04 02 21 Vol. 42 No. 33

THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 42, NO. 33 | APRIL 2, 2021

Christ Jesus has burst forth from his tomb, bringing the promise of his resurrection to all who believe in him. May the joy of this Easter season confirm your faith in his power over sin and death, and bring you great hope! + Joseph F. Naumann Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas

+ James P. Keleher Archbishop Emeritus of Kansas City in Kansas

No Leaven next week

Relics

There will be no issue of The Leaven on April 9.

The Leaven will resume its weekly schedule on April 16.

Relics have played a role in Christian tradition since apostolic times. To learn why, see inside.

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ARCHBISHOP

APRIL 2, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG

Like the first disciples, we are commissioned to be heralds of the truth “ OUR LORD DID LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN Bishop Robert Barron in the Word on Fire Bible proposes the significance of the Greek word that is used to describe the man’s attire: “The Greek term here is ‘sindona,’ which designates the kind of garment worn in the early church by the newly baptized. The point is this: Following Jesus, being a baptized member of his church, is a dangerous business. Participating in Jesus’ kingdom puts you, necessarily, in harm’s way, for Jesus’ way of ordering things is massively opposed to the world’s way of doing so.”

The original readers of Mark’s Gospel were well aware of how dangerous it was to be a Christian. Like the apostles and Our Lord’s other disciples that accompanied him in the Garden of Gethsemane, many of the early Christians compromised their baptismal identity under the pressure

of persecution. Jesus never promised his disciples that following him would be easy. Our Lord did not preach a Prosperity Gospel. Jesus did not attempt to deceive his followers into thinking they would be protected from all adversity.

In fact, Our Lord promised just the opposite. He told his disciples if they wish to follow him, that they must take up their cross. The true disciple of Jesus has to be willing to follow Our Lord all the way to Calvary.

In the Passion narrative, Jesus is accused of claiming to be the king of the Jews. In fact, this allegation was written on the sign that was attached to the wood of the cross above the figure of the crucified Jesus.

Our Lord, however, makes clear to the high priests, Pontius Pilate and his own disciples that his kingship is quite different from the kingship of Herod or Caesar.

Jesus seeks to rule but not with military might. Our Lord does not coerce people to

follow him. Instead, Jesus invites us to give him rule of our hearts, while allowing us complete freedom to choose to follow or not follow him.

We live in a time of secularization. Often the values of our culture contradict and oppose the Gospel of Jesus. If we are going to follow Jesus faithfully, we will necessarily find ourselves being countercultural.

Christian moral teaching is becoming more and more controversial in our society.

While Jesus does not pretend, much less attempt, to deceive his followers to think the road of discipleship will be easy or problem free, Our Lord does promise us that he will be with us through every trial and adversity.

Jesus also promises mercy to all who seek forgiveness with sincerity of heart. When we deny our baptismal identity as brothers and sisters of Jesus, acting in a way contradictory to Christian moral teaching but in conformity to the popular culture, Jesus does not abandon or desert us.

Through the sacrament of reconciliation, we receive Our Lord’s mercy and the strength to follow Our Lord more closely and carefully. Through that beautiful sacrament, we are able to reclaim and restore our baptismal identity.

In the Chapter 16 of his Gospel, Mark

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ne of the unique details in St. Mark’s Passion narrative is found in Chapter 14, Verses 51-52. In verse 50, when the high priest’s soldiers have apprehended Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Mark describes the weakness and fear of Our Lord’s disciples with the terse sentence: “All of them deserted him and fled.”

The next two verses provide a curious detail: “A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They (the soldiers) caught hold of him, but then he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.”

Who was this young disciple who literally ran out of his clothes to escape being arrested along with Jesus?

A few biblical commentators suggest it might have been Mark himself who exited the Passion narrative nude.

However, most believe it is not referring to any specific disciple, but was actually a literary device Mark used to invite his readers to place themselves in the Passion narrative.

The phrase “following him” makes it clear the young man was a disciple of Jesus. It is odd that the young man is only wearing a white linen cloth. He is not appropriately dressed for the normal weather conditions in Jerusalem at that time of year.

NOT PREACH A PROSPERITY GOSPEL. JESUS DID NOT . . . ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE HIS FOLLOWERS INTO THINKING THEY WOULD BE PROTECTED FROM ALL ADVERSITY. gives his account of the events of Easter.

Our Lord’s faithful female disciples come to the tomb early Easter morning to anoint the dead body of Jesus. They are concerned about how they will roll back the huge stone that blocks the entrance into the tomb.

Upon arriving at the tomb, the women are grateful that stone has been rolled away from the entrance. Mark describes their discovery of the empty tomb with these words: “As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them: Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here.

Look, there is the place they laid him.”

The mysterious white robed young

man who announces the Resurrection to the women appears to be the same symbolic figure that fled the Passion naked. He is once again clothed in a white robe, signifying he has reclaimed his baptism. He commissions the women to be heralds of the risen Jesus by going to his disciples and telling them about Our Lord’s resurrection.

Our journey through Holy Week has been an opportunity — not only to recall the historical events that are the foundation of our Christian faith, but also to ponder how we are part of the continuing drama of the unfolding of the risen Lord’s kingdom.

We have been invited to engage actively in the battle between the culture of death and culture of life.

Similar to the disciples in the Passion narrative, there are times when we buckle under sin’s allurement, fear of suffering and societal pressure.

Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday remind us that Jesus is always ready to cover the shame of our sin and clothe us again in our baptismal identity as beloved daughters and sons of our heavenly Father.

We, too, despite our weakness, are commissioned, like the first disciples, to be heralds of the truth, beauty, hope and joy of the Gospel of the risen Jesus.

LOCAL NEWS

APRIL 2, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG

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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD New Roots gives refugees the chance to support themselves

By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org

How to purchase a farm share

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Farm Share customers can secure their share by going to the website at: new rootsforrefugees.org.

On this site, you can purchase a farm share subscription, place weekly orders and choose a convenient pickup location, or place a wholesale order if you are restaurant, grocery store or other food retailer.

Everything grown at the Juniper Gardens Training Farm abides by strict organic principles. The marketplace brings fresh, healthy, locally grown food to you in a cost-effective manner on a weekly basis.

Each week, your Farm Share will contain five to six varieties of vegetables. Additionally, you will be able to add products like extra vegetables, flowers, honey and meat when available.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW ROOTS

Biak Par, a third-year farmer, and her daughter show off the contents of a week’s share. The Farm Share program allows customers to purchase a weekly share of fresh, organic produce. Money from the purchase goes directly to support the farmers.

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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — According to New Roots for Refugees program manager Meredith Walrafen, it’s all about the food.

“I just really value the power of food to bring people together,” she said. “Especially for people coming to a new country who aren’t sure of their place yet, food has a really unique way of connecting us.”

For Paw Wah Tamla, a New Roots farmer and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) specialist, it’s about the flowers, too.

“Growing flowers makes me fresh and happy,” she said.

“I wake up in the morning, look at my backyard — the flowers make me so happy.

“I would like to share that happiness with others.”

For the customers who subscribe to the New Roots Farm Share, it’s about the food, the flowers and the opportunity to support refugees learning to support themselves.

For over a decade, New Roots for Refugees has empowered families from the refugee community to start farm businesses by growing and selling produce through farmers’ markets, wholesale and the New Roots Farm Share.

At the Juniper Gardens Training Farm in Kansas City, Kansas, farmers are given a quarter-acre plot to grow vegetables like tomatoes, beets, spinach, green onions, lettuce, eggplants and more.

Farmers bring agricultural expertise from their home country and continue to learn more about growing organic, sustainable produce in the Midwestern climate.

During the pandemic, these farms were crucial to supporting many of these families.

“We work with lots of folks who work in different service industries,” said Walrafen.

“And so, there were people who lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

“The [Farm Share] program was a lifesaver for a lot of our farmers.”

This program allows customers to purchase a weekly share of fresh, organic produce.

Money from the purchase goes directly to support the farmers.

Right now, the program is offering early summer and late summer shares. Each share is 11 weeks.

I JUST REALLY VALUE THE POWER OF FOOD TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE COMING TO A NEW COUNTRY WHO AREN’T SURE OF THEIR PLACE YET, FOOD HAS A REALLY UNIQUE WAY OF CONNECTING US. MEREDITH WALRAFEN NEW ROOTS FOR REFUGEES PROGRAM MANAGER

Customers can sign up online and choose one or both shares.

“If you choose to buy the whole summer you get one week free,” said Walrafen. “You select a pick-up location — we have four locations around the metro area.”

“The deliveries begin in midMay. We have an hour and a half window at each of our lo-

cations where you can pick up your share.”

New this year is an online store where customers can select add-on items like meats, extra produce, local honey and bouquets of flowers.

Tamla began growing flowers on her family’s farm two years ago. The venture was so successful, she decided to apply for the prestigious Floret ScholPresident Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109.

For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

arship.

Floret Flowers, offering workshops for flower farmers, received 4,000 applications from 79 countries.

Tamla was one of 12 applicants to be awarded a scholarship.

“This Floret Scholarship will help my experience in the flower business,” explained Tamla. “I will learn how to store them, how to grow them, how to make flower bouquets.

“I’m planning to train farmers so we can have flower add-on items throughout the season.”

New Roots farmers go all over the city to different farmers’ markets and occasionally do pop-up markets at different locations, including local Catholic parishes.

However, over the last year, pandemic restrictions have limited sales at the markets and hurt the farmers’ wholesale business to local restaurants.

Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

The Farm Share program has been a saving grace for both the farmers selling produce and the customers wanting to purchase fresh vegetables in a safe environment.

New Roots has a reputation for providing the best fresh produce.

“I’ve worked with New Roots for eight years,” said Walrafen.

“I really do believe we have some of the freshest produce that I’ve seen at markets.

“We’re placing the orders for our shares on a Monday, and it’s being delivered to you on a Wednesday or Thursday.”

“So, it’s coming out of the ground so close to when you’re receiving it,” she continued.

“That means better freshness and more longevity for the produce you’re receiving.”

In addition to produce, Farm Share members get newsletters containing recipes, information about the vegetables in the shares and the farmers who grow them.

This summer, no one can predict how the pandemic might affect the sale of produce at farmers’ markets or to wholesale buyers. So, New Roots is hoping to increase subscribers to their Farm Share program.

“Hopefully we will get more members to sign up,” said Tamla. “Some people have very good hearts, and they want to help others. But they don’t know how.

“This is the first step, the first way [to help] — to buy a Farm Share — because the money goes directly to support the farmers.”

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org

Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org

Social Media Editor/Reporter Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

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LOCAL NEWS

APRIL 2, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG Janice (Scott) and Phillip Montgomery, members of St. Pius X Parish, Mission, will celebrate their 50th we d d i n g a n n ive r sary on A p r i l 17.

The couple was married on April 17, 1971,

by Father Jerome Beat at St. Patrick Church, Chanute. Their children are: James Montgomery and Megan Houghton. They also have five grandchildren.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATIE PETERSON

Fraternity the Poor of Jesus Christ member Sister Rohamim of the Unbreakable Love, right, offers the first meditation of the Spanish rosary as Chris Hillyer, Holy Family School of Faith director of membership, and fellow Fraternity members — Sister Fentanelle of the Agonizing Jesus, Sister Rosemary of Jesus and Sister Mariana Disciple of the Divine Master — pray along March 14 at Sacred Heart Church in Kansas City, Kansas.

Religious order collaborates with School of Faith for daily rosary in Spanish

By Katie Peterson Special to the Leaven

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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — When two Sisters from the Fraternity the Poor of Jesus Christ here joined members of the Holy Family School of Faith of Overland Park on a weeklong pilgrimage to the Holy Land in January 2019, a relationship between the two entities quickly developed.

Just one year later, that relationship led to a collaboration to further reach the Hispanic community in teaching the faith with a new “old” way of praying the rosary.

Since August 2018, Holy Family School of Faith has released a daily rosary meditation podcast that focuses on St. Dominic’s way of praying the rosary from the 12th century.

Instead of following the structured mysteries of the rosary, which did not yet exist at the time, the saint shared his own reflections on the life of Christ in between each decade.

“It’s more of a ‘here’s a teaching of the day’ broken up into five bite-size chunks. And after each bite-size piece, we have a brief meditation before we pray a decade of the rosary,” said Chris Hillyer, Holy Family director of membership.

Dr. Mike Scherschligt, co-founder of Holy Family, first reintroduced this old way of praying the rosary to a group of eight businessmen as a way to encourage them to maintain a more consistent prayer life. As word spread about this method, it grew into the daily podcast led by Scherschligt (or sometimes co-founder Dr. Troy Hinkel) and has since garnered more than 14,000 listeners.

This podcast is what provincial Sister Miracles of the Little Way,

PJC, learned about on the trip to the Holy Land.

“We have a large ministry in Kansas City with the Hispanic community, and so we had the idea of maybe starting something similar, but we just didn’t know how we could do it,” Sister Miracles said.

Starting in April 2020, the two entities collaborated to translate two years’ worth of recorded meditations from the English podcast to Spanish, which were then recorded by Sister Miracles. The Spanish podcast officially launched Dec. 12, 2020, on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe via rosariodiario.net.

“Our dream for [the podcast] is to reach thousands of Spanish-speaking Kansas Citians to help them to love, to learn and to live their Catholic faith,” Hillyer said.

Sister Miracles agreed.

“If we have set up a real prayer life, we need resolutions for our days, and those meditations will help us to keep up with our resolutions,” she said. “Many times, there will be some points during the meditations that will question or ask about some things that could change our lives. . . . [They are] simple questions, but it leads us to a deeper relationship with God.” Hillyer said having the podcasts available in Spanish helps reach the Hispanic community more deeply.

“You might have great language skills, but if you haven’t spoken about religion or theology [in a foreign language], those are new words,” he said. “By starting the Spanish podcast, we could have that daily feeding of the Spanish community that they weren’t getting in their native language — the language that they want to learn and pray in.”

Hillyer said the response has

Subscribe to the podcast To subscribe to the daily podcast, go online to: dailyrosary.net for the English version or rosario diario.net for the Spanish version.

Podcasts are also available for free on Spotify and Apple Music.

The English podcast is also available live at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays on the Holy Family School of Faith YouTube Channel.

been positive. One native Spanish speaker told him she almost cried the first time she heard it “because she appreciated so much the effort to deliver this in her native tongue,” Hillyer said. “She wanted to pray in her own language to understand it better.”

Sister Miracles added that she’s been told by many that it’s been a “moment of formation” for several listeners.

Hillyer said the podcast has been an entry point for continued formation for further programs of spiritual development for Americans and the launch of smaller Spanish programs.

One such participant in that program is Manuel Soto, who has participated in both.

“It has been a beautiful experience,” Soto said.

Hillyer said additional support is needed to further enhance the Spanish programs.

“Together we can strengthen the family and faith life of the Hispanic community of Kansas City and beyond,” he said.

Francis and Sharon Scheck, members of Mater Dei Parish in To p e k a , will celebrate their 60th we d d i n g a n n ive r sary on April 8. The couple was married April 8, 1961, at St. Joseph Church, Topeka. Their children are: Bret Scheck, Bart Scheck, Lori Scheck, Lisa Mcallister, Frank Scheck and Brock Scheck. They also have 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Sister Mary Josepha Talle, SCL

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EAVENWORTH — Sister Mary Josepha Talle, 92, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth, died on March 13 at the motherhouse here.

Born on Nov. 20, 1928, in Kansas City, Missouri, she was the youngest of five children of Andrew and Mary Elizabeth (Duffy) Talle.

She was baptized at Blessed Sacrament Church, Kansas City, Missouri, on Dec. 2, 1928, receiving the name Kathleen Therese.

She attended Blessed Sacrament Grade School and Lillis High School in Kansas City, Missouri, where she was taught by the Sisters of Charity and the Benedictine Sisters of Atchison. After high school graduation, she worked for two summers for a credit union in Kansas City, Missouri.

In the fall of 1945, she pursued general studies at Saint Mary College, Leavenworth. On Aug. 14, 1946, she entered the Sisters of Charity community.

On Feb. 15, 1947, she received the name Sister Mary Josepha.

She professed her first vows on Aug. 15, 1948, and was missioned to the “Old Cathedral” School in Leavenworth.

This began her 11-year teaching career in grade and high schools in Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado. In the summers, she earned her bachelor’s degree in education at Saint Mary College. She professed her perpetual vows on Aug. 15, 1954.

Sister Mary Josepha worked for several years as assistant to the dean of students at Saint Mary College. She then worked at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver for more than 26 years, with 21 of those years managing volunteers. She continued her hospital ministry at DePaul Hospital in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and St. John Hospital, Leavenworth.

She moved to the motherhouse in 1995 and retired to Ross Hall in 2008, where she embraced a prayer ministry.

LOCAL NEWS

APRIL 2, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG

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Proactive plan helps prepare digital citizens

By Susan Fotovich McCabe Special to The Leaven

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RAIRIE VILLAGE — The emphasis that St. Ann School here placed on technology started long before the pandemic.

But the lessons learned are taking on new meaning for students as they’ve spent more time in front of the screen.

When it comes to teaching the mechanics and morals of technology in 2021, St. Ann technology instructor Christine Lemmon leverages her personal and professional perspective in the classroom.

“As a mom of six and a technology teacher, I am painfully aware of how much time we all are spending online, even more so this past year due to COVID-19,” Lemmon said.

“And while I love technology, I am also aware of the need to go beyond just knowing that it’s a problem to be online too much or on the wrong sites.

We need a proactive plan of how we are going to prepare ourselves and our kids for this new normal.”

Shaping minds and souls

Digital footprints As principal of St. Ann, Liz Minks is proud of the way her staff has integrated morality and personal responsibility

Julia Beerman (left) and Ella Donohue, first-graders at St. Ann School in Prairie Village, use an iPad to work on a coding project. St. Ann has not only embraced technology at its school but also worked in lessons on the mechanics and morals of technology.

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As a Catholic educator, Lemmon appreciates the holistic view the archdiocese takes to educate a student’s “body, mind and soul.” Additionally, she embraces the notion that it is a teacher’s job to partner with parents to educate and take an active role in discovering “their mission for God’s church on earth and helping them become disciples for Christ.”

Lemmon teaches coding, typing and word processing to prepare her students for high school and beyond. She also takes time to have what she calls “digital discussions” that focus on the skills and values that protect them, their bodies and their souls in the digital landscape.

“Students need to think about their digital footprint and safety issues like strong passwords and what information is OK to share online,” she said. “But it goes beyond safety. We introduce models like Blessed Carlo Acutis, who the students related to as a young Catholic man and computer scientist.

“He used his technical skills purposefully and to further the mission of the church, creating a website of eucharistic miracles,” she said. “The students connect with what he accomplished and strive to create something meaningful as well.”

“ WHILE I LOVE TECHNOLOGY, I AM ALSO AWARE OF THE NEED TO GO BEYOND JUST KNOWING THAT IT’S A PROBLEM TO BE ONLINE TOO MUCH OR ON THE WRONG SITES. WE NEED A PROACTIVE PLAN OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO PREPARE OURSELVES AND OUR KIDS FOR THIS NEW NORMAL.” CHRISTINE LEMMON TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTOR AT ST. ANN SCHOOL, PRAIRIE VILLAGE into their classroom lessons.

Minks credits Lemmon with prioritizing the students’ relationship with Christ, underscoring the importance of putting Jesus first and applying that to interactions with others.

“When I was in school, I can remember teachers sharing that we would not want to pass a note in class with anything that could hurt someone else or ourselves. My, how that has evolved!” she said. “Now, the conversation is about understanding that anything we put online can be viewed by many others.”

Lemmon also co-teaches

the school’s Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art and Math (STREAM) class with Carolyn Bible. For Bible, her goal in teaching STREAM is to help students take what they have learned in class and use it to help others. Her curriculum is designed to teach students how to transition from knowledge in the classroom to being more socially aware and empathetic citizens.

Care and compassion Bible and Lemmon’s students are currently working on a

unit called “Play It Forward,” in which they are recreating toys made for able-bodied children into adaptive toys for children with disabilities.

Specifically, Bible’s 7th-grade students are studying circuitry for this purpose. Students had to rewire push-button toys to switch activation.

“Adaptive toys and switches are very costly. It is not unheard of to pay $60 for a push-button switch and the mark-up for adaptive toys are three to four times what we pay in stores,” Bible said. “For us, the cost was about $5 to $8 total for everything!”

According to Bible, the toys and switches rewired by the St. Ann students will be donated to Variety KC and distributed to the families it serves.

“The kids are making a difference in the world and helping to offset the high cost of these toys for families,” Bible said. “I want them to be able to say they have made a difference in someone’s life.”

It certainly has made a difference in the life of Christy Schoenfeld and her daughter Kate, an eighth grade student at St. Ann. “I really enjoyed this project because I knew it was going to

a child who would get more use out of the toy than I did. Since this was my toy, I was really glad to have it go to someone who needs it and would take good care of it,” Kate said.

“Having a connection made it more meaningful.”

Kate converted a stuffed puppy her godmother gave her a few years ago on Valentine’s Day. When you press its arm, the puppy starts to sing.

It had been sitting in her room for a few years, and when she learned of the project, she knew it would be perfect.

It was not just the academics of the project — seeing inside the stuffed animal and exploring its circuitry — that Kate found rewarding. It was the “hands-on approach,” using the soldering gun, reconnecting the wires and seeing it all come together for a good cause. Kate’s mother has appreciated the school’s emphasis on compassion.

“I do know that when you can tie faith and Catholic values into anything, that can make a difference in a project,” Christy said.

Lemmon’s dedication to responsible technology was recently profiled on the Koch Industries website. In 2020, Koch, a Fortune 500 company based in Wichita, sponsored a virtual training session on computer science principles.

It was hosted by CODE.org, a nonprofit dedicated to making coding education and computer science more accessible to K-12 students. During the 10unit summer course, Lemmon learned how to teach the basics of coding and computer science.

Lemmon also hosts St. Ann’s annual “Hour of Code,” an engaging day focused on computer science. St. Ann and other schools in the archdiocese, including Holy Trinity in Lenexa and Holy Cross, Overland Park, use a CODE.org curriculum and Common Sense Media to support their technology instruction. Lemmon also produces “Tech Balanced Life,” a monthly newsletter for parents to share in the discussions of their children’s technology lessons.

“All of it goes back to the bigger-picture questions of who you are and how you want to be known in real life and online,” Lemmon said. As always, we want to raise good citizens, but also good Catholic leaders.”

“With more and more of their lives online,” she concluded, “it’s critically important to have these discussions at school and at home. I firmly believe that as Catholics we are uniquely qualified to lead not only ourselves, but the world, toward a more purpose-driven, joy-filled, online experience.”

Christine Lemmon’s monthly newsletter link can be found online at: www.smore. com/7wsxz.

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LOCAL NEWS

APRIL 2, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG

God’s presence makes your home a sacred space

n my last article, I mentioned that on March 19, Pope Francis launched a year of activities to address the needs of families.

During this year, he invites all of us to reflect on the message of his 2016 apostolic exhortation “Amoris Laetitia” (“The Joy of Love”). In this article, I want to continue unpacking the pope’s thoughts about the spirituality of the Christian family.

In reading the document, what impresses me is the pope’s assertion that God is present in every Catholic home: in mine, in yours and your neighbors’. He writes: “The Lord’s presence dwells in real and concrete families, with all their troubles and struggles, joys and hopes” (AL, 315).

Just imagine what life in your home would be like if you could see Jesus sitting at your dinner table, or if we could make room for him on the couch while we are watching TV. The fact is that he is present; we do not see him, but we can feel his love in the love of our family members, starting with the love of husband and wife.

Pope Francis explains that God resides first of all in the heart of the family, in the intimate communion of husband and wife: “God dwells deep within the marital love that gives him glory” (AL, 314). That love radiates out from the couple to touch everyone

JOHN BOSIO John Bosio is a former marriage and family therapist, director of religious education and diocesan family life coordinator. He is a member of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers.

around, through their loving actions. The pope writes: “The two are thus mutual reflections of the divine love which comforts, with a word, a look, a helping hand, a caress and embrace” (AL, 321).

All of these are wonderful thoughts, but, speaking for myself, I find it difficult to remember that God is present. Our senses are constantly bombarded by demands coming from the sound of the TV, the telephone, text messages or social media alerts.

To combat these distractions, our Catholic tradition has given us ways to help us remember that God is near us. There are prayers that we say at different times during the day — for example: morning prayers, prayers before meals, prayers before bedtime and other devotions. There are also ways in which we

Catholics decorate our homes. Look around your home right now.

What do you see on your walls? Most Catholic homes will have a crucifix, images of Mary and the saints and even small statues.

All of these are helpful reminders of God’s presence.

If strangers came to stay with you for a few days, how would they know that you are a Catholic family? What would they see on the walls of your home?

What prayers would they hear you say?

God’s presence makes your home a sacred space. Your home is God’s workshop.

It is there that God, with your help, creates human beings and — again with your help — forms them and prepares them to live

their lives as productive members of our society. As parents we are partners with God in his divine project.

Pope Francis tells us that to become parents is to “choose to dream with [God] . . . to join him in this saga of building a world where no one will feel alone” (AL, 321).

In our Catholic home, our sacred space, we praise God, we worship him through everything we do in our daily life. This is the theme of the liturgy of our “domestic church.”

So, cooking meals, changing diapers, making beds, going to work, taking care of a sick child, mowing the lawn, teaching our children, playing with them, all of these become a way of honoring God, when done in his presence.

ACROSS 1 Hairdo type 5 Pod vegetables 9 __ and ruin 13 Decant 14 Assumed name 16 Malaria 17 Dirt 18 Singer Ronstadt 19 Puff 20 Gas burner 21 Lack of rain 23 Compass point 26 Two 27 Caffeine pill brand 29 Vinegary 30 Resort hotel 33 Small airport 35 Tender loving care 36 Communication Workers of

America (abr.)

37 Chatter 38 Conger 41 Rodent 42 Eastern Standard Time 43 Limiting 46 Change hue 47 Open 49 Biblical Greek word for love COPYRIGHT © BY CLIFF LEITCH, THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE REFERENCE SITE, WWW.CHRISTIANBIBLEREFERENCE.ORG. USED BY PERMISSION

Prayer is also necessary. Pope Francis writes: “A few minutes can be found each day to come together before the living God to tell him our worries and to ask for the needs of our family.”

He continues: “The family’s communal journey of prayer culminates by sharing together in the Eucharist. Jesus knocks at the door of families to share with them the eucharistic supper” (AL, 318).

He adds that the Eucharist offers spouses the strength and the incentive needed to live the marriage covenant each day, the source of the love in their home. Science concurs with Pope Francis’ message.

A 2014 peer-review article examined the

50 Danish physicist 51 Ship initials 52 Where Dante journeyed 56 Arrive 60 Smart person 61 Gives off 65 Zeal 66 Dorm dweller 67 Wife of Abraham 68 A Roman emperor 69 Raggedy Ann’s friend 70 Northeast by east 71 Children’s love DOWN 1 Recess 2 Toe holder 3 Destroy 4 Disney world home 5 Buddy 6 Samuel’s mentor 7 Old Testament city 8 Jewish sect in NT times 9 Prego’s competition 10 A king of the Amalekites 11 Biblical Ethiopia 12 Unbroken 15 Wife of Abraham, originally 22 Not young

Question for reflection: If a friend visited your home, how would he or she know that you are a Catholic family?

effect of prayer on the commitment of the spouse. It was found that praying for one’s spouse increased the commitment and marital satisfaction.

The words of the pope should encourage all of us to resume our in-person participation in the Eucharist as the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Parish life will return to normal soon, and your family needs to be part of it for your own spiritual wellbeing.

24 This is my __ given for you 25 OT book of history 26 Levee 27 Gossipy 28 Speak 30 Type of mall 31 Shaping tool 32 Acting (abbr.)

33 Did well 34 From Tulsa 39 Twin brother of Jacob 40 Body appendages 44 Make a mistake 45 Infant 47 Abridged (abbr.)

48 Common last name 52 S.A. Indian 53 Lighted sign 54 Wilma Flintstones’ husband 55 Whirl 57 Tub spread 58 Wife of Joseph 59 Son of Seth 62 Anger 63 Bill 64 That girl Solution on page 13

APRIL 2, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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Ministry celebrates founder on her 75th

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The question gave Sister Ann Albrecht, CSJ, pause: How would you like to be remembered?

“As a kind, loving, helpful person who brought Christ wherever I went,” she said with a little chuckle.

That is typical Sister Ann — sweet, simple, but terribly understated. She was, and is, so much more to so many people.

Sister Ann founded deaf ministry in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. She was the consultant (director) from 1974 to 2001, and then served as a volunteer until her retirement in 2015, when she moved to St. Louis. More than that, Sister Ann’s work in deaf ministry was national and even international.

But always, her impact was very personal to those she served. An anecdote about her visits to the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe is telling.

“I’d walk at the state school and the kids would say, ‘There goes my church,’” she said. “I represented the church to them even though I didn’t wear the habit.”

On March 19, Sister Ann celebrated her 75th anniversary as a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet. She couldn’t receive visitors or even celebrate with her whole community (and others celebrating anniversaries) because of COVID-19 restrictions. Celebrations were held by living groups in separate buildings.

But she received “a whole stack of cards,” flowers and many emails and messages from members of the wide-ranging community of deaf Catholics who love her.

Sister Ann began her ministry as a teacher, but as a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), her heart was always with individuals who were deaf, who were all but ignored by the church.

“When Sister Ann founded deaf ministry there was nothing available for deaf people in the Catholic Church, at least in the archdiocese,” said Katie Locus, archdiocesan consultant for deaf ministry. “They’d attend Mass if their parents brought them, but they had no idea what was happening or why they were receiving sacraments.”

Sister Ann literally went door to door to find Catholics who were deaf, building networks and relationships. She lobbied Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker to approve a ministry to the deaf community — and to his everlasting credit, he did.

“When Sister Ann came around and started interpreting Masses, gathering people, building community, it was like finding water in the midst of the desert. Deaf people just flocked to her . . . [because] she understood deaf people and deaf culture,” said Locus.

“She took the time to explain to the deaf community in their language what the Catholic faith was,” she continued. “From the stories I heard about her, her kindness, perseverance and knowledge of the community were the factors that helped her be so successful in founding deaf ministry.”

Pat Richey, a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Louisburg,

All adults 16+ eligible to receive COVID vaccines

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — All adults in Kansas age 16 and up are now eligible to receive COVID-19 virus vaccines, announced Gov. Laura Kelly, as the state enters the final phase of its vaccination prioritization plan starting March 29.

Through the Vaccine Finder website — vaccinefinder.org/search — Kansans can search for a place and a time convenient to them and reserve their spot. The site also allows you to select the specific vaccine you’re looking for.

Kansas has become the eighth state to make vaccines available to all adults.

During the early part of the vaccine program, which started in December 2020, demand for vaccines outstripped supply. However, recent supply increases have remedied this situation.

To ensure vaccines do not go to waste, Gov. Kelly decided to open eligibility to all Kansans.

Longtime St. Agnes teacher celebrates jubilee

S

T. LOUIS — Sister Ann Charles Everett, CSJ, a longtime teacher at St. Agnes Grade School in Roeland Park, recently celebrated her 60th

LEAVEN FILE PHOTO

Sister Ann Albrecht, CSJ, signs to a student in this undated file photo. Sister Ann founded the office of deaf ministry in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas in 1974. She served as director of the office until 2001. succeeded Sister Ann as consultant and served from 2001 to 2016, when she was succeeded by Locus. Sister Ann taught Richey American Sign Language in the 1980s. She called Sister Ann “a fantastic mentor” and “a great teacher.”

“She was the personification of God’s love,” said Richey. “That sounds kind of lofty, but it’s true. She was a fun person, too, and always positive. And I never heard her complain about anyone else.”

Sister Ann taught Richey how to go deeper into her faith. And she taught her that individuals who are deaf were family. Her love was the reason she was so successful.

“I remember she always had time for the deaf,” said Richey.

“Sometimes, we’d be working on a time-sensitive project and a deaf person would come up, and she’d drop everything, turn to them and give them her full focus — like they were the most important person in her life at that moment. That taught me a lot.”

Technically, Sister Ann is in retirement, “but like the godfather, we just keep pulling her back,” said Joan Macy, sign language interpreter and coordinator for archdiocesan deaf ministry. Many deaf Catholics remember and revere Sister Ann and keep in contact, she said. Sister Ann sends out an annual Christmas letter that she personalizes for every person on her list.

After all, you don’t retire from family.

“The deaf community is her family, and she protected and took

Write Sister Ann If you would like to send a card or letter to Sister Ann, here is her address: Sister Ann Albrecht, CSJ, 6 Nazareth Lane #163, St. Louis, MO 63129.

care of her family,” said Macy. “She truly was a servant-leader for that community. To this day they are her family, and she stays in touch with all of them.

“She loved everyone and wasn’t afraid to advocate for them. She was very gracious and very grateful for everything people did, but she wasn’t afraid to say, ‘That isn’t enough.’ [Sister Ann] believed that our people [who are deaf] should have the same access to their faith and the sacraments as anyone else.”

Sister Ann built a foundation that endures and is being built upon by others involved in the ministry. It offers classes, retreats, sacraments, sacramental preparation, Bible study and more — although there is a need for more priests who can sign and double the current number of interpreters, said Locus.

“Deaf ministry offers monthly deaf Masses at St. Paul Parish in Olathe, Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka, and weekly interpreted Masses at St. Paul and Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe, and St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee,” said Locus. “Interpreted Masses are biweekly at Most Pure Heart of Mary.”

jubilee.

Sister Ann Charles was baptized as Sandra Mary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1960 and was received into the novitiate in 1961. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education Fontbonne Sister Ann Charles from College in St. Louis Everett, CSJ in 1965 and a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Hawaii in 1979.

Sister Ann Charles served in education for her entire 60 years of ministry.

In the 1960s, she taught at St. Catherine of Siena Grade School in Denver and Little Flower Grade School in Mobile, Alabama. Throughout the 1970s, she taught in Hawaii at St. Theresa Grade School in Honolulu, Christ the King Grade School in Maui and St. Joseph Grade School in Waipahu.

In 1981, she began nearly 20 years of service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grade School in Kansas City, Missouri, followed by 14 years at St. Agnes.

Since 2014, Sister Ann Charles has served as a substitute teacher in the Kansas City area.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations set for April 25 KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The World Day of Prayer for Vocations will be observed on April 25, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. The purpose of this day is to publicly fulfill the Lord’s instruction to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2).

Pray that young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord’s call to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life and societies of apostolic life or secular institutes.

THE VENERATI

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE MCSORLEY

Brian Ring, with his daughter Caeli, kisses the container holding the St. John Paul II relic, a small vial of blood that is still liquefied. The first-class relic of St. John Paul II drew long lines at Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park on Oct. 19, 2017.

By David Gibson Catholic News Service

T

Why honor a saint’s relics?

he human heart is a clear symbol in human language for love. To speak of giving one’s heart away, whether in pop music or in the poetry of the ages, is to speak of giving love and sharing life.

In this light, I consider it noteworthy that the heart of St. Andre Bessette of Montreal, who died in 1937, ranks as one of the most valued relics of his life in 19th- and 20th-century Canada.

A new reliquary containing fragments of St. Andre’s heart was created around the time of his 2010 canonization by Pope Benedict XVI. Traveling rather far and wide, the reliquary draws attention to the saint’s faith in hopes of inspiring similar faith in others.

I first learned of the man known widely as “Brother Andre” more than 50 years ago during a visit to St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. This is the site of his tomb, as well as the reliquary’s home today.

A college student back then, I remember feeling not only amazed, but somewhat confused upon witnessing the many crutches left behind in the oratory by people who attributed cures from crippling afflictions to the Holy Cross

Brother’s intercession.

He, however, attributed these cures to the intercession of St. Joseph, to whom he was devoted intensely. Ultimately, his devotion to St. Joseph and a dream of building a chapel named for the saint would lead to construction of the magnificent oratory, situated at a high point in Montreal that allows majestic views.

Brother Andre held my attention over the years, in large part due to his life’s great simplicity. But I always wondered, too, about the decision of his religious order superiors, who long assigned him to the seemingly undemanding position of a doorkeeper.

In time, I discovered that Brother Andre evoked more for me than the memory of miraculous cures. I learned of his compassion for the sick and all the time he committed to visiting them.

He became a model for me of a Christian doing the work of Christ in this world.

The fragments of St. Andre’s heart housed by the reliquary are known in the church as first-class relics because they are parts of his physical body.

Second-class relics, on the other hand, might include items he wore or used, while third-class relics include objects touched to a first-class relic.

Today I would not consider a visit to Montreal complete without visiting

St. Joseph’s Oratory and the tomb of St. Andre, and without setting a little time aside to consider the ministry to suffering people that flowed from the warmth of his heart.

Can the relics and memory of this saint inspire greater care and commitment to others we encounter who are experiencing illnesses of various kinds that weaken them or diminish their will to engage life fully? I suspect most people know someone like that rather well.

A visit to the tomb of a saint and the veneration of a saint’s relics are not ends in themselves. Saints “proclaim the wonderful works of Christ,” and this is why they are “honored in the church” and relics of their lives are venerated, the Second Vatican Council said in its 1963 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (“Sacrosanctum Concilium,” 111).

The council affirmed in its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church that “the authentic cult of the saints consists . . . in the greater intensity of our love” that they inspire (“Lumen Gentium,” 51).

Relics of the saints continue in the 21st century to attract vast numbers of believers. “The drawing power of a relic cannot be underestimated,” John Thavis wrote in his 2015 book “The Vatican Prophecies.”

The longtime Catholic journalist mentioned an exposition of bones of

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, better known among Catholics as the “Little Flower,” that made its way to a number of nations in recent years, attracting astonishing crowds. “One of her relics even journeyed into outer space aboard the Discovery space shuttle,” Thavis recalled.

He noted that when relics of the 19th-century French saint visited Ireland in 2001, the exposition “drew nearly 3 million people.” The crowds included “people who came for physical or emotional healing,” he said. “But most were drawn by a vague wish to connect with someone in heaven.”

Visits to the tombs of saints call to mind the strengths and virtues that stood out forcefully in their earthly lives. But these visits may also highlight similar, but hidden, strengths of our own that are more than ready to see the light of day.

“A relic is something that a saint has ‘left behind,’” Bishop Edward K. Braxton of Belleville, Illinois, wrote in a 2015 All Saints’ Day reflection.

“We hold out the hope,” he said, “that when we pray in the presence of a relic of a saint’s body . . . with an open mind, an open heart and an open spirit, we are disposed for the grace of God to help us live the virtues exemplified by the faithful disciple of Christ whose body we venerate.”

ION OF RELICS ‘If only I can touch his cloak’

By Mike Nelson Catholic News Service

T

here are those in our church (me, for instance) to whom venerating any sort of object — a painting, a statue and even a relic — has always seemed a bit odd, bordering on superstitious.

What is going on here?” I think to myself. “Isn’t the celebration of Mass more important? Doesn’t venerating ‘things’ violate the First Commandment, ‘You shall have no other gods beside me’?”

Well, a few years ago at my parish, several first-class relics from saints were stolen from their place inside the church.

And, like my fellow parishioners, I was quite disturbed, although the relics were eventually recovered and returned.

Mostly, I was upset that our sacred space had been violated, and that the theft of the saints’ remains represented a violation of the basic respect we all should have for the departed.

But as I thought about it, I began to understand that these relics represent a very tangible connection to those people whose lives are held up as models for us.

Clearly, that’s what relics are, in the eyes and tradition of our church, from its earliest history through today, as noted by St. Jerome in the fifth century.

“We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator,” said St. Jerome. “But we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore him whose martyrs they are.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and its section on sacramentals, offers additional clarification (in my case, correction) on the veneration of relics.

“The religious sense of the Christian people,” the catechism says, “has always found expression in various forms of piety surrounding the church’s sacramental life, such as the veneration of relics, visits to

IN A NUTSHELL

Relics of the saints continue in the 21st century to attract vast numbers of believers.

Visits to the tombs of saints call to mind the strengths and virtues that stood out forcefully in their earthly lives. But these visits may also highlight similar, but hidden, strengths of our own.

The origin of venerating such mementos is not medieval, but biblical. The tablets of the Ten Commandments, Elijah’s mantle, even the bones of Elisha (2 Kgs 13:21), all these were relics imbued with God’s power and revered by God’s people.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT CNS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER

The incorrupt heart of St. John Vianney made its way to five locations in the archdiocese in 2019. sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the Stations of the Cross, religious dances, the rosary, medals, etc. These expressions of piety extend the liturgical life of the church, but do not replace it” (No. 16741675).

And certainly Scripture teaches valuable lessons, notably in the story of the woman desperate to stop her bleeding (Mt 9: 20-22): “If only I can touch his cloak,” she thought as she reached out to Jesus passing by, “I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around, saw her and said, “Courage, daughter!

Your faith has saved you.”

“Your faith has saved you.” Faith, yes, but tied to a tangible sign of the Lord’s presence in our midst.

At St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, people visited at all hours of the day or night, some after traveling hundreds of miles. “We’d go to Texas if we had to,” one man, who had traveled with his family three hours from Raleigh,

told the Charlotte Observer. “St. Maria is a good model for us.”

Indeed, many were drawn to view the relics by the inspirational story of Maria Goretti, who at age 11 was murdered by a young man attempting to rape her — and, on her deathbed, forgave him, proclaiming, “I forgive Alessandro Serenelli . . . and I want him with me in heaven forever.”

Overcome by her forgiveness, Serenelli became a Franciscan lay Brother.

That’s powerful stuff, when a conversion, a change of heart, takes place through the intercession of “a good model,” however he or she is made real to us.

Yes, it can happen without venerating a relic. But if even a handful of people in this world can (and do) draw inspiration from the smallest fragment of a saint’s skin or bone — just as many were healed by touching a tassel on Jesus’ own cloak — and renew their commitment to following and serving the Lord, who am I to tell them they are wrong?

The veneration of relics goes hand in hand with the veneration of the saints, those holy men and women who have “competed well,” “finished the race” and “kept the faith” (2 Tm 4:7). Relics serve as physical reminders that “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1) who intercede for us from heaven.

Saints, while living, often thought about the power of their intercession once in heaven. As she neared the end of her life, Blessed Teresa of Kolkata reassured those who begged her to stay with the words, “Don’t worry. Mother can do much more for you when I am in heaven.”

During her last days, St. Thérèse of Lisieux spoke of her mission of “making God loved as I love him” as only just about to begin, and said, “Yes, I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth.”

Praying before relics reminds us that a “crown of righteousness awaits” (Heb 12:8) us in heaven, worn by so many who already intercede for us.

More precious than costly stones or gold

By Marcellino D’Ambrosio Catholic News Service

J

udaism and Catholicism are very earthy religions. After all, the universe is God’s handiwork. He comes to us through his creation, and we give him worship with our bodies — we kneel and bow before him.

But we also use many of these same gestures to show not “adoration” but “veneration” for people, places and things associated with him. Israelites bowed before the king, God’s anointed (1 Kgs 1:31). But the king also bowed before his mother (1 Kgs 2:19). All Israelites bowed before the Ark of the Covenant, God’s footstool (Ps 99:5).

This biblical background is necessary to understand why Catholics venerate relics. The word “relic” comes from the word for remains or something left behind from a holy person or event. The bones of a martyr, the clothing of a saint, a bloodstained corporal from a eucharistic miracle — these are all relics.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

A relic of Mother Teresa, a strand of her hair, sits in the lid of the reliquary box that was constructed in 2016 for Corpus Christi Parish in Lawrence.

The origin of venerating such mementos is not medieval, but biblical. The tablets of the Ten Commandments, Elijah’s mantle, even the bones of Elisha (2

Kgs 13:21), all these were relics imbued with God’s power and revered by God’s people.

In the New Testament, God’s healing power was transmitted through the hem of the Lord’s garment (Lk 8:44) and handkerchiefs touched to St. Paul (Acts 19:12).

The earliest written account of a Christian martyrdom after St. Stephen is very instructive here. Polycarp, an early bishop who was a disciple of St. John, was put to death around 155 and his body was burned by the authorities.

The acts of his martyrdom note that Christians gathered his bones, “more precious than costly stones and more valuable than gold,” and laid them away in a suitable place where they could honor them and celebrate Mass over them each year on the anniversary of his death.

Yes, Christians were sometimes to be found deep under Rome, in the catacombs, but they were not there to hide: They were there to honor the relics of

the martyrs who were buried there.

It is no wonder, then, that the bodily remains as well as clothing touched to the bodies of saints throughout history have continued to be venerated, holding a prominent place in the devotion of the people of God. But three things must be kept in mind. First, there is an essential difference between the worship (“latria”) due to God alone and the veneration (“dulia”) shown to all that is associated with God and his work.

Second, all veneration of tangible relics are signs of love, honor and devotion to the persons with whom those relics are associated and, ultimately, to Christ.

And finally, a relic is not a magic charm that can be counted on to force the Lord to give us what we want. When we are without true faith and oppose God’s will, even marching behind the Ark of the Covenant will not assure victory in battle — just ask the Israelites (1 Sm 4).

10

NATION

APRIL 2, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG

Ferry to be named for Dorothy Day

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EW YORK (CNS) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced March 25 that one of the three new Staten Island Ferry boats transporting people between Staten Island and lower Manhattan will be named for Catholic Worker Movement co-founder Dorothy Day, whose sainthood cause is being considered by the Vatican.

“Dorothy Day lived a life of tremendous selflessness and service. I can think of no greater way to honor her beloved legacy than by having her name on this new ferry boat connecting Manhattan and Staten Island,” said de Blasio, himself a Catholic.

The new vessel is expected to be ready for service sometime in 2022 — faster, likely, than any Vatican action on her canonization.

“How providential that the ferry from lower Manhattan to Staten Island should be named after a brave, loving woman who cherished both those areas of our city and the people who live there,” said a statement by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York.

“How appropriate that a ferry transporting people would honor a believing apostle of peace, justice and charity who devoted her life to moving people from war to peace, from emptiness to fullness, from isolation to belonging,” Cardinal Dolan said.

Day’s roots grew deep on Staten Island. As an adult, she was baptized at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Tottenville in 1927.

Day, who was given the title “Servant of God” when her cause was officially opened in 2000, also began a cooperative farm in Pleasant Plains in 1950, operating it for the needy and Catholic Worker members until 1964, when it was sold.

She died in 1980 at age 83 and is buried in Resurrection Cemetery, also in Pleasant Plains.

It was in Manhattan where Day

CNS PHOTO/CARLO ALLEGRI, REUTERS

The Staten Island Ferry moves past the Statue of Liberty in New York City March 16, 2021. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced March 25 that one of the three new Staten Island Ferry boats transporting people between Staten Island and lower Manhattan will be named for Catholic Worker Movement co-founder Dorothy Day. met Peter Maurin and started the Catholic Worker newspaper, which still publishes with its cover price of one cent — the same price now as when it was founded in the depths of the Great Depression — and Mary House, the first Catholic Worker hospitality house, of which there are more than 250 worldwide today.

“Dorothy Day was a modest woman. She didn’t even want to take credit for founding the Catholic Worker, insisting that any plaudits go to her inspiration, the religious thinker Peter Maurin. So I think she would be a bit chagrined at this honor,” said John Loughery, co-author of last year’s “Dorothy Day Dissenting Voice of the American Century.”

“She’d probably want the city, in her name or anyone’s name, to do more to help the homeless who are still with us. Personally, though, I’m fine with anything that increases her name recognition and brings attention to her values,” Loughery said in a March 26 email to Catholic News Service.

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“Dorothy Day and what she stood for are simply not very well-known today in comfort-obsessed America. [A]nything that moves people to think about, and perhaps restore, our moral compass — even a ferry boat!

— is good by me.”

“My grandmother loved Staten Island and treasured her trips on the Staten Island Ferry, the rare time when she could relax and be free of her many responsibilities,” said Kate Hennessy in an interview with silive.com, an online news service for Staten Island.

The Dorothy Day, which was launched for the first time March 26, is said to be more storm-resilient than the craft it will replace. It will be more capable of operating in a wide range of weather conditions and locations — and can also be used in emergency evacuations.

It was modeled after the John F. Kennedy ferry vessel, which is being decommissioned. The Kennedy has proved popular for its outdoor promenades and extended fore decks.

Magic recognize woman religious for her advocacy APOPKA, Fla. (CNS) — Sister Ann Kendrick might not be able to dunk a basketball, but she still made it on the Magic Vision screen at center court of Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida. That’s because the Sister of Notre Dame de Namur was honored as a “Social Justice Game Changer” by the Orlando Magic Association because of her longtime advocacy for the rights of Florida’s farmworkers.

“The purpose is to honor and to celebrate so many of the people in the Orlando community who are fighting for change and who commit their lives to making Orlando a better place,” said Magic coach Steve Clifford. “It’s just a way to celebrate them, what they stand for, and what they do for our community.”

Sister Kendrick was honored March 24 when the Magic played the Phoenix Suns.

Popular retreat leader, chaplain, author dies MEMPHIS, Tenn. (CNS) — Father David M. Knight, the oldest priest of the Diocese of Memphis, died in Guatemala March 21. He was 90.

For 45 years, Father Knight had been in residence at the Monastery of St. Clare until it closed in December 2019.

He was invited to Guatemala by Cardinal Alvaro Ramazzini of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, to come help at the Poor Clare Sisters’ monastery in his diocese.

Father Knight went in January 2020 and had planned to be there for only a few months when COVID-19 struck, so he decided to ride out the pandemic there.

According to Karen Pulfer Focht, a freelance photo journalist in Memphis and contributor to the diocesan magazine, Faith West Tennessee, friends of the priest in Memphis had chartered a medical evacuation plane for him to return home when he fell ill.

“He never made it,” she wrote in a posting on her website. He lay down for a nap and “died peacefully while sleeping and surrounded by prayers of the community at the monastery.”

WORLD

APRIL 2, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG

11

Pope elevates Ireland’s Knock Shrine to international status

By Sarah Mac Donald Catholic News Service

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UBLIN (CNS) — Pope Francis has elevated the National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock to the status of an International Shrine of Eucharistic and Marian Devotion.

In a message delivered from the Vatican via video link March 19, the feast of St. Joseph, Pope Francis described it as an “important moment in the life of the shrine” and “a great responsibility.”

With all churches in Ireland closed to public worship under Level 5 COVID-19 restrictions, the pope’s message was relayed to an empty Apparition Chapel at Knock Shrine, where Mass was concelebrated by Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam and Knock’s rector, Father Richard Gibbons.

Speaking in Italian, Pope Francis said the designation would mean always having “your arms wide open as a sign of welcome to every pilgrim who may arrive from any part of the world, asking nothing in return but only recognizing him as a brother or a sister who desires to share the same experience of fraternal prayer.”

Paying tribute to the Irish faithful he said: “You have been a missionary people. We cannot forget how many priests left their homeland in order to become missionaries of the Gospel.

Nor can we forget the many lay people who immigrated to faraway lands but

CNS PHOTO/CLODAGH KILCOYNE, REUTERS

A nun stands stands outside Ireland’s Knock Shrine July 23, 2018. Pope Francis delivered a virtual message recognizing the shrine as an International Marian and Eucharistic Shrine during Mass March 19. still kept their devotion to Our Lady.”

The apparition in Knock occurred Aug. 21, 1879, when Mary, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the south gable of the Knock parish church. The silent apparition was witnessed by 15 people, ranging from young children to the elderly.

Pope Francis, who visited the shrine in 2018 during the World Meeting of Families, said the message that comes from Knock is that of “the great value of silence for our faith.”

“It is this silence in the face of mystery,

Vatican statistics show continued growth in number of Catholics worldwide

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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — The number of Catholics and permanent deacons in the world has shown steady growth, while the number of religious men and women continued to decrease, according to Vatican statistics.

At the end of 2019, the worldwide Catholic population exceeded 1.34 billion, which continued to be about 17.7% of the world’s population, said an article published March 26 in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

It marked an increase of 16 million Catholics — a 1.12% increase compared to 2018 while the world’s population grew by 1.08%.

The article contained a handful of the statistics in the Statistical Yearbook of the Church, which reported worldwide church figures as of Dec.

31, 2019. It also announced the publication of the 2021 “Annuario Pontificio,” a volume containing information about every Vatican office, as well as every diocese and religious order in the world.

According to the statistical yearbook, the number of Catholics increased in every continent except Europe.

At the end of 2019, 48.1% of the world’s Catholics were living in the Americas, followed by Europe with 21.2%, Africa with 18.7%, about 11% in Asia (all figures for Asia exclude China) and 0.8 percent in Oceania.

The largest increases were seen in Africa and Asia, with a growth of 3.45% and 2.91%, respectively, followed by Europe with a 1.5% increase and the Americas with about 0.5% more.

Italy sees worst gap between births, deaths since 1918 Spanish flu

R

OME (CNS) — With Italy already facing a diminishing population, low birth rates and fewer religious and civil marriages, the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted those numbers for 2020, according to the Italian National Institute of Statistics.

In fact, it said, Italy set new records in 2020 with the lowest number of births since its unification in 1871, the highest number of deaths since the end of World War II and the largest gap between the number of deaths and births since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.

The statistics were released March 26 in a report on Italian demographics during the COVID-19 pandemic

for 2020. The first COVID-19 cases in Europe were registered in late January in Italy, and the country’s northern regions, especially Lombardy, were hit the hardest by the contagion until nationwide lockdowns and restrictions slowed the surge.

According to the Italian National Institute of Statistics, commonly referred to as ISTAT, more than 746,000 deaths were registered in 2020, almost 112,000 more than 2019 — an increase of 17.6% — and the highest number recorded since the end of World War II. There were 7,600 fewer deaths recorded in January and February 2020 — the pre-pandemic phase — than the average for those two months in each of the preceding five years, it said.

which does not mean giving up on understanding, but understanding while aided and supported by the love of Jesus, who offered himself for all of us as the Lamb sacrificed for the salvation of humanity.”

Welcoming Pope Francis’ special honor for Knock, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, Northern Ireland — Ireland’s primatial see — said the Irish church has “always known that Knock is a very special place.”

In a video message, Archbishop Martin said, “I am particularly pleased

that Pope Francis has made this announcement to coincide with the beginning of the Year of the Family, because Knock is very much a family place.

“Many families, like my own, visit there at different times of the year in order to find some peace and consolation and indeed to find some hope in difficult days, just as Our Lady came to Knock in 1879 to bring hope to the people at a time of distress” in Ireland’s post-famine era.

Responding to the pope’s message, Archbishop Neary, who as archbishop of Tuam is in charge of the shrine, said: “This is a momentous event, and it is most fitting that it would be announced and celebrated on the feast of St. Joseph in the Year of St. Joseph,” because the saint appeared in the apparitions.

He prayed that pilgrims who come to Knock, carrying their crosses, will “experience deeply God’s closeness, the tenderness of the Virgin Mary and the company of the saints,” so as to be encouraged and enabled to return home with a more buoyant faith, with hope in their hearts and a more ardent love for God and neighbor.

Father Gibbons told Catholic News Service, “Since the time of the apparition, Knock Shrine has been a place of hope and given comfort and consolation to people. The completely unique nature of the apparition scene is something that has fascinated and inspired people for generations. This is an historic milestone for Ireland’s National Eucharistic and Marian Shrine.”

CLASSIFIEDS

12 EMPLOYMENT Housekeeper - Rockhurst High School is seeking a housekeeper to provide efficient and effective cleaning services to designated areas, meeting the needs and objectives of both the maintenance department and Rockhurst High School. This position is a nonexempt (hourly) year-round position, Monday - Friday, 3 - 11:30 p.m. with a 30-minute lunch. There may be occasional daytime or weekend work. Primary responsibilities include: performing all tasks associated with cleaning designated areas of the school for the purposes of ensuring a safe, clean, attractive and sanitary environment; vacuum carpets and upholstery; dust control mopping of hard-surfaced flooring; damp mopping of flooring; machine buffing and spray cleaning of hard-surfaced flooring; must be conversant with the use and safe operation of mechanical/electrical cleaning equipment as provided by the maintenance department for the fulfillment of cleaning duties; damp dusting of furniture, work surfaces and ledges; cleaning internal glass, removing fingermarks from doors and surrounds; cleaning of toilets, sinks, baths, showers and also the cleaning of bodily fluids from all surfaces, as dictated by local procedures; clean any additional assigned area and carry out any other duties as reasonably required by your manager/supervisor and to clean in any part of the school as designated by your manager/supervisor, in order to meet the needs of cleaning; replace trash can liners, hand towels, hand soap, toilet rolls and all other consumables as required; damp dust all high-level surfaces; report any defects/deficiencies to manager, supervisor or director of facility management; assist with the supervision of work grant program participants; all other job duties as assigned. Must have a high school diploma or the equivalent; a valid driver’s license; the ability and suitability to work in a school-centered environment; the ability to abide by safety procedures in order to maintain a safe working environment for students, visitors and employees. Use all protective equipment and clothing as required for the safe completion of duties; have the ability to met the physical demands of the position, which includes significant lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, stooping, kneeling, crouching and climbing; the ability to comply with the maintenance department’s health and safety guidelines. Apply by sending a resume to: rsmith@ rockhursths.edu.

Full-time technology teacher - Seeking a full-time technology teacher for the 2021-22 school year. The preferred candidate would have teaching experience at the secondary level and be committed to the Catholic faith.

Interested applicants should complete the teacher application process at: www.archkckcs.org as well as send a cover letter and resume to academic principal Craig Moss at: cmoss@stasaints.net.

Elementary school principal - St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish in Maryville, Missouri, is seeking a school principal effective on/around July 1, 2021. This parish school serves approximately 125 students (K - 8) and 40 preschool students and seeks an individual who is committed to Catholic education with strong leadership, communication and motivational skills. This position is full time and benefits eligible. The diocese offers a comprehensive benefits program, including medical, dental and vision plans, STD/LTD fully paid by the employer, retirement plans including a 403(b) plan and a defined benefit pension plan. Paid time off includes generous paid holidays, vacation and sick days. Please visit job openings at: www.kcsjcatholic.org; scroll down and click on “Get Started” then on “Job Openings” and finally click on “Click here to view and apply for current openings (Paylocity)” for a complete job description and to apply.

Elementary school principal - Holy Family School in Topeka is seeking an individual with demonstrated skill in spiritual, academic and advancement leadership, particularly in the area of enrollment management leadership for the 2021-22 school year. Ability to understand and speak Spanish is a plus. Holy Family has approximately 161 students in K - 8th grades and 10 preschoolers taught by 14 teachers. Applicants for principal must be practicing Catholics, understand the mission of Catholic schools, and have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Visit: holyfamilytopeka.net to learn more about the school. Apply online at: www.archkckcs.org.

Deadline for application is April 16.

Food service - St. Joseph School in Shawnee has a job opening in food service for the 2021-22 school year. The hours are Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. when lunch is offered. Perfect job for a mom. Call Kathy Hirt at (913) 631-7731.

Math specialist - Nativity Parish School is seeking a full-time math specialist for the 2021-22 school year as part of our STREAM initiative. The math specialist will be responsible for collaborating with classroom teachers to analyze data and design lessons, lead professional development and create an innovative math experience that actively engages and motivates all students to be successful mathematicians. Experience in classroom teaching, data analysis and leading professional development is preferred. Interested applicants should send a letter of interest and resume to principal David Kearney at: david.kearney@kcnativity.org Drivers - The Mission Project, based in Mission, is seeking a safe, careful driver to transport MP members to and from their place of employment in a company vehicle. Hours may vary. Must have an excellent driving record. If interested, please contact Alvan at (913) 269-2642.

Full-time English teacher - Seeking a full-time English teacher for the 2021-22 school year. The preferred candidate would have teaching experience at the secondary level and be committed to the Catholic faith. Interested applicants should complete the teacher application process at: www.archkckcs.org as well as send a cover letter and resume to academic principal Craig Moss at: cmoss@stasaints.net.

Director of accounting - Donnelly College is a nonprofit, private, Catholic college. Business affairs is responsible for all financial services and reporting for the college.

This requires forward thinking and a “do what it takes” attitude to ensure departmental resources are maximized throughout the year. The director of accounting supervises the business office activities (accounts payable, cash receipts, accounts receivable and student accounts) and acts as a liaison with other department personnel to maintain accounting and operating guidelines. In addition, the director of accounting is responsible for the majority of the monthly accounting reconciliations and journal entries. This position is an integral piece in the financial accounting and reporting function. Must be able to maintain confidentiality and be comfortable handling sensitive information. Must be able to pass a background check and complete Virtus training. Please email cover letter, resume and transcripts to: hr@donnelly with “Director of Accounting” in the subject line.

Part-time chiropractic assistant - Busy chiropractic office in N.W. Olathe (K-10 and Ridgeview Rd.) is looking for a part-time assistant for Fridays from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. and one or two Saturdays a month from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., with the possibility of covering additional hours as needed. $12 per hour. Job duties include answering phones, scheduling and checking in patients, insurance, assisting with patient therapies, etc. If you are professional, friendly, hardworking and would like to help others, our office may be the place for you. Must have great phone and computer skills. Must be a people person and have a flexible schedule. Insurance experience is a plus but not necessary. Will train on patient therapies. Ridgeview Chiropractic, located at 17775 W. 206th St., Suite 105, Olathe, KS 66061. Please email resume to Dr. Craig Koshlap at: drk@ridgeview chiropractic.com or fax to (913) 890-7372.

Positions available - St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City, Missouri, has several positions available: full-time staff accountant; full-time teaching positions for the 2021-22 school year in English, social studies and in science; seasonal head coaching positions in volleyball and golf. A job description and application form may be found on our website at: https://stteresasacademy. org/jobs. For more information, email Patty Thompson, director of human resources, at: pthompson@stteresas academy.org.

Full-time faculty needed - Donnelly College, located in the heart of Kansas City, Kansas, is in need of full-time faculty in the following fields: math, humanities, nursing, history and geography. The following qualifications are required: master’s degree in specified field or at least 18 graduate credit hours in a closely related field; teaching experience at the college level; philosophically aligned with the mission and values of the college to engage and support our Catholic identity; and practicing Roman Catholic. Must be willing to develop innovative teaching strategies and be committed to diversity and serving a diverse population. Donnelly College is an independent coeducational Catholic institution founded by the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica and sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Donnelly College offers programs leading to bachelor and associate degrees and certificates. Send letters of interest to: Lisa Stoothoff, vice president of academic and student affairs, at: lstoothoff@donnelly.edu.

Membership director - St. Lawrence, the church at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, seeks a membership director who invites new students, parents, alumni and friends to become members and supporters. Bachelor’s degree required. Experience in communication, event coordination and fundraising preferred. The director must be a strong and engaging communicator. For more information, go online to: kucatholic.org/jobs.

Director of faith formation - Corpus Christi in Lawrence is seeking a full-time director of faith formation. The director of faith formation is responsible for coordinating all faith formation and sacramental preparation of all adults and children of Corpus Christi. This includes religious education for children not in our parish school, all sacramental preparation and adult religious education.

For a full job description and application information, go online to: www.cccparish.org/jobs then scroll down and click on “Job openings at Corpus Christi.”

Associate superintendent for schools - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking an associate superintendent for student services. This position is responsible for assisting schools in meeting the needs of students with special learning needs enrolled in Catholic schools within the archdiocese. This position provides onsite consultation with principals and teachers regarding students with special needs; provides on-site training for teachers; works with archdiocesan school counselors; and engages in the Student Improvement Teams. Additionally, the incumbent assists schools in accessing funds from federal title programs to support students with special needs. The ideal candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing. This position requires a master’s degree in special education with at least five years’ experience in special education. Please visit: www.archkck.org/jobs for application instructions. Submission deadline: March 22.

Communications director - Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish in Overland Park is creating the position of communications director. The successful candidate will work directly with Father Bill Bruning and the parishioner chairs of the communications committee, the evangelization committee and will coordinate the volunteers who will be responsible for our livestreaming and online presence. The job will also require marketing skills in the form of branding and marketing communications. Interested persons are invited to review the job description and send their resume to: qhradmin@qhr-opks.org.

Part-time servers - Santa Marta is recognized as a premier senior living community in Olathe. You will make a positive difference when you join the Santa Marta team as a server. Responsibilities include: serve meals to residents in a professional and hospitable manner in either independent living or health care neighborhoods; respectful interaction and communication with residents and co-workers as required; work with a team in a professional manner within dining and other departments; use proper food handling and cleaning techniques; setup and clean the dining rooms after each dining session.

Part-time servers are normally scheduled 3 - 5 shifts per week (evenings 4 - 8 p.m. and weekend breakfast, lunch and dinner shifts). $10 - $11 hourly rate, depending on relevant experience. Part-time associates earn paid time off for hours worked. To apply, go online to: santamarta retirement.com, then go to “More,” then scroll down and click on “Careers.” Then scroll down to the bottom of that page and download the application form.

Victim assistance coordinator - The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is seeking to fill our victim assistance coordinator position. This position is responsible for the coordination of efforts providing compassionate outreach support and resources to survivors and their families in cases of sexual abuse perpetrated by diocesan personnel as defined in the Ethic and Integrity in Ministry Code of Conduct policy. This position is full-time and benefitseligible, and reports to the director of the office of child and youth protection. The diocese offers a comprehensive benefits program, including medical, dental and vision plans: STD/LTD fully paid by the employer, retirement plans including a 403(b) plan and a defined benefit pension plan. Paid time off includes generous paid holidays, vacation and sick leaves. Please visit the website at: www. kcsjcatholic.org, scroll down to the search bar and type in “Job Openings” and click on “Search,” then on “Job Openings” for a complete job description and to apply.

Assistants - Assistants needed to provide support for developmentally disabled adults in a day program setting. Hours are 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. five days a week. Health, dental and vision premiums paid in full after two months of employment. Join us for meaningful, fulfilling relationships with our community. Larcheks.org.

Caregiver, homemaker or CNA - Full-time/part-time PRN homemaker positions are available in Johnson County. Work from 4 - 40 hours per week. Weekdays only; no nights, weekends or holidays. Each assignment is usually 2 - 3 hours per client. Visit: www.catholic charitiesks.org/careers, scroll down to “View Job Openings,” then click on “Caregiver Homemaker or CNA” for more information and to apply.

Middle school math teacher - Holy Spirit School is seeking a full-time middle school math teacher for the 2021-22 school year. Candidates must hold a valid Kansas teaching certificate and be licensed to teach 6-12 math, including geometry. Candidates must have experience working in an elementary/middle school setting and value a team-oriented environment. Interested applicants should complete the teacher application process at: www.archkckcs.org. For more information, please contact Michele Watson at: mwatson@hscatholic.org or (913) 492-2582.

Community live-in assistants - L’Arche Heartland of Overland Park serves adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in day program support services and in residential services. We are seeking assistants who are looking for a unique opportunity in a faith-based organization. We are in immediate need of live-in assistants and potential live-out assistants to work in our day program serving 30 adults. We have a recycling program and community activities. Our core members participate in distributing for Meals on Wheels and Rise Against Hunger. They also attend community events such as the library, movies, bowling and going to parks. We also have a need for live-in and live-out assistants in our five residential homes. If interested, contact Jamie Henderson, community leader, by email at: jamie@larcheks.org.

Drivers and aides - Assisted Transportation is now hiring safe drivers and aides to transport students with special needs in Johnson, Wyandotte and Clay County, Missouri, in company vans. Drivers earn $14 - $16 per hour. Aides earn $12 per hour. Part-time and full-time schedules available. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply.

Make a difference in your community by helping those in need. Call (913) 521-4955 for more information. EEO Help wanted - Do you enjoy tinkering and working with your hands? Then this is the job for you! We are a small, family-owned local company looking for someone who is handy with small equipment and enjoys traveling every now and then. We need team members with a positive attitude who are flexible, dependable, self-motivated, mechanically inclined, customer-service oriented and have great time management skills. Mostly on the job training. Electrical knowledge is a plus. Please send your resume to: Yourcareer101@gmail.com.

APRIL 2, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG Hospice aide - Full-time hospice aide positions available in the Kansas City and surrounding area. Competitive wages and benefits. Shifts to include: M - F daytime only; no weekends; or Tuesday - Saturday/Sunday - Thursday options available. No holidays. Candidates must be CNA or HHA. If no CNA, agency will assist in obtaining HHA certification. Visit: www.catholiccharitiesks.org/careers to learn more about this opportunity and to apply.

Full-time assistant teachers - With multiple locations in Johnson County, Special Beginnings Early Learning Center provides high quality child care in a safe, loving Christian environment. With a balanced curriculum of pre-academics and the right environment, we believe we are providing the children the foundation to e successful in life. We are looking for full-time assistant teachers for all ages who have an excellent work ethic, a heart for children and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education. Experience and/or education is a plus, but we will train the right candidate. Duties include supervising and ensuring the safely and well-being of the children at all times; following predetermined curriculum and daily schedule; decorating the class and keeping classrooms clean and orderly; creating and filling out daily reports for each child; communicating with parent; meeting children’s basic needs (diapers, bottles, etc.). Must be patient and able to respond to difficult situations calmly; have good interpersonal skills with coworkers, parents and children; and be able to lift 25 pounds on a regular basis. There are opportunities for career advancement.

For more information or to apply, call Carolyn Andruss at (913) 894-0131, option 3.

Career opportunity - Due to the growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are looking for professional men who are interested in helping fellow Catholics with their faith, family and finances. This is a full-time career opportunity that will allow you to be your own boss and a respected professional member of the community. If you or someone you know is self-motivated, good with time management and has a desire to succeed, this might be the opening you’ve been looking for. Benefits include unlimited professional income potential, flexibility, quality training program and incentive award trips such as Rome, Hawaii and Ireland. There are openings in northeast Kansas and western Missouri. If you want to serve your community, strengthen the church and change the world, call John Mahon at our regional office at (785) 408-8800 or toll free at (855) 356-4849.

CNA/HHA needed - Aide needed to take care of elderly lady; evenings from 11 p.m. - 7 a.m. in the Topeka area.

Please call (785) 273-4160.

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. The dress is on display at Trinity House, 6731 W. 119th St., Overland Park.

Skilled carpenter/remodeler - Kansas City Bathroom Remodeling is a residential bathroom, basement and kitchen remodeler. We only hire the very best. The skilled carpenter must possess good overall knowledge of electrical, plumbing rough-in and interior framing. As a skilled carpenter, you must have solid communication skills and the ability to interact in a positive manner with clients and fellow employees. We are an incredibly busy remodeling company, doing an average of five - six remodeling projects at a time. The majority of our work is in Johnson County and surrounding areas. Hours are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Overtime work is available at times. Pay is based on experience, $27 $33 per hour. Please attach resume or work history with three job references. Must be able to pass a background check. 10 paid vacation/sick days after 6 months; 401(k) with up to 5% match after two months. Please call us at (913) 701-2500 or email: lisakcbr@outlook.com.

SERVICES 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.

FREE LIFE INSURANCE QUOTE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE - For your free, no obligation life insurance or final expense quote from a dozen highly rated carriers, visit: www.mcevoyins.com or call (913) 481-2896. Sean McEvoy, Donnelly College graduate, and Bill McEvoy, Ascension parishioner.

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

Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover.

Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload and in-home moving. No job too small. Serving JoCo since 1987. St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner. Call Mike at (913) 927-4347 or send an email to: mike@mikehammermoving.com.

Win disability benefits - Disabled and no longer able to work? Get help winning Social Security disability benefits. Free consultation. Eight years’ experience. No fee unless you win. Call (785) 331-6452 or send an email to: montemace2000@yahoo.com or visit http://www. montemacedisability.org. >> Classifieds continue on page 13

APRIL 2, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG

ST. PATRICK, KCK, VIRTUAL AUCTION Online April 5 - 10

Go online to register at: https://stpatrick kck.cbo.io beginning on April 5 at 9 a.m. All silent auction items will be open for bidding until April 10 at 9 p.m. If you have questions or want to learn about ways to help, send an email to: stpatrickauction@stpatrickkck. org.

DISABILITY RESOURCE SERIES FOR PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND SELF-ADVOCATES Via Zoom April 8 at 8:30 p.m.

Sessions include: “Creating Financial Security for Your Loved One with Special Needs” (presented by Kacy Seitz, CFP) and “Special-Needs Trusts/Guardianship” (by Casey Connealy, attorney). Register online at: www.archkck.org/special-needs. The Zoom link will be sent the day before each session. Contact Tom Racunas at: tracunas @archkck.org or Jill Reffett at: jillreffett@ embraceks.org with questions.

EUCHARISTIC HOLY HOUR FOR DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY WITH ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN Cathedral of St. Peter 416 N. 14th St., Kansas City, Kansas April 11 at 3 p.m.

CALENDAR/CLASSIFIEDS We will spend the weekend contemplating the Father’s love through his gift of mercy.

Don’t forget to start the Divine Mercy novena on Good Friday. There will be conferences, eucharistic adoration, Mass, confession, Stations of the Cross, and time for private prayer, reflection and walking. The cost is $170 for individuals and $250 for couples, meals included. To attend, sign up online at: christspeace.com; send an email to: info@ christspeace.com; or call (913) 773-8255.

LINGER OVER BREAKFAST Via Zoom April 17 at 9 a.m.

Join the Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet online for “Care of Creation: Spirituality and Responsible Investment” with Barbara Jennings, CSJ. Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’” calls for a “broad cultural revolution” to confront our environmental crisis. Sister Barbara will explore this encyclical and the role of shareholders that the Sisters of St. Joseph and their founding institutions have practiced over the years, especially in light of our planet Earth. To register, go online to: csjsl.org, scroll down to “View All Events” and click on “Linger Over Breakfast KC.”

EASTER JOY - AN IGNATIAN MINI RETREAT Via Zoom April 17 - 18

Each year on the Second Sunday of Easter, the church celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday. All are encouraged to join together in prayer and eucharistic adoration seeking God’s mercy for themselves and for the nation. Please join Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann in this eucharistic Holy Hour.

For more information, visit the website at: www.cathedralkck.org.

Moving from Lent to Easter is not as easy as one might think. Join the Ignatian Spirituality Center of Kansas City for a short retreat to pause and notice Easter joy. You will be given input for prayer at various times as well as a guided meditation and sharing on Saturday evening. To learn more and to register, visit the website at: www.ignatian centerkc.org/events. Scroll down and click on “View Event” for more information, and then click on “Register.”

DIVINE MERCY RETREAT Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meager Rd., Easton April 9 - 11

SUDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS Boulevard Brewing Company 2501 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri May 3 from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

>> Continued from page 12

Whole Estates Need to sell a home and everything in it?

We buy it all at once in as-is condition.

Call (816) 444-1950 or send an email to: www.wholeestates.com.

The retreat will begin April 9 at 5:30 p.m.

Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr. com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlaw.com.

Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress.

Senior Care Authority - Navigating senior care options can be overwhelming. We’ll 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.

Handyman - Furloughed railroader just trying to keep the bills paid for my little family. I advertised here as Father and Son Home Exteriors and Remodeling for 13 years before working for the railroad last year. I can do all carpentry, windows, doors, trim, siding and decks. I can paint, sheetrock and love to do tile. Just about any project you have around your home, I can do. No project too big or too small. Just give me a call at (913) 709-7230 and ask for Josh.

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

Garage Door Repair New Garage Doors Platinum Amarr dealer, Elite Home Advisor top rating.

Call Joe, mention The Leaven discount.

A Total Door (913) 236-6440.

REAL ESTATE Farm - Ranch - I am interested in purchasing a farm or ranch. If you have considered selling but would like to stay in a home on the property, then we could work that out. My home parish is Holy Trinity in Lenexa. Please call me if interested or with questions. Thank you and God bless. Dennis Montgomery, (913) 208-1379.

Join us for this annual benefit for Holy

Name School’s student scholarship fund.

Help support the vibrant and faith-filled community at Holy Name, where 86% of students rely on scholarship to attend.

There will be musical entertainment by The Hamptones and delicious food from Jack Stack Barbecue. Learn more online at: one. bidpal.net/holyname21/welcome.

SPECIAL-NEEDS FAMILY CAMP Prairie Star Ranch 1124 California Rd., Williamsburg June 18 - 20

Enjoy a weekend of fun and family at Camp Tekakwitha. Register online at: www. archkck.org/special-needs.

TOTUS TUUS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Prince of Peace Parish 16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe July 19 - 23

Come join others and learn about Totus Tuus. Register online at: www.archkck.org/ special-needs.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS GRADE SCHOOL SUMMER CAMPS St. Thomas Aquinas High School 11411 Pflumm Rd., Overland Park June and July

There will be a variety of camps for students entering grades K - 8. Registration and further information are available online at: www.stasaints.net/summercamps. For more information, call (913) 319-2416 or send an email to: btriggs@stasaints.net.

For sale - Two side-by-side, full-size crypts with marble fronts inside the Center Chapel, Tier C, 1 and 3, main floor.

Open and close fees included. Contact Jim at (913) 208-3698.

CASH FOR YOUR HOME (913) 980-4905 Any condition in the metro area Mark Edmondson - local parishioner http://www.buykcproperty.com

For sale - Double wide crypt (side-by-side) located in Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa, in the Sacred Heart Garden Mausoleum. It is a C level (3rd Tier from the ground) vault. Contact Jane May at (913) 393-0634 or kmay1@kc.rr.com.

CAREGIVING

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Looking for assisted living at home? - Before you move, call us and explore our in-home care options. We specialize in helping families live safely at home while saving thousands of dollars per year. Call today for more information or to request a FREE home care planning guide. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www.benefits ofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591.

Painting - Diamond Painting, (913) 648-4933, Residential/ Commercial, Exterior/interior, Free Estimate, Affordable, Decks, DiamondPaintKc.com, Kcmo/Overland Park Metropolitan area.

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)

CATHOLIC HEART WORKCAMP Kansas City area July 12 - 15

If you know of anyone needing minor home repairs, painting or yard cleanup, contact the managers by email at: chwc.kc@ gmail.com or call (402) 306-9043. You will need to leave a message if you call. Safety guidelines are in place to meet the current CDC guidelines regarding COVID.

WAR HORSES FOR VETERANS D-DAY RIDE 5600 W. 183rd St., Stillwell June 6 at 8 a.m.

This motorcycle ride for War Horses for Veterans is being hosted by the Father Donnelly Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. WHFV is a nonprofit organization that provides compassionate equestrian therapy for veterans and first responders. The 103-mile ride will begin at WHFV with stops at American Legion and VFW posts. It will end at Rawhide Harley Davidson, Olathe.

Absolutely no alcohol during the ride. The cost is: $25 per rider; $10 per passenger. For registration and details go online to: horses forveterans.com.

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Beginning Experience is offering a healing weekend for men and women of all ages who have suffered the loss of a spouse through death, divorce or separation. It is a time to heal and a time to begin anew. Reservations are required. For more information visit the

We Buy houses and whole estates - We are local and family owned, and will make you a fair cash offer. We buy houses in any condition. No fees or commissions and can close on the date of your choice. Selling your house as is never felt so good. Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer (913) 599-5000

Caring companion - I am a certified nursing assistant with 10-plus years experience with stroke, Alzheimer’s dementia patients. I assist with personal care services and offer non-emergency, medical transportation. Call (816) 786-1093.

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Member of St. Mary Church in St. Benedict.

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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.

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Accepting major credit cards.

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My name is Mark. (913) 980-4905.

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Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.

Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee Maderak, (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.

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COLUMNISTS

DAILY READINGS THE EASTER SEASON April 4 EASTER SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD Acts 10: 34a, 37-43 Ps 118: 1-2, 16-17, 22-23 Col 3: 1-4 Jn 20: 1-9 April 5 MONDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER Acts 2: 14, 22-33 Ps 16: 1-2a, 5, 7-11 Mt 28: 8-15 April 6 TUESDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER Acts 2: 36-41 Ps 33: 4-5, 18-20, 22 Jn 20: 11-18 April 7 WEDNESDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER Acts 3: 1-10 Ps 105: 1-4, 6-9 Lk 24: 13-35 April 8 THURSDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER Acts 3: 11-26 Ps 8: 2ab, 5-9 Lk 24: 35-48 April 9 FRIDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER Acts 4: 1-12 Ps 118: 1-2, 4, 22-27a Jn 21: 1-14 April 10 SATURDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER Acts 4: 13-21 Ps 118: 1, 14-15ab, 16-21 Mk 16: 9-15 SECOND WEEK OF EASTER April 11 SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (OR SUNDAY OF DIVINE MERCY) Acts 4: 32-35 Ps 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24 1 Jn 5: 1-6 Jn 20: 19-31 April 12 Monday Acts 4: 23-31 Ps 2: 1-9 Jn 3: 1-8 April 13 Martin I, pope, martyr Acts 4: 32-37 Ps 93: 1-2, 5 Jn 3: 7b-15 April 14 Wednesday Acts 5: 17-26 Ps 34: 2-9 Jn 3: 16-21 April 15 Thursday Acts 5: 27-33 Ps 34: 2, 9, 17-20 Jn 3: 31-36 April 16 Friday Acts 5: 34-42 Ps 27: 1, 4, 13-14 Jn 6: 1-15 April 17 Saturday Acts 6: 1-7 Ps 33: 1-2, 4-5, 18-19 Jn 6: 16-21

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his year, maybe more than ever, we need to celebrate Easter — not just Easter Sunday but the whole Easter season, right up to Pentecost on May 23.

As we struggle with the continuing effects of the pandemic, people are looking for some hope, some joy and some light. We Christians have the answer — not just a fleeting solution, but an eternal one.

This story can illustrate the dilemma: On June 18, 1815, the Battle of Waterloo was being fought.

The French under the command of Napoleon were fighting the Allies (British, Dutch and Germans) under the command of the Duke of Wellington.

The people of England depended on a system of flag semaphore signals to find out how the battle was going. One of these signal stations was on the tower of Winchester Cathedral.

Late in the day, it flashed a signal: “W-EL-L-I-N-G-T-O-N- - -

APRIL 2, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG

Christ is risen! He is risen ‘in deeds’ MARK MY WORDS

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

D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D -” Just at that moment, a sudden fog made it impossible to read the message. News of the defeat quickly spread.

The whole countryside was sad and gloomy when they heard the news that their country had lost the war. Just as suddenly, though, the fog lifted, and the remainder of the message could be read. It had four words, not two.

The complete message was: “W-E-L-L-I-N-GT-O-N - - D-E-F-E-A-TE-D - - T-H-E - - E-N-E-

M-Y.” It took only a few minutes for that good news to spread. Sorrow was turned into joy; defeat was turned into victory! (Story found in “Illustrations Unlimited,” edited by James S. Hewett.)

Many people in our world today seem to be walking in a fog.

There’s an attitude of “Jesus defeated.” He’s defeated by death, by irrelevance, by indifference. And even we Christians may feel that way, given the growing number of unchurched people and the declining numbers of people attending church.

While I can’t do much in converting society as a whole, I can examine my own faith.

Am I a person who

truly believes the whole message, that Jesus defeated the enemy — death, despair, darkness? Am I someone who is excited about my faith and who lives it joyfully? Am I willing to share that message fearlessly?

The Easter season is the perfect time to keep the new life of Jesus on the minds of others by doing some simple deeds of kindness: • Buy some plastic eggs and fill them with a small treat. Leave one each day for a different person: on a neighbor’s porch, a co-worker’s desk, for the person who takes your order at a fast-food drive-thru, for your pastor, for your barber or hairdresser, for a teacher, for the trash collectors.

• Visit a cemetery and place flowers on the graves of your loved ones as a sign of Resurrection hope.

• Make others laugh . . . several times a day.

• Mail out Easter cards — all through the season — to remind recipients to keep up the joy of Easter.

• Take care of your

health by doing something each day that makes you smile.

On the Easter before he died, D. William Sangster, a Methodist preacher who spearheaded a renewal movement in the British Isles after World War II, painfully printed a short note to his daughter. His ministry, except for prayer, was ended by a disease which progressively paralyzed his body, even his vocal cords. But on that last Easter Sunday, still able to move his fingers, he wrote: “How terrible to wake up on Easter and have no voice to shout, ‘He is risen!’ Far worse, though, to have a voice and not want to shout.”

(Found in “Illustrations Unlimited.”)

May we not be silent this Easter season, but proclaim by our joyful words and actions that the living Christ continues to defeat death, darkness and despair.

And let’s inspire many others to shout along with us: “Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed!”

Jesus offers us a radical choice: Choose to live in God’s love

C

hrist is risen!

Alleluia!

Easter Sunday, the holiest Sunday of the liturgical calendar, transforms human history as God raises Jesus from the dead.

Jesus pours divine love on the world by embracing his suffering and death on the cross.

He shows us that God is not an all-powerful, distant and heartless being.

Rather, the God of Christianity suffers with and for each one of us.

As World War II raged across Europe, the people of London struggled under heavy bombardment from the Nazis. To save the nation’s artistic treasures,

,

JEM SULLIVAN Sullivan is a professor at The Catholic University of America.

the entire collection of the National Gallery of London was moved to a temporary location in Wales.

As Kenneth Clark, the museum director, recounts, it was decided

to return one painting each month to public display so Londoners could find common solace during the wartime destruction of life and their city. From a public survey, the people’s request was for a painting of Easter Sunday morning.

It is the scene described in Sunday’s Gospel when Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb of Jesus and becomes the “apostle to the

apostles,” the first to announce the resurrection of Jesus to the disciples. And so “Noli Me Tangere,” a 16th-century masterpiece by the Renaissance artist Titian became the first painting of the month, in a tradition that lasted through the war.

As the people suffered the loss of loved ones and the ruthless destruction of peace, the image of the resurrected Jesus brought consolation and hope.

The resurrection of Jesus presents us with a radical choice — to live daily in the power of God’s love that is stronger than the cruel, enslaving effects of sin and death. Or to live in the indifference,

fear and hopelessness offered by a world opposed to God. Easter Sunday cannot be reduced to a distant event from 2,000 years ago. The power of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter is offered to you and to me as the pattern of our lives today. As we enter into the mystery of Jesus’ suffering and death, we are reborn to new life in Jesus.

So we join the psalmist in singing loudly, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”

For today, Jesus’ resurrection to new life is offered to you and to me as the pattern of our daily life.

Christ is risen!

Alleluia!

Dante a ‘prophet of hope’ for the world, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The life and works of the famed Italian poet Dante Alighieri remain a lasting treasure that embodies the virtue of hope so desperately needed in today’s world, Pope Francis said.

In an apostolic letter commemorating the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death, the pope said he appreciated the Catholic poet’s work for

the “enduring warnings and insights it contains for humanity as a whole, not simply believers. Dante’s work is an integral part of our culture, taking us back to the Christian roots of Europe and the West,” he said. “It embodies that patrimony of ideals and values that the church and civil society continue to propose as the basis of a humane social order in which all can and must see others

as brothers and sisters.”

The apostolic letter was published by the Vatican March 25 to coincide with Italy’s celebration of Dante Day. According to the Italian news agency ANSA, scholars believed that on that date, the Italian poet began his allegorical journey through hell, purgatory and heaven, chronicled in the “Divine Comedy.”

LOCAL NEWS

APRIL 2, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG

15

Archdiocesan schools deliver on a cardinal’s promise

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he more things change, the more they stay the same.

I recently came across an article from May 2000 on the late Cardinal John O’Connor, who was the archbishop of New York from 1984 until his death in 2000.

This article reflected on the life of Cardinal O’Connor and addressed topics such as gay rights, religious freedom and Catholic politicians supporting abortion laws, oftentimes at the expense of those religious freedoms.

If one was so inclined to block out dates and names, much of this article can be read as if it were referring to current times.

In addition to

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FROM THE SUPER

VINCE CASCONE Vince Cascone is the superintendent of archdiocesan schools.

speaking up on these important societal issues, Cardinal O’Connor spoke in support of Catholic education and the role our schools can play for the most vulnerable in our society.

In the article from The Invisible Miracle of

Catholic Schools magazine, written way back in 1996 by Sol Stern, Cardinal O’Connor was quoted as making the following offer to New York City: “Send me the lowest-performing 5 percent of children presently in the public schools, and I will put them in Catholic schools — where they will succeed.”

In the same article,

a study by Andrew Greeley was highlighted which revealed that the differences between Catholic school and public school performance were greatest among students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.

It is not a secret, nor without ample research, that children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are also in schools with the lowest rates of success.

Allan Golston, who works for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, leads the foundation’s efforts to advance educational opportunity and student achievement in the United States to ensure that all students — and particularly low-income students and students

of color — receive a high-quality education.

In an article from the National Civil Rights Museum entitled, “Education is the Civil Rights Issue of Today,” Golston writes: “On average, Black students are two to three years behind their white peers academically.

Almost 70 percent of Black fourth graders cannot read at grade level.”

At a time when society has been discussing systemic racism, perhaps we should focus our attention on our public schools and the opportunities that are provided to the most disadvantaged.

The 42 Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas stand ready and able to

deliver on the promise Cardinal O’Connor made many years ago.

The Catholic Education Foundation works to provide funds for families who may need it in order to attend one of our CEF-sponsored Catholic schools, including funds from the Tax Credit Scholarship Program.

We are ready to receive any families who want a high-quality education rooted in our faith and on the knowledge that God, the creator of the universe, pursues and desires a relationship with each one of us. This was, is and will always remain true.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

A life of stewardship begins with the courage to say yes

his week marks the 52nd consecutive Monday night that Rosary Squad has met to pray the scriptural rosary.

The group has come to embody the four pillars of stewardship — prayer, formation, hospitality and service.

It all started with an invitation. My good friend Randy Salisbury was going through a very difficult time as his wife Lynn was fighting her battle with breast cancer.

Randy invited me to join him in the study of the “Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska.”

The two of us made a valiant effort for a couple of weeks. Then, sadly, his wife Lynn passed away. Randy

YES TO THE CALL

BILL MALONEY Bill Maloney is the executive director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development.

You can email him at: wmaloney@ archkck.org.

and his family prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet as Lynn went to her eternal rest.

What happened since that time is quite a story. A few weeks

after Lynn’s death, Randy once again put his faith into action. He invited a group of five men to meet him for breakfast.

Of course, we all said yes. We wanted to support Randy as best we could. At breakfast, he asked us if we would be open to meeting with him each week to pray the rosary.

Some of us were unsure and a little uncomfortable with the idea, but we all agreed. Our first meeting was scheduled for a Monday night at Randy’s house. We enjoyed some social time and then prayed the rosary.

The following week, the COVID lockdown happened and we shifted our meetings to Zoom. Week by week, through invitation, our group continues to grow. We now have 20 men praying the rosary every Monday night.

The group has grown in other ways as well. Our hospitality is in full swing.

Our “social chairman” organizes a “driveway” social once a month so that we can become more acquainted with

each other.

We are trying to become more formed in our faith by inviting a guest speaker to join us monthly. We have enjoyed talks from priests, deacons, a wonderful Sister from Iowa and some lay witness talks.

Finally, we participate in a service project every other month by providing dinner to Shalom House.

“As iron sharpens iron, so man sharpens his fellow man” (Prv 27:17). This verse from the Book of Proverbs really sums up this group. Through one man’s suffering, something very glorious has happened.

The past 52 weeks have shown this to be true. The squad has

experienced the deaths of a mother, a father and a brother. All have felt the support of the squad while experiencing these difficult times. Randy reminds us often that the glorious mysteries follow the sorrowful mysteries.

The Rosary Squad has certainly been a blessing for me. I have new friends who share my faith and who I know will be offering prayers of support for me when I am in need.

I have also been blessed with a realization of how easy it can be to live a life of stewardship.

It all begins with an invitation and with the courage to say yes to that invitation. Thank you, Randy.

16

LOCAL NEWS

APRIL 2, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG

How to make your stimulus check pay long-term dividends

W

ith a third stimulus check in their pockets, Americans have a new opportunity to improve their financial position. This week, The Leaven visits with Dan Vrabac, retired investment manager and university lecturer in investments, to discuss what smart money moves readers might now consider.

Q.

How should I think about spending my stimulus check?

A.

If you don’t need your stimulus check for immediate food and housing expenses, consider using it to pay down your credit card fully every month.

Start with the highest interest rate card first. It’s unlikely that any investment you make with your stimulus check would return more than the interest rate on a credit card of 15% to 25%.

Consider where you are in your life. Have you prioritized your goals?

How close are you to meeting those goals? Match the risk level of what you invest in with how soon you will need the money. The sooner you need the money, the less risk you should take.

Take into account that not all goals are financial.

Q. What do you think of using

your stimulus check to pay down the principal on your mortgage?

A.

It’s a good idea to pay down all debt as quickly as possible. Even in today’s low interest rate environment, where more of your mortgage payment goes to principal rather than interest, the total interest you will pay if you only make the regular monthly payments is still a substantial amount of money. Check the truth-in-lending form you received when you got your mortgage loan to see how much that interest will cost you.

If the most recent stimulus money isn’t needed immediately, consider paying down your debt or investing in your retirement, says retired investment manager Dan Vrabac. you are older, nearing retirement and unable to meet that goal, then you may need to rethink your retirement. You still have time to contribute to an IRA to help offset 2020 taxes. That would be one way to use your stimulus check to improve your retirement savings.

Q.

How can I increase my savings to meet my financial goals?

A.

Q.

The importance of maximizing savings is one reason I believe it is important to pay down your debts. That doesn’t mean you have to be rigid. But it does mean you don’t have to keep up with your friends. Don’t stretch on your house payment. If the bank tells you that you can afford to pay $2,500 a month on a house, find a house where your payment is $2,000 and save the extra. Don’t buy or lease an expensive car. Buy or lease a moderately priced car. This is especially true for people in their 20s to 40s.

A.

Many Americans struggle to invest — either on their own or through their company — because they don’t know what they are doing. What do you recommend?

Surveys show that many Americans are unprepared for retirement. What measures can they take now with their stimulus check to improve their savings habits?

Maximizing your savings is the most important thing you can do to prepare for retirement. Many people wonder how much they will need for retirement. One study suggests that if you want to live the same lifestyle in retirement as you do before you retire, you will need to have saved 11 times the amount of your pre-retirement income.

If you are younger and not yet on track to reach that goal, you can rethink how you can improve your savings. If

Q.

A.

Most individuals are at a loss when it comes to knowing how to properly invest for their future. The important thing is to have a plan. You can approach this two ways — spend time learning how to do it yourself (baby steps), or find a qualified financial planner. On my website — www. investingeducator.com — I provide a multistep plan on how to begin an in-

vestment program. I also provide information on how to select a financial adviser or financial planner.

Q.

How important is it to have an emergency fund? Where should I invest the fund?

A.

In the aftermath of the pandemic (and the 2008 global financial crisis), people found themselves unemployed for longer than six months. If you are out of work that long, your skills suffer and it becomes difficult to get a job that pays what you were earning previously. I recommend that families have one year’s worth of income in an emergency fund. You can build it gradually.

Having a sufficient emergency fund gives you some time to find the right job if you are laid off. Emergency fund money should be kept in a federally insured bank account or a short-term, high-quality bond mutual fund. The purpose of an emergency fund is not to earn a big return, but rather to have the money there when you need it.

Q.

Is there anything you would suggest that investors need to think more about?

A.

Risk. When people think of investing, they typically think of how much money they expect to make.

Often, the best way to make money is not to lose it. That means take only those risks that fit into your overall financial plan.

Q.

A third stimulus check might also give some families the

chance to pay it forward — to their parish, a neighborhood food bank, even local businesses that are struggling. What would you recommend?

A.

This ties into your financial and personal goals. Investment returns don’t have to be in cash. The return you receive from helping others will be enough reward. There are many ways to help others in these difficult times.

Q.

Many workers have been told they will not be going back to their old workspace, at least not full time. Is it a good investment to reimagine their home workspace to accommodate their new needs?

A.

If you are thinking of spending money for a home office or workspace, it is not clear how much of that investment would be tax-deductible. Check with your tax specialist. It is possible that such an investment may boost the value of your home, but that’s not certain. The real benefit from such an investment would come from how productive and comfortable you are in your new space.

Dan Vrabac is retired from a 30-year career in finance capped by several years of university teaching. His website on investing is free to all at: www. investingeducator.com. He and his wife Wendy are native Kansas Citians and members of St. Michael the Archangel Church in Leawood.

NEED HELP SELLING A HOUSE? Please call me. I’m local, I pay cash anytime. Leave items not needed.

I’ll even pay your closing cost.

MAKE IT EASY. Mark Edmondson 913-980-4905 www.Mark@BuyKCProperty.com Holy Trinity Parishioner