here don’t know what love is and never experience it, then that is a problem.”

For Benjamin Hoopes and Axel Gomez, both seniors at Benedictine, the weekly community dinners have allowed them to grow as students of love through the shared interactions

during these weekly dinners.

“The JPII Fellows have given me the tools to actually see the transformation of culture that we talk about at the college. It has been modeled to me through the way we interact with students at schools and through the liturgies that we have every Sunday night,” said Hoopes.

Each of these gatherings is treated as a domestic liturgy — a time in which the group meets, shares a meal and prays with one another.

“These Sunday night dinners are my favorite part of JPII Fellows,” said Gomez. “We gather together and learn about each other’s weeks, learning about where people are coming from, where they are going, their hopes and fears, praying for each other and enjoying soup with each other. It helps build community in this small group and the fellowship.”

Elizabeth believes her and Tory’s role is more than just feeding and creating conversations with college students; she sees her mission as setting an example of radical hospitality.

“When they graduate from the fellowship, I hope the students have a sense of empowerment, that they realize they have something to offer and that they have a way of giving — a way of being a minister — that can be very organic and very simple, making a space for hospitality and how important that is,” said Elizabeth. “That a little simple food is different from entertaining. I hope they see that there is a lot of power in people sharing a simple meal with

each other.”

The group extends well beyond the Baucums’ living room, though. Fellows regularly teach underprivileged students at the Atchison public schools about human dignity and what authentic love looks like. Through teaching in a classroom and working with students, fellows such as Emily Hartmann see the practical application of what they discuss on Sunday nights.

“We have been reading Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Frattelli Tutti,’ and a grace that has come from the fellowship is that Tory is really good at facilitating ways that we can put into practice what Pope Francis is asking us to do,” said Hartmann. “I can see how the things that we study are practically applied. We get to see grace at work and get the opportunity to work in other people’s lives.”

Through the weekly dinners with fellow students, teaching underprivileged students and witnessing the Baucums’ example of the domestic church, the fellows have learned about the depths and complexities of human love. As they move forward, they hope to bring their experiences and knowledge to their future communities and families.

“The JPII Fellows have made me a student of love, of human love. It has opened my heart to be more in love with human love,” said Gomez. “I’ve learned that love is messy, that life is messy and somehow, God rides straight through our messiness, through our filthiness, and has a plan to make it all good, to make it redemptive.”

Appointment

Father John A. Riley, vicar general, announces the following appointment made by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.

Father Miguel Angel Arenas Rocha, MNM, to spiritual moderator of the charismatic movement in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas (in Spanish), effective immediately, and continuing as parochial vicar for All Saints Parish in Kansas City, Kansas, and St. Mary – St. Anthony Parish, Kansas City, Kansas.

El Padre John A. Riley, vicario general, anuncia la siguiente designación realizada por el Arzobispo Joseph F. Naumann.

Padre Miguel Angel Arenas Rocha, MNM, a moderador espiritual del movimiento carismático en la Arquidiócesis de Kansas City en Kansas (en Español), con efecto inmediato y continuando como vicario parroquial de la Parroquia Todos Los Santos, Kansas City, Kansas, y Parroquia Santa Maria-San Antonio, Kansas City, Kansas.

Cheryl (Simmons) and Michael Moran, members of the Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish in Overland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on March 9. The couple was married on March 9, 1974, at St. Mary Church in Milan, Missouri, by Father George Cramer. They have two sons — Jason and Christopher — and three grandchildren.

Kale and Juanita Bonebrake, members of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Emporia, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in February with their children: Kristine Wilburn and Kevin Bonebrake. The couple was married on Feb. 8, 1964, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Concordia.

ANNIVERSARY SUBMISSIONS

POLICY: The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th anniversary notices.

DEADLINE: 10 days before the desired publication date.

INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• The couple’s names

• their parish

• the date they were married

• church and city where they were married

• what they are doing to celebrate

• date of the celebration

• names of children (no spouses)

• number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren;

WHERE TO SUBMIT:

Email: todd.habiger@theleaven.org.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JACK FIGGE

Benedictine College students gather at Tory and Elizabeth Baucums’ apartment to talk about life and learn about human love as part of the John Paul II Fellowship.

THE HISTORY OF THE STATIONS

Devotion built on desire to follow Christ’s final moments

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Annually during the penitential season of Lent, Catholics undertake many devotional and liturgical practices in preparation for Easter, the principal feast of the liturgical year.

One beloved and ancient devotion is praying the Stations of the Cross, also called the Way of the Cross (“Via Crucis”) or the Sorrowful Way (“Via Dolorosa”).

This devotion grew out of a desire by Christians to visit the places associated with Christ’s life, and in this case, the final acts of Jesus’ passion culminating in his crucifixion and burial.

Over time, pilgrims began to follow a route in Jerusalem — the Via Dolorosa — between the Antonia Fortress, where Jesus was condemned to death and began to carry his cross, to Golgotha and Jesus’ tomb, now the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

They would stop at various places associated with the events of Christ’s passion to pray. These eventually became known as “Stations.”

There have been many things that have influenced the development of the devotion over time.

One of those was the legalization of Christianity in 312 by the Emperor Constantine. Because of him, Christians could openly practice their faith and build churches. Another was the growing practice of pilgrimage to the Holy Land by Christians living in various countries.

St. Jerome, who died 420 in Bethlehem, wrote about pilgrims from different countries visiting the holy places.

Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land became difficult after the Muslim conquest of formerly Byzantine Christian Jerusalem in 638, until conquest by European Crusaders in 1099.

After the Muslim reconquest of Jerusalem in 1187, it became difficult and often impossible once again for Christians to go on pilgrimage to the holy places. The Muslims placed many restrictions on Christians, including prohibiting them from traveling and praying as they walked the Via Dolorosa.

In any era, going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land was a long, difficult and dangerous undertaking. Most Christians could not go on pilgrimage to the Via Dolorosa.

St. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan Friars began to play a key role in the

development of the devotion, however, when the Franciscans became guardians of Holy Land shrines in 1342. Because of Muslim restrictions, the Franciscans began to popularize the Via Dolorosa devotions in various countries by erecting Stations, with papal approval.

In 1686, Pope Innocent XI decreed that the indulgences, previously granted by praying the devotion in Jerusalem, could be given to the faithful praying the local Stations of the Cross.

The names and numbers of the Stations have varied as the devotion developed, but Pope Clement XII fixed them in 1731. Traditionally, there are 14 Stations, although a modern practice of adding a 15th — the Resurrection — arose after the Second Vatican Council ended in 1965.

The traditional Stations of the Cross come from the Gospels, but also

THE TRADITIONAL 14 STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem (above) is traditionally thought to be Jesus’ tomb. The Stations of the Cross grew from Christians’ desire to visit the places associated with the final acts of Christ’s life.

The legalization of Christianity in 312 by the Emperor Constantine (right) helped influence the development of the Stations of the Cross as a devotion.

non-biblical traditions. In 1991, Pope John Paul II introduced a new Scriptural Way of the Cross, keeping some traditional Stations and adding some new.

SOURCES:

• FR. WILLIAM SANDERS, ARLINGTON CATHOLIC HERALD

• FR. JOHANN G. ROTEN, UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON • CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, NEWADVENT.ORG

• USCCB.ORG

Jesus is Condemned to Death

Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross

Jesus is Made to Carry the Cross

Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

Jesus Falls the First Time Jesus Falls the Second Time

Jesus meets His Afflicted Mother

STATIONS OF THE CROSS moments

A Franciscan pilgrimage to the Holy Land

If you look in any church or chapel in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, you will find the Stations of the Cross on its walls. To help readers better understand and appreciate this devotion, The Leaven asked assistant professor Andrew Salzmann, of the Department of Theology at Benedictine College in Atchison, to answer a few questions:

Q. What are the Stations of the Cross?

A. The Stations of the Cross are a prayerful journey through 14 (and sometimes 15) moments during the final hours of Our Lord as he gave his life for us on that first Good Friday. Like any devotion, the purpose is to have us remember a truth of our faith and allow that memory to help us grow in love of Christ and all who suffer.

Q. When and where did the Stations of the Cross originate?

A. From early in Christian history, there has been a desire by Christians to go to the Holy Land and see the actual places where Our Lord lived and died, so they could experience with full intensity what Jesus’ life was like. A particular place the pilgrims went in Jerusalem was the Via Dolorosa, which traces Christ’s journey to Calvary and the place where he was buried.

This experience of being directly at those places where the mysteries of our faith happened was so powerful that they wanted to share that pilgrimage experience with those who could not make the journey.

The Franciscans appreciated the power of the imagination to make the life of Christ real to us in a powerful way, so they gave us the Nativity scene so we could relive the moment of Christ’s birth. In the same way, the Franciscans — because they have a special connection to the Holy Land — also gave us the Stations of the Cross so we could imaginatively enter the events of Christ’s death.

When the Crusader kingdoms were defeated by the Muslims, and the Holy Land became inaccessible to Christian pilgrims, that increased the need to find another way for Christians to experience the Holy Land.

And so, the Franciscans brought the Stations of the Cross to Europe as a miniature pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It wasn’t until the 1700s that the traditional order was fixed. Today, we sometimes commemorate different Stations, such as when St. John Paul II celebrated the Scriptural Way of the Cross.

Q. Why should someone pray the Stations of the Cross?

A. The Stations of the Cross help us apprehend the sufferings of Christ by allowing his sufferings to become alive in our imaginations. As we become more aware of his suffering, we become more attentive to the sufferings of those around us. By understanding what Christ’s love for us cost him, it allows us to be, in the words of St. Augustine, “formed by the deformity of Christ, to allow his passion to shape us into cruciform souls, people willing to suffer out of love for those around us.”

Q. Where can the Stations of the Cross be found?

A. Typically, the Stations of the Cross will be 14 pictures or even crosses spaced along the walls of the nave of a church. They can also be found outdoors at retreat centers such as Christ’s Peace House of Prayer in Easton or Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg.

When my great-grandmother died, my grandfather’s family drove 300 miles in a Model T to pray the Stations of the Cross outdoors at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Holy Hill, Wisconsin. They prayed for the repose of her soul and to find a deeper meaning in hers and their suffering and to make Christ’s suffering their suffering.

Q. Why do some parishes pray a “15th Station”?

A. The Vatican’s directory on popular piety notes that although the traditional form has 14 Stations, nonetheless we can follow the example of the Via Crucis is Jerusalem, which ends at the place of Christ’s resurrection. And therefore, even

in our parishes, the celebration can end with a commemoration of the Lord’s resurrection.

Q. What text is used for the Stations of the Cross?

A. The Vatican’s directory on popular piety notes that there are innumerable texts used for the Stations of the Cross. There is no one way, although we should follow the instructions established by the bishop. The most famous one in the United States is the text written by St. Alphonsus Ligouri.

Q. Can the Stations of the Cross be prayed any time or a special time of the year?

A. Although there are no restrictions as to when we can pray the Stations of the Cross, the church tells us it is most fitting during the season of Lent.

Q. Can the Stations of the Cross be prayed by an individual or in a group?

A. The Stations of the Cross can be prayed both ways, but in either way, the church asks us, if we are able, to walk Station to Station. The Stations can be prayed more or less liturgically, as is done in many parishes during Lent.

Q. Is there an indulgence attached to praying the Stations of the Cross?

A. Yes. The faithful may receive a plenary indulgence if they practice a pious Station of the Cross before legitimately erected Stations. The normal four conditions apply.

Jesus Falls the Third Time

Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

Jesus Speaks to the Daughters of Jerusalem

Jesus Dies on the Cross Jesus is Placed in the Tomb

Priest escapes attack damaging historic Oregon shrine

By Gina Christian OSV News

PORTLAND, Ore. (OSV News)

— A historic place of prayer in Portland, Oregon, sustained significant damage to one of its buildings, while a priest narrowly escaped harm, in a Feb. 28 vandalism attack.

Security cameras, religious objects and windows were smashed in the monastery of The Grotto, the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, a 54-acre shrine operated by the Order of Friar Servants of Mary.

In an email to OSV News, shrine executive director Chris Blanchard said “an unidentified man broke into The Grotto Monastery, a private residence for the Servite Friars who minister at The Grotto,” at approximately 6 a.m. that day.

“The intruder vandalized several rooms, including the monastery chapel, and damaged or destroyed several sacred items,” said Blanchard in his email. “Police responded immediately to the incident and arrested the intruder shortly after. We are thankful that no one was injured, including the intruder.”

According to local media reports, the suspect — named by the Portland Police Bureau as 57-year-old Paul Joseph Yauger — entered the grounds of the property early that morning and shattered security cameras, triggering a police response.

Blanchard told local media that responding officers were initially unable to locate the intruder on the extensive

and heavily wooded property and departed. Less than an hour later, the suspect forced his way into the monastery and, using a stick, pushed in the door to the room of Servite Father Leo Hambur as the priest was calling emergency services.

“I thought it was a gun,” Father Hambur told media. “I was so scared at the time.”

The suspect “looked at me, and he said, ‘Who are you?’” Father Hambur recalled. “Then he moved out through

another door, and he picked up [a pair of] scissors.”

The priest then fled the monastery while the suspect locked himself inside. Police returned and arrested Yauger, who was being held in the Multnomah County Detention Center on five charges of burglary, trespassing, criminal mischief and unlawful use of a weapon. Three of the charges are felonies.

An adjacent convent in which four women religious live was not damaged.

Tolton scouting patch honors Black priest

By Gina Christian OSV News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (OSV News)

— A candidate for sainthood is inspiring Catholic Scouts in Illinois to earn a new patch while deepening their relationship with Christ in the Eucharist.

The Catholic Committee on Scouting in the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, has announced the creation of the Venerable Father Augustine Tolton Activity Patch, which honors the first recognized Black priest in the U.S.

Requirements for the patch include learning about Tolton’s life, visiting a seminary or religious community to better understand vocational discernment, modeling Tolton’s patient disposition and engaging in prayer.

Kyle Holtgrave, the diocese’s director for catechesis, told OSV News he designed the rubric for the patch so that Scouts would remain “really focused on listening to God’s call and understanding that God is constantly calling us to a vocation — not necessarily to the priesthood, but he’s calling us to something, and we need to be attentive to that.”

With a number of Catholic scouting patches already honoring saints and those on the road to canonization, a Tolton patch immediately came to mind, said Holtgrave, adding that the award will “help Scouts learn about some of the adversities that people [have] had to overcome, not just in

society, but even in the church.”

Father Tolton — also known by the first name “Augustus” — confronted seemingly insurmountable obstacles throughout his brief lifetime, sustained by his profound faith.

Born into slavery in 1854, he was raised as a Catholic, the faith held by the Missouri-based families who had purchased his parents, Peter Paul and Martha Jane.

When the Civil War broke out, Tolton’s father escaped to serve with the Union Army but soon died of illness. His mother thereafter fled with young Augustus and his two siblings, rowing them across the Mississippi River and eventually reaching Quincy, where they settled.

After working in a factory and attending Catholic schools (often facing harassment in the process), Augustus

Yauger was in court March 1 after refusing to appear for a scheduled hearing the prior day.

According to one local media outlet, a police spokesperson said Yauger was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the attack, and was “yelling and confrontational.”

Blanchard told media he could only guess the total amount of damage, adding, “The real damage is to the sanctity of this place.”

The Grotto was established in 1923 by Servite Father Ambrose Mayer, the order’s first pastor in Oregon. Father Mayer founded the shrine as a tribute to Mary, the mother of Jesus, following a childhood promise he had made when his own mother recovered after almost dying in childbirth. Pope Pius XI gave his apostolic blessing to the project, and Father Mayer used the entirety of his savings for the $3,000 deposit on the property, then owned by the Union Pacific Railroad Company. The Grotto’s iconic cave features a stone altar and a replica of Michelangelo’s Pieta.

At the shrine’s dedication in May 1924, Archbishop Alexander Christie prayed the place would be “a sanctuary of peace for all peoples of the earth, and surely in this day a sanctuary is needed. Torn with differences, strife, and grief, the world needs sanctuary where the human spirit can seek peace and consolation.”

The shrine now features extensive gardens, a conference center, daily Mass and recitations of the rosary, self-guided pilgrimages and retreats, and a Christmas lights festival.

discerned a religious vocation. He moved to Rome in 1880 to study for the priesthood, since no seminary in the United States would accept him due to his race.

“Even in the church, he had to overcome . . . the racial biases that existed in that era,” said Holtgrave. “But the Holy Spirit still prevailed and never gave up on Tolton.”

Upon his 1886 ordination, Father Tolton expected to be assigned to pastoral work in Africa, but was instead sent back to the United States, first to Quincy and then later Chicago. Despite repeated rejection, he persisted in his pastoral work, founding St. Monica Parish on Chicago’s South Side. His reverence, humility, zeal and exceptional singing voice drew both Black and white Catholics from all economic classes.

A strenuous pastoral schedule amid poverty likely hastened Father Tolton’s untimely death from heat stroke and uremia in 1897. His canonization cause was formally opened in 2011, and he was declared “Venerable” by Pope Francis in 2019.

Father Tolton’s life mirrored a love for the Eucharist — one that speaks to a new generation, said Holtgrave.

“God [is] present among us in the Eucharist, and it just does wonderful things in the natural world because of our faith,” he said. “And I think that’s what really drove Father Tolton to achieve his goal and understand, ‘I can do this.’”

Church Militant to shut down as defamation saga concludes

CONCORD, N.H. (OSV News) — Trapped in a vortex of scandal, the Ferndale, Michigan-based Church Militant is shutting down, the concluding chapter for the online news outlet thanks to a legal drama set in motion by a fringe traditionalist group and its canon lawyer.

Church Militant and its parent nonprofit, St. Michael’s Media, settled Feb. 29 a defamation lawsuit with Father Georges de Laire, the judicial vicar for the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire, apologizing and paying $500,000 for an anonymous defamatory article in January 2019 allegedly written by Marc Balestrieri, a canon lawyer.

At the time, Balestrieri was representing the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a group both in conflict with the Catholic Church’s authorities and subject to canonical sanctions promulgated by Father de Laire.

According to a statement released by Todd & Weld, the firm representing Father de Laire, Balestrieri wrote the article to gain an edge on Father de Laire on behalf of the New Hampshire Slaves, and to help the Slaves score fundraising dollars to cover his fee.

The recent settlement prompted the announcement of Church Militant’s shutdown by the end of April. The closure follows other scandals involving Michael Voris, the news outlet’s founder, who was ousted from Church Militant following allegations of inappropriate behavior.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/CHRIS BLANCHARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE GROTTO Broken glass and objects are seen on the ground Feb. 28 outside the historic Grotto, the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, in Portland, Oregon, after it sustained major damage in a vandalism attack. The 62-acre shrine, constructed in 1924, is operated by the Order of Friar Servants of Mary.

COURTESY OF ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO ARCHIVES AND RECORDS CENTER

Father Augustus Tolton is pictured in an undated photo. Born into slavery in Missouri, he was ordained a priest April 24. He is the first recognized African American priest ordained for the U.S. Catholic Church and is a candidate for sainthood.

New telescope is changing ideas about how universe began

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Orbiting the sun nearly 1 million miles from Earth, the James Webb Space Telescope is reshaping the way scientists understand the universe and its origins, a number of astronomers said at a Vatican-sponsored meeting.

“The telescope is able to see things that prior telescopes just could not see,” Jonathan Lunine, a professor of astronomy and department chair at Cornell University, told Catholic News Service Feb. 28.

It has such unprecedented power in terms of its sensitivity, wavelength range and image sharpness that it is “doing revolutionary things” and leading to exciting new discoveries in multiple fields, he said.

Lunine, who is a planetary scientist and physicist, was one of nearly 50 experts in the field of astronomy attending a Feb. 27-29 workshop organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences to discuss the newest results from the Webb telescope.

Launched Dec. 25, 2021, NASA’s latest space science observatory is the largest and most powerful space telescope ever built. It began sending full-color images and data back to Earth after it became fully operational in July 2022.

NASA said on its Webb.nasa.gov page, “Telescopes show us how things

were — not how they are right now,” which helps humanity “understand the origins of the universe.”

The telescope can see points in the history of the cosmos that were never

Vatican Year of Prayer resource available free online

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has asked Catholics to dedicate 2024 to intensifying their prayer lives in preparation for the celebration of the Holy Year 2025, and the Vatican has published a resource guide to help them.

“Teach us to Pray,” a 76-page volume prepared by the Dicastery for Evangelization, was published online in Italian in late February and made available in other languages in early March.

Pope Francis launched the year in late January, saying it would be “dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in personal life, in the life of the church and in the world.”

The Dicastery for Evangelization said the booklet is “an invitation to intensify prayer, understood as a personal dialogue with God,” and can help people reflect on their faith and their Christian commitment in the various contexts of their lives.

It includes selections from Pope Francis’ general audience talks about prayer and looks specifically at ways to strengthen people’s prayer experiences at home — for example, by praying before and after meals and at the start and end of the day — in their parishes, at a local shrine, on retreat and by visiting a monastery. The booklet also has suggestions for encouraging teens and young adults to pray and for improving parish-based catechesis on prayer for both children and adults.

“In this Year of Prayer, all communities are invited to promote times of

observed before — over 13.5 billion years ago, a few hundred million years after the Big Bang — to search for the first galaxies in the universe, NASA said.

Anna de Graaff, an independent research fellow in the field of galaxy evolution at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, told CNS she is working to understand “how galaxies, like our own Milky Way, came to be, how they grew into the structure that we see today in the sky.”

The Milky Way, for example, is a flattened rotating disk, she said, but, like all galaxies, it started out “really messy and kind of clumpy.”

The Webb data “doesn’t really tell you about the Big Bang, because we cannot look that far back in time,” she said, but it should help scientists find out “how you go from basically a very homogeneous gas in the universe, so basically almost nothing, to all these amazing structures that we see in the sky.”

Karin Öberg, an astrochemist and professor of astronomy at Harvard University, told CNS the Webb telescope “is amazing at observing water and organics around young stars,” which can help them figure out “how planets are forming and how likely planets are to form with ingredients that make them hospitable to life.”

Right now, she said, the Webb telescope has been able to give information about the composition of larger planets and not Earth-like planets. But they are hoping next-generation telescopes will provide details about the atmospheres and, therefore, the composition of other Earth-like or rocky planets.

Eucharistic Adoration, an indispensable element for encountering the Lord,” the booklet said. While “each community should find the most appropriate ways and times to develop this practice that brings so many fruits of holiness to the church,” the resource guide provides suggestions.

The Catholic Church began celebrating Holy Years in the 1300s as “a special time to meditate on the great gift of divine mercy that always awaits us, as well as the importance of inner conversion,” the booklet’s introduction says. The Year of Prayer is meant to help Catholics individually and as a community to prepare to receive God’s grace.

“May prayer be the compass that guides, the light that illuminates the path and the strength that sustains us on the pilgrimage that will lead to entering the Holy Door,” the traditional sign of having made a jubilee pilgrimage, the booklet said. “Through prayer, may we arrive at the Holy Door with our hearts ready to welcome the gifts of grace and forgiveness that the Jubilee offers as a vivid expression of our relationship with God.”

Celebrant will be Archbishop Joseph Naumann Homilist will be Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr.

The anointing of the sick in both dioceses will be administered to Catholics whose health is seriously impaired by illness or old age. All are invited to participate. The ceremony will follow the Lourdes pilgrimage format.

Among those who may be anointed, the ritual mentions, in particular:

• Those undergoing a surgery whenever serious illness is the reason

• Elderly people when they have become noticeably weakened even if no serious illness is present

• Sick children if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by the sacrament

We are asking those who wish to receive the sacrament at Mass, to by email: maltakc@ yahoo.com or call (913) 620-1759 and leave your name.

Name cards are made for those receiving the sacrament.

CNS PHOTO/COURTESY NASA, ESA, CSA AND ADAM RIESS

Combined observations Sept. 12, 2023, from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s nearinfrared camera and Hubble’s wide field camera 3 show spiral galaxy NGC 5584, which resides 72 million light-years away from Earth.

CNS PHOTO/IUBILAEUM2025.VA

The cover of “Teach us to Pray,” a 76-page resource for celebrating 2024 as the Year of Prayer, is seen above. The booklet is available free online from the Vatican’s website for the Holy Year 2025.

EMPLOYMENT

Middle school science teacher - Nativity School in Leawood is seeking a middle school science teacher for the 2024-25 school year. Applicants should apply online through the archdiocesan website at: archkckcs.org and email principal Luke Jennison at: luke.jennison@kcnativity.org.

Middle school math teacher - Nativity Parish School in Leawood is seeking a middle school math teacher for the 2024-25 school year. Applicants should apply online through the archdiocesan website at: archkckcs.org and click on “Apply” then click on “Teachers.” Also, email principal Luke Jennison at: luke. jennison@kcnativity.org.

Communication coordinator – St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee is seeking a full-time communications coordinator. The communications coordinator will coordinate and support the St. Joseph Campus with communication projects. This position will work closely with the school principal, EEC director and parish office to develop and implement communications strategies, media relations, social and digital media, article writing, video production, advertising/marketing initiatives and other communication support as needed. A successful candidate should be Catholic, with strong relationship skills and the ability to work in a collaborative setting. The overall goal for this position is to promote St. Joseph Catholic Campus as the go-to source for relevant, reliable, evidenced-based information. Interested applicants should email resumes and cover letter to Father Scott Wallisch: frscott@ stjoeshawnee.org or call (913) 631-5983 for more information.

Spanish and journalism teachers - Bishop Miege High School has openings for a guidance counselor and Spanish and journalism teachers for the 2024-25 school year. Send letter of interest and resume to Maureen Engen at: mengen@bishopmiege.com.

Marketing director - Exchange Bank & Trust is a $500M family-owned community bank located in N.E. Kansas and N.W. Missouri. Exchange Bank & Trust has an excellent career opportunity for the right candidate. Primary duties include: develop and implement strategic marketing plans to achieve company objectives; oversee and manage all marketing campaigns, including digital, print and social media; strong background in marketing automation, performance marketing, data mining and digital advertising; proficient in using Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, Photopia Creator; strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and make strategic recommendations; proven experience as a director of marketing or similar role. If you are a creative thinker with a passion for marketing and a proven record of driving results, Exchange Bank & Trust wants to hear from you. Join our team as the director of marketing and help us take our brand to new heights. Job is a full-time position located in Atchison. Apply today! Please send resume to: bhawk@ebt.bank.

Catholic elementary school principal - Corpus Christi School in Lawrence is seeking a Catholic school leader to join its thriving Lawrence community. The principal will lead a team of faculty and staff in the mission of forming scholarly disciples. Applicants must have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Apply online at: archkckcs. org/apply. For more information, contact Father Jerry Volz at: frjerry@cccparish.org.

School information system manager - St. James Academy is seeking a full-time school information system manager for the 2024-25 school year. The ideal candidate will be a practicing Catholic with significant experience and expertise in PowerSchool and its related systems. This position will report to and partner with the director of technology and director of student services to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness in utilizing St. James’ SIS and other technologies to support teaching and learning. The SIS manager will need the interpersonal skills to partner with and help lead other school employees in their utilization and maximizing of the SIS. Applicants should send a resume and cover letter to Susie Ludwikoski at: sludwikoski@sjakeepingfaith.org by March 10.

Catholic school elementary principal - Prince of Peace School in Olathe is seeking a dynamic and visionary leader with a passion for Catholic education. The principal will continue the school’s tradition of forming disciples, pursing academic excellence and spiritual growth. The principal will lead by example and inspire a team of dedicated faculty and staff. Applicants must have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Apply online at: archkckcs. org/apply. For more information, contact John Meyers at: jmeyers@popolathe.org.

Now hiring - drivers and aides - Assisted Transportation is hiring safe drivers and aides to transport students in Johnson and Wyandotte counties, in company vans. Drivers earn $14 - $16 per hour. Part-time and full-time schedules available. CDL not required. Retirees are encouraged to apply. Make a difference in your community by helping those in need! Call (913) 262-5190 or visit www.assistedtransportation. com for more information. EEO.

Catholic school elementary principal for Resurrection School - Are you a passionate and visionary leader looking to make a difference in the lives of young learners? Do you thrive in diverse, culturally rich environments? Resurrection Catholic School in Kansas City, Kansas, is seeking a joyfully Catholic school leader with demonstrated skill in the academic and spiritual formation of students. With a board of trustees, the principal will lead a team to advance the school’s academic licensure in educational leadership. Ideal candidates will be fluent in English and Spanish, but Spanish-speaking not required. Apply online at: archkckcs.org/apply and scroll down and click on “Principals.” For more information, contact Dr. Vince Cascone, superintendent, at: vcascone@ archkckcs.org.

Scientific equipment technician - Would you like to make a difference in a small growing company? Seeking individuals looking for flexible part-time work maintaining and repairing small equipment for our family company which has been in the local area for over 40 years. Service is completed at customer’s locations locally and within a four-state area. Dependable transportation is a must. Positive attitude, dependability, time management and self-motivation skills, as well as being quality- and customer-oriented are required. Mostly on-the-job training. Electrical knowledge a plus. Please send resume to: Yourcareer101@gmail.com.

Advancement officer - St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center in Lawrence is seeking to hire a full-time advancement officer to join the advancement department under the supervision of the advancement director. Responsibilities include coordinating with the board of directors and planning quarterly meetings; building relationships with current donors as well as soliciting new donations; working on capital drives; jump-starting and running KU Catholic Chapters in key geographic areas; and collaborating with staff and students. For more information, go online to: kucatholic.org/meet-the-staff and click on “Join Our Team.”

Youth minister - St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood is seeking a youth minister who will lead teens closer to Christ in partnership with another youth minister. He or she must be dedicated to forming missionary disciples and creating, fostering and guiding a community to reach teens from seventh grade through high school. The successful candidate will have excellent organizational and communication skills and a desire to facilitate an encounter with Jesus Christ. This is a year-round, full-time position eligible for full benefits. Further details available at: stmichaelcp.org/employment. Send cover letter and resume to: denise.green@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 Anne at (913) 894-0131, ext. 102.

Make a meaningful impact today -Join L’Arche Heartland as a Direct Support Professional in our residential homes. Contribute to the empowerment and enrichment of adults with developmental disabilities as they engage in meaningful lifestyles. We have immediate full-time positions available. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% coverage for medical, dental and vision expenses. Conveniently situated in downtown Overland Park. Training provided. Apply now by visiting our website at: www.larcheks.org/join-out-team or by emailing: james@larcheks.org.

Maintenance technician - Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood is looking for a full-time, 40 hours per week, maintenance technician with a strong work ethic. We prefer a candidate with knowledge in landscape maintenance. This individual will also have general maintenance skills, including basic electrical and plumbing. This position also includes setting up for events. A maintenance technician is a thorough professional with attention to detail. The ideal candidate will be able to work autonomously and responsibly. The candidate needs to be able to lift 50 pounds and work off a ladder or lift. All employees are required to be Virtus-trained and background-checked. This position may include some weekend and evenings as needed. Competitive pay, including benefits, vacation/sick time and 401(k) with match. Interested candidates should send a resume to the facilities director at: matt.rocca@cureofars.com.

Liturgy coordinator - Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe is seeking to fill a part-time position of liturgy coordinator. This person will work with the pastor in the planning and implementation of all parish liturgies. Primary activities include coordinating ministry volunteers, decorating the church for Masses and administering liturgy events. Please see the website for a full job description at: www.popolathe.org/ employment-opportunities. To apply, send a resume and cover letter to John Meyers, parish manager, at: jmeyers@popolathe.org.

Catholic high school principal - Bishop Ward High School is seeking a school leader with a passion for Catholic education and serving students in the urban core of Kansas City, Kansas. The school serves a diverse student population. Proficiency in Spanish is preferred. Ideal candidates will have demonstrated skill in the following: academic and spiritual formation of students; recruitment and development of joyfully Catholic teachers and staff; and cultivation of relationships with current and prospective families. Applicants must have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Apply online at: archkckcs.org/apply. For more information, please contact Jay Dunlap, president, at: jdunlap@wardhigh. org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Community and family ministry leader - St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee is seeking a part-time community and family ministry (CFM) leader. This leader would be responsible for nurturing and guiding a ministry and evangelism strategy that provides vision, skills and community for single, engaged and married people. The leader will lead a ministry task force responsible for executing this initiative to invite and move church and community through outreach and ongoing engagements into Growth Journeys where relationship skills content is delivered/transformed. The leader will also serve as St. Joseph’s chief liaison with our Communio church strategist. Interested applicants should email resumes to Veronica Quinn at: vquinn@stjoeshawnee.org or call (913) 244-3909.

Director of development and stewardship - The director of development and stewardship of St. John the Evangelist in Lawrence works closely with the pastor and school principal to ensure the long-term stability of the parish — which includes the church and school — by building relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including parishioners, parents alumni, volunteers and community members. The director of development and stewardship will implement and oversee all development and stewardship activities necessary to grow and expand the base of financial support for the parish from a broad range of sources. To apply, send cover letter and resume to Father John Cousins at: frjohn@sjevangelist.com; or mail to Father John Cousins, 1229 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044. To view the complete job description, visit our website at: sjevangelist.com/jobs.

Teacher - St. Joseph Early Education Center in Shawnee is seeking a full-time teacher. Interested individuals should email cover letter and resume to Kristan Mora at: KMora@stjoeshawnee.org. For more information, call (913) 631-0004.

Gift planning consultant - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking to hire a gift planning consultant. This position will build and maintain relationships with pastors, individual donors and professional advisers. Go online to: archkck.org, scroll down to the bottom under “More News,” go to “People,” then click on “Employment Opportunities” and scroll down to “Current job openings” and click on “Openings in Our Archdiocese” and then “Gift planning consultant.”

Skilled maintenance worker - St. Pius X Parish, Mission, is seeking a skilled maintenance worker to perform general upkeep and repairs, apply basic fixes to equipment and building systems, and ensure facilities are tidy and functional. Will include some spot cleaning of church, parish and rectory. We are looking for candidates with experience and solid technical knowledge, who are reliable with a keen eye for detail; a self-starter with motivation to work independently or with others to provide thorough and efficient work. Work hours can be flexible. Full time or part-time. Interested applicants may email resumes and work history to: galba@spxmission.org.

Full-time maintenance/custodian - St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee is looking for full-time maintenance/ custodial staff. Qualified applicants will primarily work in a school and early education environment. Applicants must have similar work history, references and dependable transportation. Must be Virtustrained or attend Virtus training and participate in a background check. Interested applicants should email resumes to: mthomas@stjoeshawnee.org or call (913) 631-0004.

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

Staff job openings - Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, has the following staff job openings available: administrative coordinator for the nursing department, academic adviser, director of development, part-time front desk receptionist and admissions counselor. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.

Help needed - Parishioner of St. Michael Parish is in need of support in her home. 95-year-old female, Lives very close to St. Michael Church. Part-time weekend help. $15 hr. Mostly visiting and assisting if needing help with walker, Please call Jenny at (816) 616-7398.

Faculty and adjunct faculty job openings - Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kansas, is a Catholic college offering higher education for those who may not otherwise be served. Faculty job openings - no current openings. Adjunct faculty job openings - adjunct instructor for Nursing. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.

FOR SALE

For sale - Two plots at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas. Located in section 3 Old, lot 126, plots 6 and 10. Flat markers only. Contact Ann at (913) 620-5687.

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).

SERVICES

Faith-based counseling to cope with life concerns - Kansas City area. Call Mary Vorsten, licensed clinical professional counselor, at (913) 909-2002.

Tutor - Piano, guitar, voice and music theory lessons available. Instructor has 18 years’ experience. For more information, please contact Kathleen at (913) 206-2151 or email: Klmamuric@yahoo.com.

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.

Garage door repair expert

New Garage Doors Garage Floor Coatings

A Total Door Inc., Since ’83. Leaven discount joe@atotaldoor.com; (913) 236-6440

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

MIKE HAMMER MOVING - A full-service mover. Local and long-distance moving. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload. In-home moving and office moves. No job too small. Serving the KC metro since 1987. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, parishioner. Call the office at (913) 9274347 or email: mike@mikehammermoving.com.

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

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DRC Construction

We’ll get the job done right the first time. Windows - Doors - Decks - Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and be glad you did. Everything is guaranteed 100% www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com

(913) 461-4052

Tradesman - I do bathrooms, kitchens, basements, tile and all kinds of flooring, as well as painting, staining, sheetrock, knockdown ceilings, decks, fences and wood rot. We now offer financing! My family and I always appreciate the support. Please call or email Joshua to set up a free estimate at (913) 709-7230 or josh.fser@gmail.com.

Popcorn ceiling texture removal

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

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.

Local handyman - Painting, int. and ext., wood rot, mason 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) 927-4118.

>> Classifieds continue on page 13

MARCH 8, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG

WOMEN’S LENTEN RETREAT

Cathedral of St. Peter

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

March 9 from 8 a.m. - noon

Join other women of faith as we journey together along the path of these 40 days of Lent. The retreat is open to all women of the archdiocese. Register online at: cathedral kck.org/2024-womens-lenten-retreat, or call (913) 371-0840. Questions? Send an email to: dfierro@cathedralkck.org. A $20 registration fee can be paid online. If registered, you may pay at the door.

BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS

Divine Mercy Parish

555 W. Main St., Gardner

March 10 from 8:30 - 10 a.m.

Breakfast will include eggs, sausage and gravy, pancakes and drinks. Join us for great fellowship. The cost is: $6 for those over the age of 11; $3 for kids ages 3 - 11; and kids under the age of 3 eat for free. Proceeds are used for charitable works, such as scholarships and other giving throughout the year.

WINE & WISDOM: TAX REDUCING STRATEGIES FOR PRE- AND POSTRETIREES

St. Joseph Parish

11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee

March 14 at 5:30 p.m.

This event will begin with a social and wine tasting, followed by a presentation by Bill Eckert who will speak on tax-reducing strategies. Register online at: www.cfnek. org/events/wine-and-wisdom-1.

ALL YOU CAN EAT PANCAKE

BREAKFAST

St. Patrick Parish

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

March 17 from 8 - 11 a.m.

There will be pancakes, sausage patty, scrambled eggs, and biscuits and gravy along with juice and coffee. The cost is a freewill offering. Breakfast is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Bicentennial Council.

LENTEN DEVOTIONS

Resurrection Cemetery

8300 Quivira Rd., Lenexa

Mt. Calvary Cemetery

801 S.W. Westchester Rd., Topeka March 14 and 21 at 5 p.m.

Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas invites everyone to join us in Lenten processions, Stations of the Cross, a rosary and prayers for the souls in purgatory, for an end to abortion and for the families of those who have experienced miscarriages. For more information, visit the website at: www.cathcemks.org or send an email to: information@cathcemks.org.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Church of the Ascension

9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park March 15 from 4 - 5:45 p.m.

The Church of the Ascension is hosting Stations of the Cross for adults with special needs ages 16 - 18 and over. There is no cost, and no need to make reservations. The church is handicap accessible. For questions, call Cathy Oxley at (816) 210-8181 or send an email to: 3oxleys@gmail.com.

BEREAVEMENT MEETING

Curé of Ars Parish (Father Burak Room) 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood March 16 at 8:30 a.m.

The bereavement ministry at Curé of Ars will have a grief support meeting after the 8 a.m. Mass. A grief counselor will speak. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

MATER DEI TOPEKA IRISHFEST

Evergy Plaza

630 S. Kansas Ave., Topeka March 16 beginning at 10 a.m.

Enjoy Irish food, a beer garden, whiskey tasting and live music as well as the annual IrishFest 5K. For more information, go online to: topekairishfest.com.

ROSARY RALLY

Church of the Holy Cross

8311 W. 93rd St., Overland Park

March 17 from 3 - 4:15 p.m.

Please join us to honor Our Blessed Mother and Our Lady of Fatima. We will pray the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the rosary followed by Benediction and the opportunity for attendees to enroll in the brown scapular. For driving instructions or future dates for the Kansas City monthly rosary rallies, visit the website at: www.rosaryrallieskc.org.

DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA LITTLE FLOWER CIRCLE

Mater Dei-Holy Name Parish 910 Clay, Topeka March 17 at 8 a.m.

The day will begin with Mass and corporate Communion. After Mass there will be a Knights of Columbus breakfast in the parish hall. If anyone knows of a member or family member of Daughters of Isabella in need of the circle’s prayers, call Shirley Gustafson at (785) 554-3028 or chancellor Gen Orozco at (785) 230-2473.

WIDOWED WOMEN OF FAITH

Perkins Restaurant

1720 S.W. Wanamaker Rd., Topeka March 19 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Join other “Widowed Women of Faith” for lunch and companionship. No RSVP is needed, just come and feel free to invite other widowed women of faith. We meet every month on the third Tuesday. For questions, send an email to: Widowed WomenofFaith@gmail.com or call (913) 558-0191.

DINING TO DONATE CARONDELET

Jasper’s Restaurant

1201 W. 103rd St., Kansas City, Missouri March 20 from 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Jasper’s Restaurant will once again donate 20% of all lunch and dinner sales to benefit the good works of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Enjoy a delicious meal at Jasper’s with your friends and family, and help the Sisters at the same time. Reservations are encouraged. Contact Jasper’s at (816) 941-6600 or online at: jasperskc.com. For more details, visit the website at: www.csjsl.org.

7TH ANNUAL IFTAR DINNER WITH THE DIALOGUE INSTITUTE OF KANSAS CITY

Precious Blood Renewal Center 2120 Gaspar Way, Liberty, Missouri

March 22 from 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Iftar is the meal that breaks the daylong fasts Muslims practice during their holy month of Ramadan. Join us this night for a meal hosted by our Muslim friends, sharing traditional iftar foods. Register online at: www.pbrenewalcenter.org and then click on “7th Annual Iftar Dinner.”

HOLY WEEK SILENT RETREAT: ‘HAVE YOU NOT HEARD?’

Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton March 22 - 24

Have we actually deeply heard the good news of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection? Have you been transformed by God’s holy fire of selfless love? On this silent retreat over Palm Sunday weekend, we hope to enkindle within you the desire to accept this tremendous gift accessible to those with ears to hear. The readings from the Triduum liturgies will be the match to set us ablaze. There are conferences, spiritual direction, eucharistic adoration, Mass, confession, and time for private prayer, reflection and walking.

Cabin/courtyard rooms: $170 singles/$250 couple, or single guest rooms: $100 (meals included). To attend, fill out the Individual Retreat Form online at: ChristsPeace.com or call (913) 773-8255.

‘REFLECTIONS ON THE SEVEN LAST WORDS FROM THE CROSS’

St. Mary Parish

9208 Main St., St. Benedict March 24 at 7 p.m.

Join us for an evening of reflection in word and song. No greater homily has ever been given than the one Jesus delivered when he mounted the pulpit of the cross. He considered each of his seven last words to be worth what he suffered to give them to us. Join us to accompany the Lord in his final hours. What was Jesus saying to you?

HOLY WEEK PARISH MISSION RETREAT

Holy Angels Parish

15408 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor

March 25 - 27 from 7 - 8 p.m.

Each evening, a retreat talk of 45 minutes will be followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction and confessions at 8 p.m. by retreat director Father Anthony Mastroeni and Father Richard McDonald. The talk on Spy Wednesday ends with a renewal of baptismal promises, consecration to Our Lady and an apostolic blessing for all who attended faithfully. After Benediction on Wednesday, there will be veneration of the True Cross relic once owned by St. John Bosco, followed by confessions.

ENCOUNTER SCHOOL OF HEALING

St. James Academy

24505 Prairie Star Pkwy., Lenexa

April 12 from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

April 13 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Jesus never proclaimed the Gospel without demonstrating it in power and love. Jesus’ healing ministry is at the heart of his Gospel of power and he expects his disciples to minister his healing on the earth. The Encounter School of Healing will teach and equip you to partner with the power of the Holy Spirit to experience healing miracles in the world around you. Healing is Jesus’ idea and it is essential to the effective evangelization of our city and nation. Come experience the greater works Jesus has in store for you. Information and registration can be found online at: encounterschool.org/kansas-city.

CAMP TEKAKWITHA

WOMEN’S RETREAT

Prairie Star Ranch

1124 California Rd., Williamsburg

April 26 - 28

This is a weekend for you! You will find speakers that inspire you, sacraments that draw you to the heart of Christ and fellowship with other women. This retreat offers large group and breakout sessions, individual reflection, Mass, eucharistic adoration, reconciliation, free time, friendship, laughter and joy. Here you will find the space to relax, rejuvenate and reconnect. Come enjoy the beauty of God’s creation and the gift of sharing life with other women seeking the heart of Jesus. Information and registration can be found online at: archkck. org/camp-tekakwitha.

ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

Tomahawk Hills Golf Course

17501 Midland Dr., Shawnee

May 10 at 8 a.m.

All are welcome to the Church of the Holy Cross Knights of Columbus annual golf tournament. The cost is $125 per player; $500 for a foursome. Price includes coffee, donuts, beverages, the award reception and a luncheon. Questions? Contact Rick Guinn by email at: rgksmolaw. com or call (913) 424-9084.

Haus to home remodeling - Let’s give that room a nice face-lift! Specializing in affordable room remodeling. From small projects to bathrooms and basements. We have lots of other services, too: tile, paint, carpentry, wood rot, decks, drywall, etc. Free estimates. For photos of our projects and to find out more about our company, visit us at: Haustohomekc.com or call Cole at (913) 544-7352.

WANTED TO BUY

Cash paid - for old tools, old jewelry, old furniture, military items, fishing lures, hunting items, old crocks, arrowheads and old signs. I buy all kinds of older things — house or barn contents, an estate or just one item. Call Patricia any time at (913) 515-2950. Parishioner at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa.

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.

Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee, (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 - I buy coin collections, military items, pocket watches, jewelry, class rings, old toys, holiday items and more. Cash in hand. Call Kirk at (913) 213-9843.

REAL ESTATE

We are local people who can buy your house - Big companies from all over the nation come here buying houses, but that’s not us. We are parishioners of Holy Trinity Parish and we enjoy giving you personalized service. We can offer you a fair price and are flexible to your needs. If I can help, call me, Mark Edmondson, at (913) 980-4905.

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.

PILGRIMAGE

Pilgrimage - Join us for a pilgrimage to Medjugorje March 12 - 20, 2024; May 14 - 22, 2024; and June 16 - 28, 2024 (Poland and Medjugorje). Are you being called to go? Hosted by visionary Mirjana Soldo. Call Grace Legaspi for details at (913) 449-1806.

CAREGIVING

Saint Rita Home Care - Compassionate care in the comfort of home. We serve people in Johnson, Douglas, Miami, Franklin and Leavenworth counties. Kansas state licensed, nonmedical home care agency. Contact us today for supportive care at: www.saintritahc.com; rmargush@ saintritahc.com; or (913) 229-4267.

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 HomeSenior Care, www.Benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591.

Senior Care Authority - Navigating senior care options can be overwhelming. We will help you sort through and understand all your care and living options and point you to vetted resources. Placement assistance is FREE. We do a thorough assessment, do all the research and walk with you as you make these big decisions for you or your loved one. Call (913) 359-8580.

CNA - Can provide home care for those needing assistance. Available Monday - Friday, days or nights. Serving Shawnee, Lenexa and Overland Park. 20 years’ experience. Call Serena at (913) 526-0797.

DAILY READINGS

FOURTH WEEK OF LENT

March 10

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

2 Chr 36: 14-16, 19-23

Ps 137: 1-6

Eph 2: 4-10

Jn 3: 14-21

March 11

Monday

Is 65: 17-21

Ps 30: 2, 4-6, 11-12a, 13b

Jn 4: 43-54

March 12

Tuesday

Ez 47: 1-9, 12

Ps 46: 2-3, 5-6, 8-9

Jn 5: 1-16

March 13

Wednesday Is 49: 8-15

Ps 145: 8-9, 13c-14, 17-18

Jn 5: 17-30

March 14 Ex 32: 7-14

Ps 106: 19-23

Jn 5: 31-47

March 15

Friday Wis 2: 1a, 12-22

Ps 34: 17-21, 23

Jn 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30

March 16

Saturday

Jer 11: 18-20

Ps 7: 2-3, 9b-12

Jn 7: 40-53

MARIA SOLEDAD TORRES ACOSTA

1826-1887

As a child in Madrid, Manuela Torres Acosta reportedly was more intent on getting playmates to pray than to play. In 1851, she and six companions were invited by a Servite priest to provide home care to the sick of his parish.

Taking the name Maria Soledad to honor Our Lady of Sorrows and overcoming her fear of nursing, she became a founder of the Handmaids of Mary Serving the Sick. As superior for 35 years, she oversaw the congregation’s rapid expansion and battled government opposition; she was canonized in 1970. One of her novices said, “Mother Soledad is like an anvil; she is constantly taking a beating.”

It’s the Lenten resolution that I don’t want to mess with

Welcome to Laetare (“Rejoice”) Sunday, the midpoint of the Lenten season.

As I look back over the first three weeks of Lent, I’ve got some reasons to rejoice. I’ve done well on keeping meatless Wednesdays (and Fridays, of course), reading eight pages a day in a Lenten book, sending a donation each week to a charity and not buying anything except groceries.

That being said, the most important of my Lenten resolutions — doing one hour a day of organizing and decluttering — I’ve failed at . . . miserably. As in, I’ve yet to do anything on it. I’ve even broken up the task into three 20-minute sessions — one each morning, afternoon and evening. Yeah, didn’t help. I’ve concluded that I simply don’t wanna. Because it seems overwhelming and difficult, I’d rather just avoid it.

Due to my inertia,

FATHER MARK GOLDASICH

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

this haunting tale from “The Three Edwards” by Thomas Costain keeps popping into my head:

Raynald III, a 14th-century duke in what is now Belgium, was grossly overweight. His Latin nickname was “Crassus,” which means “fat.”

His younger brother Edward, revolting against Raynald’s rule, captured but didn’t kill him. Instead, he built a room around Raynald

Need a summary of the Christian faith? This Sunday’s Gospel offers one: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). The evangelist John leads us to the heart of the Gospel and the heart of Christian faith.

At the midpoint of Lent, we take stock of our Lenten observances. Are my Lenten practices bringing me closer to the mystery of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection? Am I growing in friendship with God and love of neighbor through

MARK MY WORDS

in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised that he could regain his title and property when he left the room.

This wouldn’t have been difficult for most people, since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size, none of which was locked or barred. The problem was Raynald’s size; to regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight.

Edward knew his older brother well.

Each day, he’d send a variety of delicious foods into the room. Instead of dieting his way out of this prison, Raynald gained more weight.

When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty,

he had a ready answer: “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”

Sadly, Raynald stayed in this room for 10 years and wasn’t released until Edward was killed in battle. By then, his health was so ruined that he died within a year — a prisoner of his own appetite. (Story adapted from “1001 Illustrations That Connect,” edited by Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof.)

Isn’t this a great illustration of sin?

Especially during this season of Lent, we have the means to escape our “prisons” through the sacrament of reconciliation and our Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Like Raynald, however, we prefer to persist in maintaining — or worsening — the status quo, even though we know it’s not good for us. By the grace of God, all is not lost. I refuse to give up on myself or this resolution, not while there’s still half of Lent to go. I’ve

The Word of God calls us out of ourselves

JEM SULLIVAN

Sullivan is a professor at The Catholic University of America.

prayer, acts of penance and almsgiving?

The people of Israel took stock of their relationship with God from time to time. God was always faithful

to Israel, calling them into a covenant relationship of love and mercy, as the first reading highlights.

Yet the people were unfaithful to God. The author of the Second Book of Chronicles describes their failings in stark terms: “All the princes of Judah, the priests and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the Lord’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.”

God sent messenger after messenger to return the people to God’s deep and faithful love. Lenten observances are meant to open our hearts and

minds to those messengers who call us to return to God’s love. The Word of God and the Eucharist invite us, time and time again, to return to the mercy of God, who is rich in kindness and fidelity.

In the midst of busy days and many responsibilities, the Word of God calls us out of ourselves, to leave behind self-absorption, weakness, despair and failure and to move into the light of God’s mercy, joy and covenant love.

Lent summons and guides our return to the Lord. Why? So we may not perish but entrust ourselves to the love of God whose only son Jesus shepherds

started with a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the clutter — that I’m blessed to have so much more than I need and can share my bounty with those who have so little. And now, when that “prison” of avoidance rises within me to zap my motivation, I’ve been repeating this phrase from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (4:13).

Knowing that I was going to write about this, the Holy Spirit must have pushed me to do 20 minutes of organizing this morning, and I can feel a couple more of those sessions in me for later today.

Oh, by the way, a couple of wonderful friends have heard of my failure at this Lenten resolution and have offered to come and help. I’m thinking seriously of swallowing my pride and embarrassment and taking them up on their offer . . . maybe by Holy Week?

our journey to the joy and peace of eternal life. As St. Paul reminds the Ephesians, and us, “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God.”

In these remaining weeks of Lent, the Lord calls each of us by name to return to the forgiving, merciful embrace of God.

In response to God’s word, we renew our resolve to set aside time for prayer, to offer sacrifices that purify our hearts and minds, and to share our resources with those in need, as we pray in humble faith, “Speak to me, Lord.”

Pope praises those assisting victims, clearing antipersonnel minefields

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Antipersonnel mines are “devious” weapons that continue to kill innocent civilians and children long after a conflict has ended, Pope Francis said.

“I thank all those who offer their help to assist victims and clean up contaminated areas,” he said at the end of his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall Feb. 28. “Their work is a

concrete response to the universal call to be peacemakers, taking care of our brothers and sisters,” he said.

The pope, who was still dealing with a cold, read aloud his remarks about landmines after having aides read his lengthier catechesis and greetings during the audience. March 1 marks the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of antipersonnel

mines and mandates assisting victims, clearing minefields and destroying stockpiles.

Antipersonnel mines, the pope said, “continue to target innocent civilians, particularly children, even many years after the end of hostilities.”

“I express my closeness to the many victims of these devious devices, which remind us of the dramatic cruelty of war and the price civilian populations are forced to pay,” he said.

A little humility is the lesson of rushing to judgment

My poor mother tried her best to raise a daughter who picked up after herself. But I must have been born with a gene that gave me the predisposition to sloppiness, especially in my own bedroom.

Mom often closed my door when she could no longer stand to see the piles of clothes on the floor or the unmade bed nearby.

Of course, as fate would have it, I had roommates in college whom I considered neat to the point of being neurotic.

For example, Molly

This Ash

EVA-MARIA

SET APART

it up, she knew it had been touched or moved a millimeter to the right or to the left. I knew I would never want to be that way.

positioned her perfume on the dresser so that, if anyone picked

Once, when Mom picked me up from college before the Thanksgiving break, she looked from one side of the dorm room to the

other. My roommate’s side was completely in order. My side looked, well, lived in. Clothes were tossed around and even crossed the invisible line separating our two sides of the room.

All Mom could say to me was, “Let me guess which side is yours!”

You can imagine what happened to my tendency for sloppiness when I entered the convent. Let’s just say that it went into remission pretty quickly.

I learned from my postulant director how to make my bed “hospital style” with nicely folded corners. The floor was completely free for walking traffic,

and it was able to be cleaned with great ease and frequency.

You could say that I learned very quickly how to internalize what someone once said: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”

Several years later, I became the postulant director. The sloppiest person in my family, a perpetually recovering “slob,” was put in charge of telling our newest members to keep their rooms clean.

I have to admit that I didn’t always remember my roots.

The room of one of the postulants was, in my opinion, completely out of whack. I was frustrated by the lack

of visible organization.

So I knocked on her door and said, “Patty, you need to straighten up your room. The way our rooms look is an outward expression of what is going on inside our souls.”

She looked at me and said, “Sister, do you always wear your sweater inside out?”

I looked down. Patty was right. The outside of my sweater was on the inside, and vice versa. So much for preaching orderliness and godliness!

Maybe God was just reminding me that judgment is his.

In any case, I learned a little more humility that day.

We neglect our remote neighbors at our own peril

Wednesday, our community’s jubilation ended in tragedy when shots were fired at the Chiefs parade.

One Catholic mother was murdered, a score of mostly children were shot and thousands were traumatized by the senseless violence of a few.

We all felt the pain, and in feeling it, perceived just how connected our lives are to one another, our solidarity made certain by the experience.

Personally, I hurt for everybody and in this hurting, thought about all innocent people throughout the world who are undergoing such hurts:

DO UNTO OTHERS

of Africa. How must our community’s pain pale in comparison to theirs? How must the heart of Christ hurt over all this bloodshed?

civilians bombed in Ukraine, children maimed in Gaza, families gunned down in the Sahel region

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those whose spirit is crushed” (Ps 34:19).

As Catholics, we have an opportunity

this Lent to support our Lord’s efforts to save those whose spirit has been crushed by violence all across the world by giving to the Catholic Relief Services’ Rice Bowl collection.

Present in over 100 countries, CRS is the U.S. church’s global solidarity mission of disaster relief and aid to communities ravaged by war, natural disaster and lack of development. Ninety percent of their in-country staff are indigenous to the community and work closely with the local bishops.

Consequently, CRS is able to get aid to the people directly, when other NGOs fail. This

suppleness of subsidiarity has been especially effective in helping refugees in Gaza, as CRS has been able to send cash assistance to the Sister Missionaries of Charity who have been sheltering displaced mothers and children.

As Catholics, we can take hope from the fact that wherever in the world there is war and violence, CRS is already there, implementing a plan to protect, help and restore its victims.

For our city, this Lent began with the shattering of the illusion that we are unconnected to each other and insulated from violence. In the face of such senseless

destruction, we can be tempted to lose hope and seek the false security of isolating ourselves even more. We have learned that we neglect our remote neighbors at our own peril. Christ shows us the remedy to all violence with his invitation to take up our cross.

So this Lent, as we fast, let us feel the hunger of the millions who are food insecure. As we pray, let us pray for the heart of Christ that hurts for all victims of violence. And as we give alms, let us support CRS through the Rice Bowl collection, because we now know a little bit more how it feels.

Academic excellence is not the only measure of our schools “W

hy do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

This passage from the Gospel of Matthew (7:35) highlights the temptation to look at others’ faults more quickly than we are willing to look

FROM THE SUPER

VINCE CASCONE

Vince

at our own. I think this speaks to the importance of self-reflection. As Aristotle stated, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

In her book, “Insight: Why We’re Not as Self-Aware as We Think,” Tasha Eurich argues that people who know themselves share common traits: “There is strong scientific evidence that people who know themselves and how others see them are happier. They make

smarter decisions. They have better personal and professional relationships.”

However, the problem with this is stated in the Book of Jeremiah when it says: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (17:9) We know our Creator is the one who truly knows us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. In fact, the goal of self-reflection is to see ourselves as God sees us and to ask for his wisdom and direction in our lives.

Just as it is of paramount importance for individuals to selfreflect, our schools need to do the same. We need

to reflect on how we are educating our children, particularly as it relates to our faith and their relationship with Jesus.

Currently, each of our archdiocesan schools is accredited by the state of Kansas, as well as by Cognia. Cognia is an international educational agency that accredits over 40,000 institutions with over 18 million students in over 90 countries.

In their own words, Cognia has a “holistic approach to continuous improvement that encompasses accreditation and certification, assessment, professional learning and customized improvement services.”

We want our schools to be academically excellent. Our accreditation processes have shown that our schools are, indeed, excellent. That being said, we are continually looking at the accreditation process to make sure that we are, in fact, judging our schools on whether or not they help us to see ourselves as God sees us.

Unfortunately, these agencies focus solely on secular goals that are often not aligned with our faith and mission. Please pray for us as we examine how we can best reflect on the ministry of Catholic education within our schools.

SISTER

ACKERMAN, FSGM

Sister Eva-Maria Ackerman, FSGM, is the Delegate for Religious and Consecrated Life for the archdiocese.

DEACON BILL SCHOLL

Deacon Scholl is the archdiocesan consultant for social justice. You can email him at: socialjustice@archkck.org.

Cascone is the superintendent of archdiocesan schools.

HTHE RITE STUFF

undreds of people within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas moved one step closer to becoming full-fledged Catholics at two Rite of Election ceremonies held Feb. 18 at Christ the King in Topeka and Sacred Heart in Shawnee. According to the archdiocesan office of liturgy and sacramental life, there were 142 catechumens and 304 candidates. Catechumens are those who have never been baptized and will receive all three sacraments of initiation — baptism, confirmation and Eucharist — at the Easter Vigil. Candidates are those who have been baptized in another Christian religion and will make a profession of faith in the Catholic Church and make their first Communion and confirmation at the vigil in order to fully enter the church. During the service, the catechumens are presented to the archbishop and enroll their names in the Book of Elect, a ceremonial record of those about to receive the Easter sacraments.

Photos from top to bottom.

From left, Deacon Nicholas Moragues, pastoral assistant at Sacred Heart Parish in Shawnee, Father Jaime Zarse, pastor of Sacred Heart, and Father Anthony Saiki, master of ceremonies, assist Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann with the Rite of Election ceremony on Feb. 18 at Sacred Heart Church in Shawnee.

Father Adam Wilczak, pastor of Divine Mercy Parish in Gardner, looks on as candidate Amanda Vaughan signs the Book of the Elect with her sponsor Suzie Townley offering her support.

Catechumen Allison Sadler, left, stands with her sponsor Kelly Quinn at the Rite of Election at Sacred Heart in Shawnee. Sadler will be joining St. Ann Parish in Prairie Village. Quinn is a member of St. Therese Parish in Kansas City, Missouri.