03 22 24 Vol. 45 No. 31

TODD HABIGER

Archdiocese adopts deanery model

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — “We’re all one family,” said Father Anthony Saiki. But each geographic region of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has its own needs, he said, and parish priests desire fraternity and support.

To foster a greater sense of community, the pastoral regional model that’s been in place in the archdiocese since

the 1970s was changed to a deanery model, effective Jan. 1.

Deaneries fall under the Code of Canon Law, that states that a bishop has authority to group parishes together based on geographical location.

Each deanery is served by a dean — a priest who pastors a parish within it. The geographic locations of the archdiocesan deaneries will remain the same.

“I think there’s a lot of potential,” said Father Saiki, rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas, and a member of the presbyteral council.

Father Saiki explained how the change came about.

“We, since the ’70s, had our pastoral regional model,” he said, “and the goal of it was to help coordinate parochial efforts in particular regions.

“And it worked. It was a beautiful system.”

But over time, the role of the regional leader became ineffective, he said, and communication within the regions grew stagnant.

“It came to the forefront of the conversation with [Archbishop Joseph F.

Naumann] and the presbyteral council when the priests of the Southern Region wrote a letter suggesting that we consider deaneries,” said Father Saiki.

The letter was sent around a year ago.

Since then, Archbishop Naumann and the presbyteral council had multiple conversations about how the model could be reformed, revamped or switched up entirely.

LEAVEN ILLUSTRATION BY

Holy Week invites us to unite our suffering with the paschal mystery

The days of Lent are coming to a close. During Holy Week, we enter into the most important days of our liturgical year. The Triduum liturgies (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter) make it possible for us to encounter the events that rescued us from sin and death and gave us a share in the eternal life of God.

The death of Jesus on the cross was the result of human sin. Jesus, in accepting our human condition, made himself vulnerable to the cruel consequences of sin. Jesus became man so that, despite our sin, we could know the depth of God’s merciful love for us.

In remaining faithful to the mission entrusted to him by his Father, even to the point of submitting to his passion and crucifixion, Jesus reversed the sin of Adam. Our Lord embraced the cross because of his

ARCHBISHOP

JOSEPH F. NAUMANN

absolute commitment to be faithful to the will of the Father. Jesus transformed the cross from a symbol of death into a source of life, from an instrument of cruel torture into a font of faithful love.

For the Christian, we see all of life through the prism of the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Our Lord’s merciful and compassionate love flowing from the cross provides us with the opportunity for the forgiveness of our

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS

sins, which in part were responsible for the cross. We witness — in the events of Good Friday and Easter — God’s ability to draw forth good from evil.

In the dying and rising of Jesus, we encounter the ultimate victory of life over the forces of death.

The passion and crucifixion of Jesus were, humanly speaking, a great humiliation and the ultimate defeat. Yet, Jesus spoke of his imminent crucifixion as the purpose for which he came into the world.

The mission entrusted to Jesus was to enter into our sin-fractured

human condition and immerse himself into a broken world that had been contaminated by Adam’s disobedience, in order that Our Lord could reverse Adam’s rebellion by his humble submission to take upon himself the full effect of sin and liberate us from our slavery to it.

The devil hated and continues to hate humanity. He successfully corrupted our first parents by the temptation to distrust the God who had loved them into existence. Satan wanted to create a complete and impenetrable wall between God and humanity by enticing our first parents to disobey the one limitation that God had placed upon them.

Jesus vanquished the forces of evil and liberated us from the shackles of our sin by making the cross a throne of mercy from which he sought forgiveness for all those responsible for the cross, namely all of us. Jesus interceded for us by his request to the Father: Forgive them for they know not what they do.

On Easter, the risen Jesus vanquished death, the most terrible effect of our sin, by his resurrection and his offering to all who believe in him a share in his eternal and everlasting life. Satan, the author of sin, the Emperor of Evil, the Lord of Death, had been defeated.

Jesus gave himself as the lamb of sacrifice, the perfect offering to the Father, to establish the new covenant. The law of the new covenant would not be etched on stone tablets but rather written upon the human heart.

Jesus’ gift of himself, even unto death, resulted in the gift of eternal life. On the cross, Jesus was lifted up in offering to his Father, in order that his disciples, all who looked upon the crucified One, would be drawn to the Father.

It is this supreme sacrifice that is made present to us in the Mass. Our Lord beckons us to place on the altar whatever ways we have chosen to die to self, whatever sacrifices of love are required of us as his disciples, whatever

ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN’S CALENDAR

March 22

Kenrick-Glennon visit — St. Louis

March 23

Anointing Mass and reception — Curé of Ars, Leawood

The Acies ceremony for the Legion of Mary — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas

March 24

Palm Sunday Mass — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas

March 26

Chrism Mass — Savior Pastoral Center

March 28

Holy Thursday Mass — cathedral

March 29 Good Friday Mass — cathedral

March 30

Easter Vigil Mass — cathedral

March 31

Easter Sunday Mass — cathedral

April 2

Wyandotte Regional Priest meeting — St. Pius X, Mission

Bishop Ward eucharistic adoration — cathedral

sufferings we endure, whatever small deaths to self we embrace, to unite them with his great act of love and mercy on Calvary. By placing our small offerings with the enormous sacrifice of Jesus, God can make our sacrifices and suffering remarkably fruitful.

The new covenant makes us one with Jesus. It removes all barriers between ourselves and God. In holy Communion, we receive the Lamb of God, who gave his life for us, so that we could become one with him. The new covenant invites us to communion with God, to friendship with Jesus, to embrace our identity as the bride and to become one with the Bridegroom.

Holy Week is a special time for us to seek the grace to accept more fully the will of God in our lives, especially when doing so may require us to embrace a part of the cross with a faith that seeks to follow the amazing love exhibited by Jesus on Calvary. This season invites us to unite our own personal suffering with the paschal mystery — with the dying and rising of Jesus.

We should ask ourselves: What does it mean for me at this moment to unite myself with the crucified One? What is being asked of me, in the unique and particular circumstances of my life, if I am going to follow Jesus, even to Calvary?

It is also a time for us to be renewed in the hope of the risen Lord. Our hope, as Christians, does not come from our ability to change and reform our world. Our hope comes from our conviction that Jesus can bring forth: 1) joy from our suffering; 2) good from evil; and 3) life from death.

With so many things wrong in our world that can discourage us, we need to pray during Holy Week that the Lord will renew in our hearts the hope of his Easter victory over sin and death. We are called to transform our culture and society but not by our own ingenuity and determined work. We are called to transform the world by allowing the Lord to use us to make his merciful and life-giving love accessible and tangible to others through us.

Holy Thursday, and how we came to celebrate

THE EUCHARIST

By Therese Horvat Special to The Leaven

s the U.S. Catholic Church fosters eucharistic revival, this year’s observance of Holy Thursday presents the ideal opportunity to revisit and reaffirm our beliefs in this most holy sacrament.

We have it on good authority that Jesus Christ becomes really present — body, blood, soul and divinity — whenever and wherever Mass is offered and celebrated by consecrated ministers. Jesus’ words of institution of the Eucharist are recorded several places in the New Testament. One of the most familiar appears in St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians:

“[T]he Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” (11:23-26)

Add to these powerful words over 2,000 years of tradition and teachings professing belief in the Eucharist. This includes practices of the early Christians; doctrines promulgated by the official church and popes across the centuries; and interpretations and reflections of revered saints, scholars and theologians.

The Second Vatican Council and subsequent church documents elevate the Eucharist as the source and summit of the Christian life. The Eucharist remains a central mystery of our Catholic faith. While we may not be able to grasp its meaning totally and rationally, we are called to believe wholeheartedly in faith.

Our beliefs

We believe first and foremost that during the consecration of the Mass, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and the instrumentality of the bishop or priest (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops). The celebrant speaks in the person of Christ; the Holy Spirit effects the change.

Theologically, this transformation is called “transubstantiation.” The substance of the bread and wine is changed while their outward appearance remains the same. Jesus is substantially present in a way that is entirely unique (“United States Catholic Catechism for Adults”).

The Eucharist is neither a symbol nor just a recollection of past events. It re-presents (makes present) Christ’s ultimate sacrifice of himself in love. It is at once both efficacious and salvific. That is, the words of the eucharistic prayer accomplish what they say is occurring. The bread and wine become Jesus Christ in this dynamic, perpetual, living memorial.

Not only does the Eucharist commemorate the Last Supper observed annually on Holy Thursday. Celebration of the Eucharist encompasses all that Christ did for our salvation throughout his ministry, crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. The Eucharist has

redemptive power. The Eucharist makes present in a sacramental manner the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and his victory over sin and death out of love for us (Catechism of the Catholic Church). At each eucharistic celebration, we relive this paschal mystery with Christ, the celebrant and the entire congregation.

Life-altering effects

Reborn to Christ in baptism, Jesus sustains and nourishes us as we partake worthily in the Eucharist. We receive grace to imitate the love Christ shows us and to reshape our lives accordingly. Jesus gifts us with the offer to transform us into himself. We are drawn into the perfect love the sacrament offers. At the end of the Mass, the celebrant proclaims a eucharistic challenge: “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”

In other words, “Go be Christ to everyone you meet, especially those in need.” We are invited to express our affirmation by saying, “Thanks be to God.”

A prayer in a past edition of the catechism conveys the intention of this eucharistic spirit:

“Lord, take me. Bless me. Break me. Make me a part of your saving, sacrificial gift for the world’s bodily and spiritual needs.”

Instead of being perceived as a weekly obligation, celebration of the eucharistic liturgy and receiving Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist become a blessed and grace-filled opportunity. This intimate union with Christ strengthens us to be virtuous and charitable. It unites us with the universal church and all the faithful across the centuries and across the world. The Catholic Church teaches that the joy of receiving the Eucharist is a foretaste of the final banquet and heavenly glory we anticipate.

The mystery remains

If the sacrament of the Eucharist seems mind-boggling, highly regarded and respected theologians offer words of wisdom. Thomas Aquinas, the great scholar-saint of the Middle Ages, and the late Pope Benedict XVI both acknowledge the Eucharist as a mystery. Aquinas writes that the meaning of the Eucharist cannot be apprehended by the senses, but rather only by faith that relies on divine authority. Pope Benedict describes the Eucharist as a mystery to be believed, celebrated and lived.

On Holy Thursday and continuing through this time of eucharistic revival and beyond, let us be in awe at the mystery of the Eucharist. In good faith, let Christ take the lead as he did at the Last Supper, on Calvary and on the road to Emmaus. Let us recognize and receive him in the breaking of the bread and allow his eucharistic love to fill us with Alleluia joy.

Lack of financial support leads to closing of KCK school

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — First came the shock when it was announced on March 6 that Christ the King School here would close at the end of the academic year.

Following that came something else: determination.

“Our attitude is that we have two options as our doors close,” said Alex Weibel, principal for only a year. “We either sit in sorrow or embrace this for our remaining three months together, to make these the best three months ever to celebrate our school and community.”

There will be a school carnival on May 8 and likely a thanksgiving Mass for the fruits of 80 years of Catholic education at Christ the King sometime in May or June. The last day of class is May 22.

“There will be mourning, but we’ll celebrate what our school is and has been,” said Weibel. “There are things outside of our control and this is one of them. We must surrender it to the Lord and trust what he has planned for Christ the King, the families and the staff. All we can control is how we go about these next three months.

“I’m very impressed with and proud of our families, our students and our staff for their attitude. Let’s make it to the end of the school year with dignity and school pride.”

The decision to close the school was made in consultation with the pastor Father Nick Blaha, the archdiocesan school office and outside consultants, wrote Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann in a March 11 letter to parishioners and school families.

The closure is “due to the lack of financial support needed to continue the school’s operations,” wrote the archbishop. “Despite considerable prayers, reflection and analysis, the resources available to bridge the financial gap were not sufficient.”

For this school year, Christ the King has 197 students in grades from prekindergarten to eighth grade. Counting the principal, it has a faculty and staff of 26.

The long-term trends have been against the school for decades.

“There has been a decline in enrollment and that decline has increased in

the last two years or so,” said archdiocesan superintendent of schools Vince Cascone. “Christ the King has always had struggles financially. Those struggles have increased significantly.”

Cascone said the school has been successful as an educational institution. In 2020, the school was named an Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann CEF School of Excellence winner.

“The Catholic Education Foundation is currently funding 86 percent of the students [with partial scholarships] enrolled in Christ the King School, totaling $365,000 this year,” said Father Blaha, pastor since 2019. “That’s the most we’ve ever received from CEF. They’ve increased their funding every year.”

In a letter on the parish website, Father Blaha wrote that support came from many quarters, but it still wasn’t enough.

“Our attempts this year to fundraise within our community and beyond provided an outpouring of generous assistance, including from our own families who committed to faithfully making their tuition payments and covering the outstanding debts of the

school,” he wrote.

“Additionally, the archdiocese has provided extensive levels of financial support over the years,” he continued, “most of all during this current academic year. We would like to extend our gratitude to those who helped us secure monetary and in-kind donations from the wider community.”

Father Blaha, Cascone and Weibel said Christ the King School and the archdiocese would work with other archdiocesan Catholic schools so students can continue their Catholic education, and faculty and staff can find other employment opportunities.

The archdiocesan schools nearest to Christ the King are Resurrection (adjoining the cathedral), St. Patrick School at State Avenue and 94th St., Our Lady of Unity School at Shawnee Drive and S. 34th St. and Holy Name School at 1007 Southwest Blvd.

One unresolved question is what to do with the school.

“I want our parish to come together to answer that question of how we can put our resources at the service of people who need our support,” said

Father Blaha.

He foresees a mix of activities in the building — catechesis, meetings, education and community activities and music lessons.

“There have been a number of members of the community who have expressed their sorrow at the closing of the school but have approached us asking if we’d be open to renting space,” said Father Blaha. “I think the parish would have to discern together based on a sense of partnering with someone, such as with the pregnancy center.”

Like his parishioners and the school families, Father Blaha is experiencing the sadness that has come with this decision, but he has also experienced understanding, support and peace.

“So many of our families and benefactors rose to the occasion to pull together and pitch in for the sake of our children,” he said. “So much virtue, and determination, and generosity were visible in a great many people who care about Christ the King School, and no account of our story would be complete without including them and thanking them for the good they’ve done.”

New deans to act as an ‘older brother’ to their fellow priests

Deaneries were at the forefront of the conversation.

The priestly life committee of the presbyteral council was tasked with formulating a concrete plan for potential deaneries, which was voted on by the council and accepted by the archbishop.

Prior to the pastoral regional model, the archdiocese used a deanery model based on the 1917 Code of Canon Law.

“It was seen much more administratively,” said Father Saiki, “and the pastoral region model was to really adopt a more pastoral focus.”

The Code of Canon Law of 1983, that the church follows now, encourages deaneries, he continued, “but it has this pastoral infusion from the Second Vatican Council.”

Canon law describes a dean as an

“older brother” to his fellow priests.

“He’s to bring the bishop and the bishop’s heart to that deanery,” said Father Saiki.

One of the most notable changes that comes with this model is that deans will conduct pastoral visits periodically at each of the parishes within his deanery.

“One of the biggest things really centered around a hope for some more subsidiarity within the archdiocese,” said Father Daniel Stover, pastor of Holy Angels Parish in Garnett and St. John the Baptist Parish in Greeley.

Father Stover served as the Southern Region leader since 2019 and is now its dean.

Handling issues at a more local level should help deans and parishes collaborate effectively together, he said.

“The Southern Deanery is very different from Johnson County,” said Father Stover, “and I’m from Topeka,

which is completely different from those other two.

“The local cultures and the needs of the parishes are very different in the deaneries. To have someone who is both aware of them and can support and guide a little bit — that’s one of my biggest hopes for it.”

Deans are recommended by priests in their deaneries, and the final selection is made by Archbishop Naumann.

Father Bill Bruning, pastor of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish in Overland Park, was honored to be appointed dean of the Johnson County Deanery.

He’s looking forward to the fraternal aspect of the role.

“There’s more of an emphasis on visiting the other pastors, reaching out to them, seeing how they’re doing,” said Father Bruning.

Deans can hold pastors accountable, ensuring matters like bookkeeping and sac-

ramental records are being kept up with.

They can answer any questions, concerns or conflicts that arise at parishes, share resources and ideas on best practices, and see that church buildings and sanctuaries are well cared for.

But deans can also foster connection with their brother priests and create fellowship opportunities so they feel less alone.

“That’s my hope,” said Father Bruning, “is that this role of dean won’t be one of watchdog or police, but it’s one of fraternal support and care.”

Father Saiki is excited for the potential impact this change can have on the archdiocese.

“I really hope that this new model will bring a greater unity to our presbyterate,” he said, “that our priests will connect more with each other, with the archdiocese, and that our parishes can connect better with each other.”

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann opened up the 2023-24 school year by celebrating Mass at Christ the King School in Kansas City, Kansas. Unfortunately, the school announced on March 6 that it would be closing at the end of the school year. The last day of class will be on May 22.

New internal auditor delighted to be ‘back to serving’

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — “In Spanish there is a saying, ‘We all have a place in our Lord’s vineyard,’” said Nancy Oviedo.

After 12 years of working at the nonprofit philanthropic organization Unbound, she thought she was on track to return to the corporate world. However, we all have a place . . .

“Guess what? Somebody had a different plan for me, because here I am, back to serving!” said Oviedo, a member of St. John Paul II Parish in Olathe. She has four adult children.

On Feb. 19, Oviedo became the new internal auditor in the finance department of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. She replaced Mike Horn, who retired from that position on Dec. 31, 2023, after serving for 15 years.

It will be Oviedo’s job to review the financial procedures and safeguards at archdiocesan parishes and other Catholic entities.

“I think what I do is a way of serving,” said Oviedo. “It’s a very important job. It’s very important for the church to have credibility and show transparency. Having an internal auditor gives that transparency and credibility.

“I see my work as more of a cooperation. Each parish is trying to do a good job. They want to do a good job. My job is to cooperate with them and see where we need to improve, praise them for what they do that is good and to see if there is any gap we can help them with.”

Oviedo is the right match for the job, said Carla Mills, archdiocesan chief financial officer, who hired her.

“I was looking for someone with significant audit experience, and Nancy’s former position auditing internationally for Unbound was very similar, in that the organizations she audited were all under the Unbound umbrella but could be very different depending on their country and focus,” said Mills.

“This is similar in that our parishes and schools have similarities,” she continued, “but also can be very different from one another.”

Oviedo was born and raised in Villarrica del Espiritu Santo in Paraguay, a Latin American nation between Argentina and Brazil. She came from a big Catholic family of nine children. Growing up, she could speak Spanish and Guarani, the latter an indigenous language.

would be like ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ but it wasn’t.”

MY JOB IS TO COOPERATE WITH [PARISHES] AND SEE WHERE WE NEED TO IMPROVE, PRAISE THEM FOR WHAT THEY DO THAT IS GOOD AND TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY GAP WE CAN HELP THEM WITH.

NANCY OVIEDO ARCHDIOCESAN INTERNAL AUDITOR

“I grew up speaking Guarani,” she said. “I can write and read in Guarani perfectly.”

She came to Kansas in 1994. Her expectations had been shaped by television.

“I thought there were a lot of trees,” she said. “I came in April. It was very green. In my mind I had two ideas. Big, tall buildings like New York, and another was like the [Westerns]. I thought it

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— By Moira Cullings

Television was more helpful in a linguistic sense.

“I learned English watching ‘The Price is Right’ on TV,” said Oviedo.

She first attended Kaw Area Technical School in Topeka, which was administered by Washburn University. Today, it’s the Washburn Institute of Technology. She studied first at Kaw and then Washburn, earning a bachelor of science degree in accounting in 2007.

After graduation, Oviedo worked for the state of Kansas, and later for accounting firms in Topeka and Manhattan, one which sent her to audit community banks all over western Kansas. Prior to coming to the archdiocese, she was the audit and investigative director for Unbound. Her work took her to several countries in Africa and Latin America, as well as the Philippines.

Unbound and the archdiocese have some things in common. Although not affiliated with the Catholic Church, Unbound was founded by Catholics and has a lot of those Catholic perspectives and values in its DNA.

Having spent parts of her career in both the secular, for-profit world, and the nonprofit world, she can see differences.

“The drive is different,” said Oviedo. “[In nonprofits] there is a sense of community and service, whereas the secular sector is driven by profit and performance. Here [at the archdiocese] I am back to serving. . . . God has brought me back and I feel at peace. That’s a great thing.”

She won’t be a globetrotter anymore, but as internal auditor she’ll be traveling all over the archdiocese. At present, she has 164 parishes, schools and cemeteries to visit.

“It’s vital that our entities have a strong system of internal controls set by their management to effectively safeguard assets and maintain good stewardship,” said Mills.

“We have had a good experience making internal controls a focus for the last 15 years or so,” she added, “and I hope for that to continue. I look forward to Nancy looking at our operations with a fresh set of eyes and to hearing what recommendations she has for improvement.”

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Nancy Oviedo is the new internal auditor in the finance department of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. She replaced Mike Horn, who retired. It will be Oviedo’s job to review the financial procedures and safeguards at archdiocesan parishes and other Catholic entities.

Rediscover this Lent the grace of praying together in song

The first thing I noticed about our parish was the music. Everyone sang.

From the moment the opening hymn began, the sanctuary was filled with a robust chorus. I looked around and couldn’t believe my eyes (or ears) — adults, children, women and men were all singing at full voice.

I grew up in a typical Catholic church where the congregation mostly listened to the choir or cantor, so I came to assume the same whenever I’d visit a new parish.

You might find beautiful instrumental music or an exceptional choir, but rarely would the people in the pews respond with more than a mumbling “Amen.”

But now, our parish has changed my mind.

It’s a foretaste of heaven to look around Mass and witness the full participation of the people of God.

Turns out, the wider church agrees.

In the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy issued by the Second Vatican Council, we find robust encouragement for active participation: “Religious singing by the people is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises, as also during liturgical services, the voices of the faithful may ring out according to the norms and

requirements of the rubrics” (“Sacrosanctum Concilium,” 118).

What’s more, this vocal participation in the liturgy becomes a means for grace: “And the people reply to God both by song and prayer. . . . When the church prays or sings or acts, the faith of those taking part is nourished and their minds are raised to God, so that they may offer him their rational service and more abundantly receive his grace” (SC, 33).

All this makes me wonder: Are we teaching younger generations of Catholics how to sing?

Few sports fans would refuse to stand and sing the national anthem or “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Many drivers belt out their favorite tunes on the radio in the car.

But do we bring the same enthusiastic participation to Mass?

Of course, context matters. Worship is meant to be reverent, not raucous. But full and active participation in the liturgy means not just silent respect but singing, too.

The cantor or choir are meant to be the leaders we follow, not the soloists we watch. We are not spectators but participants in these sacred mysteries.

My high school choir director often quoted St. Augustine that “singing is praying twice.” Sacred song

sinks into our bones, giving God glory. We don’t need to be professional singers or have perfect pitch, only to raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving together.

If your own singing has lagged as an adult, what a perfect practice to add to your Lenten observance: singing more at Mass. Remember that your children, grandchildren and all young people in the pews are watching. What are we teaching children by the way we sing? You might start by singing more at home. Growing up, my family added a sung grace

after the traditional “Bless us, O Lord” prayer. Today my own family sings a short hymn before dinner to match the liturgical season.

Each night, I get to hear voices, old and young, warble “Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days” and remember how Christ came for all of us, from toddlers to teenagers to tired adults — and everyone in between.

Music makes us human. From the first rhythms of our mother’s heartbeat in the womb, we grow attuned to the world through song: lullabies, childhood ABCs,

birthday celebrations, and holiday favorites.

But if we stop singing in worship — out of insecurity, boredom, habit or sheer laziness — we miss what full participation in the liturgy means: the grace it brings us and the glory it gives to God.

In its ancient roots, the word “enthusiasm” means “to be inspired or inhabited by God.”

This Lent, let us bring our enthusiasm to Mass and pray together in song, that we might all be filled with God’s Holy Spirit, from generation to generation.

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LAURA KELLY FANUCCI

Laura Kelly Fanucci is an author, speaker and founder of Mothering Spirit, an online gathering place on parenting and spirituality.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ

Choir members sing during the Archdiocese of New York’s annual Black History Month Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City Feb. 4.

‘Five First Saturdays’ has its roots in the first appearance of Our Lady of Fatima

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — During this time of Eucharistic Revival announced by the bishops of the United States, some people have resolved to go to daily Mass — even Saturdays.

For other Catholics, Saturday Mass is nothing new.

They’ve been going to Mass on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months for years. It’s part of a devotion called the “Five First Saturdays.”

This venerable devotion — which consists of the Mass and a few things more — has its origins in the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima.

The apparitions began with an angel appearing to three children near Fatima, Portugal, in spring 1916. This was followed by a first appearance of Our Lady of Fatima on May 13, 1917, and then five more apparitions,

the last on Oct. 13, 1917.

It was during the third apparition on July 13 that Our Lady gave the children a “secret” in three parts. She asked the children for prayers in devotion to her Immaculate Heart, the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart and the First Saturdays devotion. Our Lady reiterated her request to the only surviving child, Sister Lucia dos Santos, on Dec. 10, 1925.

These devotions are done on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months, with the intention of reparation for blasphemies against Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart, and include the following elements:

• Receive the sacrament of reconciliation eight days prior to or shortly after the First Saturdays.

• Attend Mass on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months and receive the Eucharist in a state of grace.

• Recite five decades of the rosary sometime during the day.

• Meditate for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the rosary.

“Saturday has long been dedicated to commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and as a singular day of devotion to her,” said Michael Podrebarac, archdiocesan consultant for liturgy and sacramental life.

“In the messages received by the children at Fatima, Mary asked that people express their devotion to her and acceptance of her message. . . . It’s a practical way to dedicate one’s intentions to the prayerful assistance to Our Lady in heaven through her Immaculate Heart,” he said. The Blessed Virgin Mary always directs us to do the will of her son Jesus, and so the First Saturdays devotion helps us to strive to live a life in imitation of Jesus. Also, the devotion is fitting because Mary is a powerful intercessor for us before the throne of Jesus in heaven, and is our

mother, too.

“I think it also involves being open to the ‘spirit of Mary,’ to open ourselves to the way Mary does things — always being open to her Son, always being open to the will of God, treasuring the mysteries of salvation in her heart,” said Podrebarac. “We can do those things, too.”

The term “reparation” means to make amends for a wrong, and this is an important thing that some Catholics may not understand.

“A prayer of reparation is simply an invocation of mercy,” said Podrebarac. “I can make reparation for the sins of my neighbor — not that I can make up for or undo them, but I can help by my prayer to do what is possible to set things right. And the only way is through the Lord’s mercy and grace. Prayers of reparation are specifically asking that mercy and grace be applied to the situation.”

Mary is the perfect ambassador of Christ, he said. Where he is wounded by our sins, she is wounded. Where he is grieved by our sins, she is grieved.

There are many benefits to keeping the First Saturdays devotion, said Podrebarac. It places us in greater communion with Our Lady, it shows concern for our soul and others, it enables us to cooperate in the divine mission of Jesus and is good spiritual discipline.

“It’s something we can do that is very concrete that has a simple and direct objective and is not hard for us to do, although it requires us to commit some sacrifice,” said Podrebarac. “Prayer is simply good for our souls. It’s nourishment for our spiritual lives.”

The church runs on three holy oils — all of which are consecrated each year at the

CHRISM MASS

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Something special happens during Holy Week that most Catholics have never seen.

But it plays an integral role in the sacramental life of all the faithful.

It’s the annual chrism Mass, socalled because it’s during this Mass that the bishop or archbishop consecrates the pure olive oil that becomes the holy oils that are used in administering the sacraments — and other things, too.

You may have seen a box or cabinet in your parish church where the holy oils are kept. It is called an ambry. If you look inside (they often have windows or clear glass sides), you will see the holy oils in three containers.

The first contains the sacred chrism. During the chrism Mass, a substance called balsam, a blend of aromatic oils and resin, is poured into this oil. Also, the bishop breathes over the oil. This symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s action in consecrating this oil. Chrism is used during baptisms, confirmations, ordinations and consecrations of altars and churches.

The second contains the oil of catechumens. It is used to anoint those who will enter the church by preparing them for baptism.

The third contains the oil of the sick. It is used for the sacrament of the anointing of the sick.

Olive trees and the oil derived from them are mentioned throughout the Bible. The oil had two uses — practical and spiritual.

For the practical, olive oil was used for cooking, fuel for lamps, cosmetics, a form of currency, soap and healing. An example of the latter is found in the

Gospel of Luke, the parable of the good Samaritan (10:30-37). The Samaritan treated the robbery victim by pouring oil and wine on his wounds.

In terms of the spiritual, the significance of olive oil is quite profound.

For example, in the Book of Exodus, God commands Moses to make a holy oil, like the sacred chrism, to consecrate the tent of meeting, the Ark of the Covenant, the table, utensils, menorah, altars of incense and sacrifice, basins, and Aaron and his sons as priests (30:22-33). Oil offerings were part of Old Testament temple sacrifices and first fruits offerings.

In the psalms and other books of the Old Testament, olive oil signifies abundance, healing, blessing, joy, prosperity, fertility, peace, divine favor and eternal life.

Kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil, such as when David was anointed by the prophet Samuel (1 Sm 16:13). The name “messiah” and “Christ” mean “the anointed one.”

And the apostolic church continued to use oil. There are mentions of the use and blessing of oil for the sacraments throughout church history, such as the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus (written about 215 in Rome); St. Boniface in Germany about 730; and the Gelasian Sacramentary in Paris about 750.

“In the early church, the consecrated oil was considered a special sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit,” said Pope Benedict XVI in a Holy Thursday homily given in 2010.

In the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the annual chrism Mass is usually held on the Tuesday morning of Holy Week instead of on Holy Thursday, since the distance some pastors have to travel to the Mass would make

it difficult for them to get back to their parishes for the Holy Thursday evening liturgy.

Also, the chrism Mass is held at Savior Pastoral Center — not only for the same considerations of time and distance — but because of the facility’s ability to accommodate large groups. Lay representatives of different archdiocesan groups are also invited.

The chrism Mass is the annual opportunity for a bishop or archbishop to concelebrate the Eucharist with all of his priests, as an expression of the fullness of his priesthood and of the bonds of unity he and his priests share.

At that Mass, right after the celebrant’s homily, priests will also renew their vows. (See sidebar.)

The blessing of the oils follows.

The oils are brought forward in a specific order: first comes the oil of catechumens, then the oil of the sick, and finally, the oil for the sacred chrism.

At the consecration of the final oil, the gathered priests also extend their right hands toward the sacred chrism, signifying their participation in the archbishop’s authority.

With the blessings concluded, the Mass resumes as it normally would with the preparation of the offerings.

When the Mass is over, each priest receives bottles of the three holy oils to take back with them to their parish. There is some latitude in determining the way the newly blessed oils are received at the parish — anything from a brief mention during the liturgy of Holy Thursday to a simple ceremony.

The old oils are disposed of by burning or burying them, according to the Book of Blessings.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Father Timothy Skoch processes in with one of the vessels of oil to be blessed at the chrism Mass 2023. It is during this Mass that the bishop or archbishop consecrates this pure olive oil into the three different holy oils that are used in administering the sacraments.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann breathes over the sacred and churches.

Archbishop Naumann pours a substance called balsam, resin, into the sacred chrism.

The chrism Mass is an annual opportunity for a bishop the Eucharist with all of his priests. At that Mass, right after priests will also renew their vows.

The renewal of priestly promises

After the homily, the bishop addresses his priests in these or similar words.

Beloved sons, on the anniversary of that day when Christ Our Lord conferred his priesthood on his apostles and on us, are you resolved to renew in the presence of your bishop and God’s holy people, the promises you once made?

The priests, all together, respond: I am.

Are you resolved to be more united with the Lord Jesus and more closely conformed to him, denying yourselves and confirming those promises about sacred duties towards Christ’s church which, prompted by love of him, you willingly and joyfully pledged on the day of your priestly ordination?

Priests: I am.

Are you resolved to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God in the holy Eucharist and the other liturgical rites and to discharge faithfully the sacred office of teaching, following Christ the head and shepherd, not seeking any gain, but moved only by zeal for souls?

Priests: I am.

Then, turning toward the people, the bishop continues:

As for you, dearest sons and daughters, pray for your priests, that the Lord may pour out his gifts abundantly upon them, and keep them faithful as ministers of Christ, the High Priest, so that they may lead you to him, who is the source of salvation.

People: Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

And pray also for me, that I may be faithful to the apostolic office entrusted to me in my lowliness and that in your midst, I may be made day by day a living and more perfect image of Christ, the priest, the good shepherd, the teacher and the servant of all.

People: Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

May the Lord keep us all in his charity and lead all of us, shepherds and flock, to eternal life.

All: Amen.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

sacred chrism, which symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s action in consecrating the oil. Chrism is used during baptisms, confirmations, ordinations and consecrations of altars

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER balsam, a blend of aromatic oils and

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

The blessing of the holy oils follows the renewal of priestly vows. At the consecration of the final oil, the gathered priests also extend their right hands toward the sacred chrism, signifying their participation in the archbishop’s authority.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

bishop or archbishop to concelebrate after the celebrant’s homily, the

Discover your part in prioritizing marriage in America

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

SHAWNEE — The sociological data is clear. There’s an intergenerational retreat from marriage in America, and it’s producing many harmful social consequences.

This is the bad news according to Tory Baucum, director of the Center for Family Life at Benedictine College in Atchison.

The good news is the Catholic Church is doing something about it.

The Opening America’s Heartland to Marriage Symposium will be held on April 12 at Sacred Heart Parish, 5501 Monticello Rd., Shawnee.

The event is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Benedictine College, Communio and Sacred Heart.

“We’re trying to create and continue a conversation about the mission field that has arisen in America about

marriage and family, and how we address it,” said Baucum.

“[The symposium is] about how to address it, how to make marriage and family a priority in our churches and in our culture. [It will also be] not just at the level of ideas but also the level of solutions,” he added.

The symposium speakers will include: Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann; Baucum; J.P. DeGance, president and founder of Communio; Amy Hamilton, research associate of the Austin Institute for the Study of Family & Culture at the University of Texas at Austin; Brad Wilcox, University of Virginia, director of the National Marriage Project; and Mark Regnerus, president of the Austin Institute.

The symposium registration begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Naumann at 8:15 a.m. There will be a light breakfast after Mass and then the symposium from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The event will conclude with a

recognition of Archbishop Naumann’s contributions to building the domestic church in Kansas.

This is a free event, but participants must RSVP by April 8 online at: www. eventcreate.com/e/openingamericas heartlandtomarriage.

Who should attend?

Priests, parish staff, ministry leaders, couples in family ministry and any concerned Catholic, according to Kathleen Whalen, director of missionary discipleship at Sacred Heart.

“Our pastor Father Jaime Zarse wants to place great emphasis and energy behind promoting marriage and family life and wants our parish to become [aware] of the reasons for the fundamental breakdowns so we can attack it in a bigger and bolder way so we can achieve success in marriage and family life,” said Whalen.

“We want to come up with creative and inspiring resolutions to strengthen marriage and family life,” she added.

This symposium is but a preview of

something greater to come.

“We’re going to hold a national conference on marriage and family at Benedictine College in March 2025,” said Baucum. “We’ll have some of the top scholars and speakers on marriage and family in the Catholic Church, but not just the Catholic Church. We plan to produce a handbook for marriage catechists coming out of that conference.”

Baucum hopes that the symposium participants will take away not only ideas, but also hope and practical solutions.

“The health of marriage and family in America is the single most important sociological issue facing us as a country,” said Baucum.

“If you solve the issues of failing and troubled marriages and families, you solve about 95 percent of the social problems in America,” he continued. “It’s important because it’s really all about the health of the social fabric and common good of this country.”

7 Catholic schools dancing in this year’s March Madness

OMAHA, Neb. (OSV News) — The 2024 Men’s Division I NCAA Tournament got underway March 19 with the “First Four” play-in games, and seven Catholic schools played at least once in the single-elimination Big Dance.

Duquesne University, located in downtown Pittsburgh, was founded by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit and is the only Spiritan institution of higher education in the U.S. This is the sixth appearance in the NCAA tournament for the Duquesne Dukes, but their first since 1977, when they lost to the Virginia Military Institute out of Lexington, Virginia, in the first round. This year, Duquesne, the No. 11 seed in the Eastern region, is slated to meet the sixth-seeded BYU Cougars, representing Brigham Young University, in Omaha, Nebraska, in the first round. According to its website, Duquesne offers a “profound concern for moral and spiritual values” and “service to the church, the community, the nation, and the world” as two ways that it seeks to serve its students.

The Marianist University of Dayton, a No. 7 seed in the Western region, squared up against the No. 10 seed University of Nevada March 21. Located in Dayton, Ohio, the Dayton Flyers, who according to its website are “committed to a Catholic vision of learning and scholarship,” are no stranger to NCAA action. This year will be their 19th tournament appearance, and they most

recently reached the Elite Eight in 2014.

Making program history, St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, will enter the NCAA tournament this year for the third year in a row when the fifth-seeded college in the Western region played No. 12 seed Grand Canyon March 22. The mission of St. Mary’s includes fostering and affirming “the Christian understanding of the human person which animates the educational mission of the Catholic Church.”

NCAA tournament champions

in 1977, Marquette University is the Southern region’s No. 2 seed. The Golden Eagles, who will be dancing this year for the 36th time, played the No. 15 seed Western Kentucky University March 22. Established in 1881, Marquette is a Jesuit university located in Milwaukee. It boasts more than 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. “As a Catholic university,” the website says, “we are committed to the unfettered

3 years after fire, Ohio church reopens

HUBBARD, Ohio (OSV News) — When Bishop David J. Bonnar of Youngstown celebrated a Mass of blessing at St. Patrick Church in Hubbard on St. Patrick’s Day, it was the first Mass at the church since it was forced to close its doors Jan. 18, 2021, after a devastating fire caused millions in damages to the interior and exterior of the building.

Since the fire, the parish, which dates back more than 150 years, had been celebrating Mass in the parish center. But the Mass on the feast day of its patron saint will mark the official reopening of a church rebuilt from floor to roof.

The March 17 liturgy also featured a relic of St. Patrick loaned to the Diocese of Youngstown by the Diocese of Cleveland for the church’s reopening. The relic will be carried by a deacon in the entrance procession and set in a place of honor. Bishop Bonnar also will bless the faithful with the relic during the Sunday Mass.

“Catholics honor relics of saints as a way of connecting to the reality of the saints’ lives on earth in the past and their present closeness with God in eternity,” Joan Lawson, the Youngstown Diocese’s chancellor and archivist, said in a statement. “Saints inspire Catholics by the heroic ways in which they lived a virtuous Christian life in their own times and places. Stories of St. Patrick have circulated for centuries, along with the faithful asking for his prayers.”

Lawson noted that in addition to the Hubbard parish, five others in

pursuit of truth under the mutually illuminating powers of human intelligence and Christian faith.”

No stranger to March Madness, Jesuit- run Gonzaga University in Spokane has been selected to compete in the NCAA tournament every year since 1999. They have made the Sweet Sixteen for the last consecutive eight years. Playing in the Midwestern region, the fifth-seed Bulldogs faced the No. 12 seed McNeese State March 21. “The Gonzaga educational experience,” the website notes, “prepares students to be wholehearted leaders who serve the common good and give glory to God.”

Also in the Midwestern region, No. 3 seed Creighton University in Omaha went up against 14-seed Akron March 21. A small, private Jesuit University, Creighton’s March Madness appearance will be its 25th since its founding in 1878. “As Catholic,” its website says, “Creighton is dedicated to the pursuit of truth in all its forms and is guided by the living tradition of the Catholic Church.”

The third Catholic institution in the Midwestern region, No. 15 seed St. Peter’s University in Jersey City, New Jersey, met No. 2 seed Tennessee March 21. In their other four appearances in the NCAA tournament, St. Peter’s did not advance past the first round — with the notable exception of 2022, when they had a surprise run to the Elite Eight, where they finally lost to North Carolina.

Wisconsin Supreme Court rules against tax exemption for Catholic Charities Bureau

MADISON, Wis. (OSV

News) — The Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior is not exempt from paying into the state’s unemployment insurance system because its operations aren’t primarily religious, Wisconsin’s Supreme Court found March 14.

The group plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. The 4-3 decision by the state court in Madison raises the threshold for religious groups to prove their charitable organizations qualify for such an exemption under state law. The court’s ruling, along its ideological lines, found that while the mission of the Catholic Charities Bureau and its subsidiaries is inspired by Catholic teachings, its actual work is “primarily charitable and secular” under the statute.

the diocese have carried the name of the Irish people’s patron saint.

A list provided by a spokesperson for St. Patrick Church in Hubbard detailed what the fire destroyed and what three years of labor, donations, prayers and the help of parishioners have brought back. In addition to the entire church being rebuilt, “the sanctuary floor was severely damaged and caved in so it was rebuilt,” the list said. The sanctuary’s back wall had to be rebuilt; all electrical wiring had to be pulled and replaced; heating and cooling systems and the boiler system had to be brought up to code and replaced; and a new metal

roof had to be installed and the insulation and the church’s wooden ceiling were all replaced.

Among other items, the marble on floors and walls had to be replaced; the pews, altar, baptismal font and ambo were all replaced or repaired; and the parish’s new Steinway piano and pipe organ had to be cleaned and rebuilt.

“Many parishioners from other churches across the diocese and the Mahoning Valley sent donations and prayers. Parishioners also helped clean, restore, construct and move items back into the church,” according to the diocese.

Writing for the majority, Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote that asserting “a religious motivation behind their work” is “not enough to receive the exemption” under the statute, and that “paying a generally applicable tax is not a constitutionally significant burden” under First Amendment jurisprudence.

Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, a religious liberty law firm representing Catholic Charities Bureau and its subentities, said in a statement, “The Wisconsin Supreme Court got this case dead wrong” and the organization “is religious, whether Wisconsin recognizes that fact or not.”

OSV NEWS PHOTO/BRAD PENNER-USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS

Players battle for the ball at the opening tip-off between the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden in New York City March 16, 2024. The Golden Eagles are one of seven Catholic schools who made the cut for the 2024 Men’s basketball NCAA tournament, which starts when the “First Four” play-in games on March 19.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/COURTESY ST. PATRICK PARISH

Damage is seen to the altar area of St. Patrick Church in Hubbard, Ohio, Jan. 19, 2021, the day after the church caught fire. Three years after the devastating fire, the church reopened with a Mass of blessing celebrated by Youngstown Bishop David J. Bonnar March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. The liturgy also featured a relic of St. Patrick loaned to the Diocese of Youngstown by the Diocese of Cleveland.

EMPLOYMENT

Bookkeeper/accountant - Queen of the Holy RosaryWea is seeking a full-time bookkeeper/accountant. Three years’ experience with QuickBooks and advanced experience with Excel as well as hands-on experience with payroll and benefit software systems desired. Please contact: mpetz@qhrwea.org for complete job description and application. Compensation commensurate with experience.

Consultant, youth ministry - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking to hire a consultant for evangelization and Catholic formation of youth in the creation and/or implementation of programs, processes and training. Please visit employment information for more information or to apply. Go online to: archkck.org, click on “Employment,” go to “Current job openings,” then “Openings in Our Archdiocese” and click on “Consultant, Youth Ministry.”

Carpenter/remodeler - Do you want to be a part of an incredible team and make an impact in a growing industry? Do you love transformation and being challenged? Come be a part of a culture that brings out the best in its people and where hard work is recognized. KCBR is one of the top-rated design and remodeling firms in the Kansas City metro area. We offer exceptional job opportunities for exceptional people! We offer benefits including company-sponsored insurance medical, dental and vision; 15 days PTO; 5 paid holidays; a 401(k) plan with a 5% match; tool allowance, etc. We are growing something special in Kansas City and would love to add the right person to our team! We are looking for a skilled carpenter/remodeler with 3 - 5 years of experience that has a good overall knowledge of all trades — from carpentry and painting to light plumbing and electrical. As a skilled carpenter/remodeler, you must display superb communication and customer service skills and have the ability to act in a respectful and professional manner with clients, fellow employees, management and office personnel. We are an incredibly busy remodeling company, doing an average of 15 - 18 remodeling projects per month in the Kansas City metro area. Must be able to pass a background check, have a valid driver’s license with reliable transportation and be available Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Pay range for this position is $26-37/hr. based on experience.

Yard help needed - Occasionally needs yard help. Located in area of 87th St. and Antioch area in Overland Park. Should enjoy gardening. Call Mimi at (913) 283-8460.

Coordinator for foster and pro-life ministry - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking to hire a coordinator for foster and pro-life ministries. This position will be responsible for offering guidance to parishes to establish and grow parish-based foster care and adoption support ministries. For more information and to apply, go online to: archkck.org, scroll down to “Employment Opportunities” in the archdiocese, then scroll down and click on “Coordinator, Foster and Pro-Life Ministry.”

Director of advancement - City on a Hill, Kansas City’s Catholic young adult community, is seeking a director of advancement to continue to develop a community of supporters, with specific focus on long-term sustainability and growth as City on a Hill expands to new cities. This role will focus on creating development strategies, engaging donors, working with grants and sponsorships, and creating communication strategies. To view the full job description and qualifications, go to: www.kansascityonahill. org/careers to apply. Email your resume and three references (two professional and one personal) to: catherine@kansascityonahill.org.

JV cheer coach - Bishop Miege High School is seeking a JV cheer coach for the 2024-25 school year. Ideal candidate will have experience as a cheer coach at the high school, college or competitive level and possess thorough knowledge of rules, regulations, strategies and techniques. Contact Joe Schramp, athletic director, at: jschramp@bishopmiege.com or call (913) 222-5802.

Preschool aide - St. Michael the Archangel Preschool is seeking an aide for the 2024-25 school year. Applicants are responsible for assisting the lead teacher with daily activities, implementing rules and regulations of licensure, and maintaining principles of sound Catholic education. This position is Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Please submit resume and cover letter to preschool director at: jennie.wente@stmichaelcp.org.

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) 6315983 for more information.

Guidance counselor, 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 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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

FOR SALE

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

For sale - Two 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.

SERVICES

Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704. Doll dresses - First Communion dresses for American Girl dolls or any 18”dolls. To include dress, veil, shoes, tights, and cross necklace for $35. Call (913) 345-9498 or send an email to: wwelch4@kc.rr.com to order.

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

Free estimates - We are offering free estimates to all those thinking about painting this year. At Stone Painting, we put the customer first. We provide interior, exterior house painting along with deck staining, fence painting, etc. Stone Painting ensures a professional, clean and fair-priced job. Call today for your free estimate. (913) 488-5195.

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.

Popcorn ceiling texture removal

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

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.

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.

>> Classifieds continue on page 13

MARCH 22, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG

DAY OF REFLECTION

Holy Trinity Parish (Gast Social Room)

13615 W. 92nd St.

March 23 at 8 a.m.

The Daughters of Isabella, Circle 421, are having a day of reflection. The cost is $20 per person. The day will begin with Mass, followed by brunch, a speaker and prayers. Send reservation checks to Jeannine DeMoss, 8800 Gallery St., Lenexa, KS 66215. For more information, send an email to: jcdemo2112@yahoo.com.

SATURDAY VOLUNTEER DAYS AT RESURRECTION CEMETERY

Resurrection Cemetery

8300 Quivira Rd., Lenexa

March 23 from 1 - 4 p.m.

Join us in performing a corporal work of mercy while beautifying the sacred grounds of the cemetery. The Global Foundation for Peace through Soccer and Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas invite you to our inaugural fourth Saturday volunteer day. Meet at the Veterans Memorial Garden any time between 1 - 4 p.m., weather permitting. Educational and volunteer credits will be available. Participants will receive a free soccer jersey, snacks and drinks. The volunteer session will begin and end with prayer. For information, contact Keith or Lupe at by email at: information@ cathcemks.org or call (913) 371-4040.

ST. JOSEPH TABLE

Christ the King Parish

3024 N. 53rd St., Kansas City, Kansas

March 23 after 4 p.m. Mass

There will be a meatless pasta dinner at the St. Joseph Table that will include pasta, salad, bread and drink. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for kids over the age of 3. Desserts can be purchased off the St. Joseph Table. There will also be $1 bingo, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

‘PROFILES OF A CYRENEAN’

St. Pius X Parish (Kelly Hall)

5500 Woodson, Mission

March 23 at 7 p.m.

Vivify Catholic Arts Collective will host a performance of Pope John Paul ll’s poem, “Profiles of a Cyrenean.” All are welcome to attend. The performance will last about 30 minutes and will be followed by a 15-minute talk-back session with actors. Similar to the Stations of the Cross, this performance is meant to lead you to deeper prayer, a more intimate encounter with Christ and his cross. For more information, send an email to: lweisharwriting@gmail.com.

‘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.

HEARTACHE TO HEALING

Church of the Ascension (St. John’s Room)

9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park

April 11 at 6:30 p.m.

This is a social support group for those widowed early in life. Bring your favorite game, or just come and enjoy ours. Please bring a snack and/or drink to share while we visit and play board/card games. Your emailed RSVP is appreciated, but not necessary, to Laura at: khaeus1@hotmail.com; Heather at: hmbimpens@gmail.com; or Damon at: damon452@yahoo.com. Come meet new friends and pray and play with us. We look forward to meeting you.

EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL

Christ’s Peace House of Prayer

22131 Meagher Rd., Easton

April 12 - 14

The retreat begins on April 12 at 5:30 p.m. and ends on April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Jesus invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith in the celebration of the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival, which culminates in Indianapolis this July, is a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery by helping us renew our worship of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Join us as we delve deeply into the powerful reality that is the eucharistic Jesus, the Lamb of God, sacrificed so that we may have life, who brings us himself in the heavenly bread of the banquet that takes place in heaven and on earth at the same time. Come worship our eucharistic Lord with expectant faith during this enriching retreat. There are conferences, spiritual direction, eucharistic adoration, Mass, confession, and time for private prayer reflection and walking. Cabins/courtyard rooms: $170 single/$250 couple or single guest rooms $100. Meals are included.) To attend, fill out the individual retreat form online at: ChristsPeace.com or call (913) 773-8255.

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.

BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS

Divine Mercy Parish

555 W. Main St., Gardner

April 14 from 8:30 - 10 a.m.

The 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.

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.

DONNELLY COLLEGE BLOOD DRIVE

Donnelly College (Event Center)

608 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kansas

April 1 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

One donation can save up to three lives! Be a hero and schedule a donation now. For an appointment, visit the website at: redcrossblood.org/give and type in “Donnelly” or call 1 (800) 733-2767.

CREATING YOUR LEGACY

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne School

530 E. 4th Ave., Garnett

April 10 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Is it time for you to create or revise your will or trust? Join us at Holy Angels Parish in Garnett to hear from estate attorney Casey Connealy about best practices for estate planning and how to create your legacy. For more information, go to the website at: www.cfnek.org/events/willsand-trusts-workshop.

SUDS & SCHOLARSHIPS 2024

Boulevard Brewing Company

2501 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri

April 29 from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Suds & Scholarships benefits the students of Holy Name of Jesus School, the smallest Catholic school in Wyandotte County, where 95% of students rely on scholarships to attend. Your support will provide life-changing scholarships for students in need. Learn more and purchase tickets online at: https://one. bidpal.net/holyname24/welcome.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS SUMMER CAMPS

St. Thomas Aquinas High School

11411 Pflumm Rd., Overland Park

May - August

Our summer camps give students entering grades K - 8 the chance to discover their potential in both sports and other activities: STEM camp, art, baking, cheer and more! Camps fill up fast, so register today online at: www.stasaints.net/athletics/summer-camps. For questions call the student life office at (913) 319-2416 or send an email to: btriggs@stasaints.net.

CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN DIVORCE SUPPORT

St. Pius X Parish

5500 Woodson St., Mission

April 27 at 6 p.m.

Do you feel as if you will never heal? Wondering if you’re ready for a relationship? Join us once a month for fellowship and formation. For more information, send an email to: Katie@thecall2love.com.

Barrett Insurance Agency Inc

Erin Barrett CLU ChFC, Agent

13139 Shawnee Mission Parkway erin@insurewitherin.com

Bus: 913-648-1100

Hablamos Español

St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner State Farm, Bloomington, IL 2001738

>> Continued from page 12

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

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.

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.

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.

Companion and respite care - Retired RN seeking part-time day work caring for your loved ones. Willing to do companion and/or respite care. Light duty nursing, no lifting. Prefer Overland Park, Leawood area. Call Mary at (913) 7105412.

Caring Christian companion - I’m a retired licensed practical nurse (LPN) with 20-plus years of nursing experience caring for youth to elderly facing medical challenges. I will work for you, in home, assisted living or nursing home. Qualified to transport to and from physicians or therapy and personal trips. References from past employers are available. I am someone who is caring, honest and dependable. Call Barbara at (913) 645-3779.

CNA - Can provide home care for those needing assistance. Available seven days/nights per week. Serving Shawnee, Lenexa and Overland Park. 20 years’ experience. Call (913) 526-0797.

Classified Advertising

The Leaven reaches approximately 50,000 subscribers.

Cost is $20 for the first five lines, $1.50 per line thereafter. To purchase a Leaven classified ad, email: beth.blankenship@theleaven.org

DAILY READINGS

HOLY WEEK

March 24

PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD

Mk 11: 1-10

Is 50: 4-7

Ps 22: 8-9, 17-18a, 19-20, 23-24

Phil 2: 6-11

Mk 14:1 – 15:47

March 25

Monday of Holy Week Is 42: 1-7

Ps 27: 1-3, 13-14

Jn 12: 1-11

March 26

Tuesday of Holy Week

Is 49: 1-6

Ps 71: 1-4a, 5-6ab, 15, 17

Jn 13: 21-33, 36-38

March 27

Wednesday of Holy Week Is 50: 4-9

Ps 69: 8-10, 21bcd-22, 31, 33-34

Mt 26: 14-25

March 28

HOLY THURSDAY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

Ex 12: 1-8, 11-14

Ps 116: 12-13, 15-16c, 17-18

1 Cor 11: 23-26 Jn 13: 1-15

March 29

FRIDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD

(Good Friday)

Is 52:13 – 53:12

Ps 31: 2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25

Heb 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9

Jn 18:1 – 19:42

March 30

EASTER VIGIL

Gn 1:1 – 2:2

Ex 14:15 – 15:1

Is 55: 1-11

Rom 6: 3-11

Ps 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Mk 16: 1-7

SABAS 439-532

Born in Cappadocia (Turkey), Sabas was a disciple of St. Euthymius, living as a hermit in Palestine. In 478, he founded a “laura,” or semi-eremitical community, in a wild gorge near Jerusalem. The patriarch of Jerusalem ordained Sabas as a priest in 491, and in 493, appointed him archimandrite of all Palestinian monks living in separate cells. Sabas was twice sent on ecclesiastical missions to Constantinople, and gained a reputation for hard work and holiness. With funds from his mother, he built a hostel for strangers and a hospital for the sick. His relics were returned to his laura, Mar Saba, by Pope Paul VI in 1965.

Can we just keep things in perspective?

Finally, spring has sprung. Let’s welcome this new season with this beautiful prayer by Heather Barr found on ibelieve. com:

“Father, thank you for a fresh start today. Thank you for the reminder of ‘renewal’ that spring represents to us in the earth. You ‘spring forth’ a new thing! I am excited and expectant of your goodness in this spring season. Thank you, Father! Prepare me for all the new and wonderful things you have for my life. Help me to let go of the old things that hold me back, the things that do not bring me life, the things that keep me living in the past. I will cling to my new identity in Christ! Help me to keep ‘springing forward’ in my journey with you.”

The changing of the seasons calls us to shift our perspective. That’s especially true with springtime. As Christians, we move from

FATHER MARK GOLDASICH

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

the fasting of Lent to the feasting of Easter. This lesson was clearly brought home to me growing up during the shortest celebration in the Triduum.

On Holy Saturday afternoon, families streamed to my home parish of St. John the Baptist on Strawberry Hill for the blessing of food. The aisles of the church were crammed with baskets stuffed with kobase (smoked

MARK MY WORDS

sausage), green onions, hard-boiled eggs, bread (often decorated with braids on top), šunka (ham), chocolates (I usually was able to sneak these in) and povitica (nut bread), to name just a few of the delicacies. Never did the church smell so fragrant.

After some prayers, our pastor would walk down the aisles and bless the baskets with holy water and then incense. And unlike many times when we brought food to church to donate, this time we got to take the food home to enjoy as the first meal of Easter. We were careful as we ate the food to collect all

the crumbs from the “blagoslov” (“blessing”) to be burned, since we couldn’t just throw out what was blessed.

It’s a tradition that I’ve carried with me to Tonganoxie. It wouldn’t be Easter without it.

Shifting perspective is what spring is all about: fasting to feasting, darkness to light, death to life. The season of Lent has been preparing us for this: our prayer reminded us that we are not self-sufficient, but dependent on our God for everything; our fasting made clear that while we are blessed to choose to do without, many in our world are denied that choice; and our almsgiving moved us from selfishness and greed to selflessness and generosity, especially to those in need.

Perspective can enable us to transform even the most mundane things. It can turn the chore of spring cleaning into a spring treasure hunt — unearthing stuff we may

have forgotten we had or pushing us to make use of the “good stuff” that we often save for a special occasion.

Perspective can turn the sneezing and sniffling of spring allergies to humble amazement at the beauty of creation bursting forth in green grass, budding trees and fragrant flowers. It can turn the grumbling at darker mornings that daylight saving time has ushered in to relishing the longer time of sunlight at the end of the day.

The Triduum invites us to a change of perspective as well. We can move from avoiding the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil because “they’re just too long,” to seeing them instead as a privileged opportunity once a year to accompany Jesus with gratitude during all he endured for our salvation.

Let’s “see” to it that we make this Holy Week truly holy.

Judas’ betrayal is not the final word on the human condition

The sacred events of Holy Week beg the question: Why did Jesus, the Son of God, have to suffer a cruel, unjust death on a cross? Was Jesus’ suffering the only means by which humanity could be reconciled to friendship with God?

JEM SULLIVAN

point of death, even death on a cross.

Sullivan is a professor at The Catholic University of America.

Jesus was obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. With these words, St. Paul focuses on the ultimate reason that Jesus embraced his passion and crucifixion. Obedience to the will of God that opened the way for an outpouring of divine love on the world led Jesus to his suffering and death on the cross. Obedience was the foundation of Jesus’ life. In Jesus’ obedience, we come to understand who God really is and who we really are: made in the image of God who loves us to the

In the Gospel account of the Lord’s passion, we follow in the footsteps of the way of the cross. Soon after Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples, he arrives in Gethsemane to pray. During a time of deep, anguished prayer, Jesus speaks to his heavenly Father with words of obedient love: “Take this cup away from me but not what I will but what you will.” Obedience to the will of God becomes the fullest expression of divine love.

After Jesus expressed his obedience to God, the startling event of his betrayal follows. Judas arrives

in Gethsemane with a crowd armed with swords and clubs. With a traitorous kiss, Judas betrays Jesus into the hands of those who seek to kill him in exchange for silver. Betrayal takes center stage in the final encounter of Jesus and his disciples. Jesus’ obedience and Judas’ betrayal present opposite poles of the divine-human relationship. For Jesus’ obedience reveals the fullness of divine love, while Judas’ betrayal reveals the corrupting depths of humanity’s sinfulness and self-love. Human sinfulness, weakness and pride are forms of betrayal as humanity turns away from friendship with

God to lesser things or self-love.

Thanks be to God that betrayal is not the final word on the human condition. God’s love and mercy are the final words that speak louder than every small or great human infidelity and betrayal. This is the good news of these holy days we prepare to enter. This Holy Week, may we find in Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection the victory of God’s love turned to us personally as we bring our weaknesses and betrayals before the redeeming cross of Jesus Christ, and say with gratitude and faith, “Speak to me, Lord.”

Saints are not ‘exceptions,’ but examples of humanity’s virtue, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The saints are not unreachable “exceptions of humanity” but ordinary people who worked diligently to grow in virtue, Pope Francis said. It is wrong to think of the saints as “a kind of small circle of champions who live beyond the limits of our species,” the pope wrote in the catechesis for his general audience March 13 in St. Peter’s

Square. Instead, they are “those who fully become themselves, who realize the vocation of every person.”

Just like at his general audience March 6, Pope Francis told visitors in the square that due to a mild cold, an aide, Msgr. Pierluigi Giroli, would read his speech. Continuing his series of catechesis on virtues and vices, the pope wrote that a virtuous person is not one who allows him- or herself to become distorted but “is

faithful to his or her own vocation and fully realizes his or herself.”

Reflecting on the nature of virtue, which has been discussed and analyzed since ancient times, the pope said that “virtue is a ‘habitus’ (‘expression’) of freedom.”

He added, “If we are free in every act, and each time we are called to choose between good and evil, virtue is that which allows us to have a habit toward the right choice.”

Jesus illustrates his own brand of ‘kingship’ on Holy Thursday

Last month, I distinguished the ministry of the ordained priesthood from the baptismal priesthood exercised by the laity as complementary ways of exercising the one priesthood of Christ.

I would suggest that there is a similar dynamic at work with the diaconate. The church teaches that all Christians not only participate in Christ’s priestly office, but also his prophetic and kingly (or royal) offices (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 873 and 897). As Scripture teaches, we are a “royal priesthood” (1 Pt 2:9).

So, how do we under-

Istand our participation in the kingly office of Christ?

The mother of James

and John wondered about that herself, as she pointedly said to Jesus, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom” (Mt 20:21). However, Jesus patiently explained that in his kingdom, royal authority is not

about secular power, but about service (“diakonia”). Jesus concludes by saying, “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom” (Mt 20:28).

This clearly isn’t what most people usually think of when they envision “kingship.”

We see this truth in a startling way in the Holy Thursday liturgy, where we hear about and reenact Our Lord’s washing of the feet of his disciples (cf. Jn 13:120). Even though Jesus is the “master,” he took the lowly role of a slave to serve his followers. He not only illustrates what kingship will look like in his church, but

also entrusts this brand of kingship to all his followers:

“You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (Jn 13:13-15).

This diakonia or service is not mere “social work”—important as that is — but an integral part of overcoming the reign of sin through embracing the call to holiness that we receive at baptism. All “foot-washing” begins with holiness and has as its end the

holiness of God’s people (cf. CCC, 826).

We might also say that all “foot-washing” begins with the Eucharist as its source and ends with the Eucharist as its goal.

But then the question becomes, “Whose feet shall we wash?”

We might start with a meditative read of Matthew 25, where Jesus identifies with the poor and marginalized in our midst. The church has always upheld the material and corporal works of mercy as an integral part of the Christian life.

In the next column, we will examine the diakonia of ordained ministers, especially deacons.

Infertile couples deserve hope, but IVF is not the answer

recently read a reflection about how to make the most of the last days of Lent. One suggestion was to learn something new that will help us follow Christ’s will more faithfully.

Educating ourselves on what the church teaches about challenging life issues is an important discipline. We don’t know when a loved one may call on us for life-changing advice, so being educated and prepared allows us to be used for good. True compassion begins with sharing truth with love.

The current national dialogue and debate about laws related to assisted reproductive procedures such as in

vitro fertilization (IVF) provide a good opportunity for us all to learn why the church opposes these technologies, what their moral implications

are, what other ethical and more effective fertility treatments exist and how to share this information with those who are seeking to grow their families via these procedures.

First and foremost, the church’s concern and criticism of technologies such as IVF does not mean that children

who have been conceived through IVF have any less value or are any less loved by their parents. All human life is precious and has infinite value from the moment of conception, regardless of how a child was conceived.

Second, a couple’s desire to have children is good and natural. The church wants to accompany those struggling with infertility with authentic love and support.

Couples deserve hope in ethical and effective medical care that both protects the dignity of the human person and respects God’s plan for married love. NaproTechnology does this by addressing the

root causes of infertility.

It also reports higher rates of success in helping couples achieve pregnancy. Visit the Pope Paul VI Institute for more information (www.popepaulvi.com).

Finally, seek to understand with an open heart why the church teaches that IVF cannot be accepted or practiced. Though there are too many issues to be thoroughly discussed here, Bishop Burbidge, chair of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, summarized, “All told, there are millions of human beings who have been killed or potentially permanently frozen by the IVF industry. This cannot be the answer to the very real cross of

fertility challenges. In efforts to bring about new life, we cannot turn our face from the many more lives that are cut short and extinguished in the process.”

Join us April 3 to learn more about this challenging topic and a compassionate response from Father Luke Doyle, archdiocesan priest and bioethicist. See details online at: www.archkck.org/ pro-life-events, and visit the National Catholic Bioethics Center (www. ncbcenter.org) to learn more.

As Easter people, we are called to bring light and life into our own lives and to those whose lives touch ours. Have a blessed Holy Week.

LEON SUPRENANT

Leon

DEBRA NIESEN

Debra Niesen is the archdiocesan consultant for the pro-life office.

Five ways to make Holy Week holier

By Gretchen R. Crowe OSV News

As we prepare to enter into the most sacred days of the liturgical year, we have a prime opportunity to make up for any shortcomings that may have been part of our Lent this year. Blessedly, Holy Week offers us the chance to refocus, reflect and renew as we wind down our Lenten journeys and look ahead to the promise of Easter. Alternatively, we might have had a splendid Lent and are looking for some ways to “level up” during these final few days for a strong finish. Either way, here are five ideas of how we can better emphasize the “holy” in our Holy Weeks this year.

Find one hour this Holy Week to dedicate to prayer.

“Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (Mk 14:37). Breaking from his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night he was to be handed over, Jesus asks his ever-napping disciples why they can’t manage to do as he asks for one hour. “Are you still sleeping

and taking your rest?” he questions them again (Mk 14:41). Can we spend one hour fully “awake” with the Lord? It could be in front of the Blessed Sacrament. It could be going for a walk outside. It could be reading the Bible in a quiet spot in your home. Whatever it is, whenever it is, make it one solid, uninterrupted hour dedicated to prayer.

Keep your phone in a drawer for the Triduum.

We all know that far too much of our time can be consumed with mindless scrolling. For me, it’s news, quilting blogs or Instagram stories of moms being way more organized than I could ever hope to be. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday are the holiest days of the year, and the minutes (hours?) devoted to scrolling could be much better spent curled up with a spiritual book, working in the garden or simply giving your family undivided attention.

Make peace with your neighbor.

As we prepare to enter the glorious

season of Easter, now is the time to smooth over any troubles in family relationships or friendships by offering an olive branch, either in the form of an “I’m sorry,” or an “I forgive you.” Our time is too short in this life, and the beckoning of heaven is too strong, to waste time in quarrels. Forgiveness is key to the Christian life, and Jesus will help us take the first step, if we but ask. As Rachel Muha, who forgave the killers of her 18-year-old son, said, “You forgive because God asks it of us, and then God takes care of the rest.”

Make one significant act of almsgiving.

Lent is not over yet, and there’s still time to engage in this important pillar of the season. It could be as simple as cleaning out your pantry and donating the findings to a parish food drive; making an offering to your diocesan appeal; or tithing part of that week’s earnings to a charity of choice (reminder: The annual Good Friday collection goes to help Christians in the Holy Land). There are plenty of people in need, and sacrificing a bit of your own comfort for their good is what it means

to live the Christian life well.

Go to confession.

No Holy Week is complete without the graces that come from the sacrament of reconciliation. Don’t worry if it’s been a while; the priest is not there to judge; he is there to welcome you and relieve you of the burdens of your sin.

Pope Francis has called the sacrament an “encounter of love,” and so it is. Check your bulletin and find a time for the sacrament that suits your schedule.

Or you can always make an appointment. Taking time to reflect upon our sins and to confess them with a contrite heart is the perfect preparation for Easter.

So there you have it: Five ways to enter into Holy Week with more intentionality and to leave, hopefully, with more reward. If you have other suggestions, I’d love to hear them (you can find me on social media pretty much anywhere). Wishing you your best Holy Week yet.

Gretchen R. Crowe is the editor-in-chief of OSV News.

Show a real commitment to Holy Week and ditch the cellphone for the Triduum. Instead of Facebook, Instagram or other forms of social media, make use of your time with a spiritual book or giving your family undivided attention.