04 12 24 Vol. 45 No. 33

SEEK TO INSPIRE

Carlo Acutis statue to serve as a model for students

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

LEAWOOD — The authentic life of Blessed Carlo Acutis is a model for our times, according to leaders at St. Michael the Archangel Parish here.

“He loved Jesus, he loved sports, he loved soccer, he loved video games,” said Father Luke Doyle, associate pastor at St. Michael. “He was a normal kid who put Jesus first.

“So, it’s possible for any of us to do that.”

Acutis grew up in Italy and passed away from leukemia at age 15. Now, he has the potential to become the first-ever millennial saint.

To inspire the students of St. Michael the Archangel School with his example, the school commissioned Ferdinand Stuflesser 1875 — an Italian-based sculpting company — to create a lifelike statue of the teen.

It was unveiled to the school community on March 27.

“It’s beautiful,” said Father Doyle. “I think it’s a really incredible way that we can invite Carlo into our community — not just through prayer, but through having his representation, his likeness, in the school.”

Sister Lucia Maria Sol, SCTJM, campus minister, led the unveiling ceremony, and pastor Father Brian Schieber blessed the statue, which features Blessed Acutis accompanied by one of his dogs, the Eucharist, a Bible and a rosary.

The sculpture is six-feet tall — the same height the teen was in real life — and made of wood except for his eyes, which are crystal. It took around six months to create.

The idea for the statue came about after a few members of the St. Michael staff visited the motherhouse of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Miami, where they saw the community’s lifelike sculpture of Blessed Acutis.

“They commented on how powerful it is and how beautiful and instrumental

Carlo is,” said Sister Lucia.

Last year, parish staff decided to commission their own version from the same sculpting company.

“Blessed Carlo is such a model of holiness for our time,” said Sister Lucia.

From the time he made his first Communion, Acutis attended daily Mass so he could receive the Eucharist, she said. He also prayed a daily rosary.

“From a young age, you could tell he knew his priorities,” said Sister Lucia. “He knew where the fountain of life was. He knew where authentic joy came from, and it’s the eucharistic heart of Jesus, our Blessed Mother, the saints.”

Acutis didn’t keep the faith to himself.

“He had compassion and empathy for others,” said Sister Lucia. “He made so many friends. He would go and feed the poor. He would be there for the suffering.

“He spent his life in service to others, bringing the joyful news of the Gospel.” Acutis also used his talent for technology to document more than 130 eucharistic mir-

acles, and his exhibit now travels around the world.

“St. John Paul II always said that the third millennium would raise up so many saints,” said Sister Lucia. “[Blessed Acutis] is a vivid and complete way of that.”

The campus minister believes Blessed Acutis’ profound faith amid suffering can be a model for students at St. Michael.

She hopes it will help them “understand that suffering, united with the suffering of Christ, bears so much fruit.”

“And that’s ultimately what makes us holy,” she continued. “It’s not just when happy moments are around or consolations, but the saints — and Carlo in this case — teach us how to lovingly and joyfully embrace suffering for the good of the world and the good of the church.”

Sister Lucia pointed out that the teen is still on the road to sainthood.

“And yet he has conquered the hearts of so many in our world today,” she said. “It’s just amazing.”

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Students and staff of St. Michael the Archangel School in Leawood gather around the new statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis after it was unveiled at the school and blessed by Father Brian Schieber, pastor of St. Michael. Parish and school leadership hope the lifelike figure will inspire students to live a life of faith like Acutis did before he passed away from leukemia at age 15.

For whom does Jesus wish you to be an instrument of his grace?

Recently, I was in line at the checkout counter at a QuikTrip. The man in front of me was buying some lottery tickets. He told me that if he won, he would give several million dollars to the church. In fact, he went on to say that he would become Catholic. I told him that I would pray for him.

Of course, the archdiocese has plenty of places where we could use several million dollars to assist our ministries. My first priority would be to give a bonus to all our Catholic schoolteachers and chancery employees. I would love to be able to open a shelter for homeless women comparable to the Shalom Center that we have for men. It would be wonderful to open another residential home for women experiencing an untimely pregnancy. I would love to make Savior Pastoral Center handicap accessible,

ARCHBISHOP

JOSEPH F. NAUMANN

update the infrastructure, renovate the chapel and upgrade our guest rooms. However, I would forego all of the above for the ability to share the gift of our Catholic faith with my checkout friend. Winning the lottery is not the best motivation for entering the church; however, the Lord can work with imperfect motivation and do some amazing things!

Easter is my favorite season of the year because so many

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS

adults are baptized or received into full communion with the Catholic Church. Many receive the Eucharist for the first time. Many young people and adults are confirmed, receiving the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts that the Spirit bestows. On Divine Mercy Sunday, in addition to all those who went to confession during Lent, many more receive the sacrament of reconciliation.

One of my favorite events of the entire year is celebrating Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday at St. Benedict’s Abbey Church and, within the context

of Mass, baptizing and receiving into full communion with the Catholic Church several students of Benedictine College. This year, 19 young people were baptized, received into the church and/or confirmed.

With the high percentage of already Catholic Benedictine College students, 19 young adults receiving the sacraments of initiation is amazing. Sixteen of the students are athletes. This is not surprising, because many of the non-Catholics on campus are recipients of athletic scholarships.

The number of adults who enter the church at Easter is reflective of the vitality of our Catholic campus centers and our parish communities. The Catholic faith is innately attractive when it is lived well. The joy and peace that comes from our friendship with Jesus and being part of a vibrant community of faith is enticing.

I told our new Catholic athletes that being Catholic is a team sport. You cannot live the Gospel by yourself. By its nature, Christianity must be shared in a community of friends. Our Catholic faith, lived in a vibrant community of fellow believers, is the antidote to the high levels of loneliness, anxiety, depression and even despair that plague very many young Americans.

I encourage you to consider: Who in your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers are not Catholic, maybe not even Christian? In your prayer, ask Jesus whom he desires for you to be his instrument of grace?

Pray for those God places on your heart.

ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN’S CALENDAR

April 12

Marriage event with J.P. DeGance — Sacred Heart of Jesus, Shawnee

April 14

Our Lady’s Inn gala — St. Louis

April 16

FOCUS leaders Mass and breakfast — residence

Confirmation — Sacred Heart, Shawnee

April 17

Meeting of the Curia — chancery

Jesus Covenant Prayer Partner call

Confirmation — St. Michael the Archangel, Leawood

April 18

Ribbon cutting and blessing — Villa St. Francis rehab-to-home wing

Confirmation — St. John the Evangelist, Lawrence

April 19

Eucharistic Revival bishops’ advisory group

April 21

Scouting Awards Mass — cathedral

Spend time with them. Share meals with them. Foster a deeper relationship with them. Ask them: What is it you can pray for them? Invite them to pray with you.

At some point, you might invite them to read and discuss one of the Gospels with you. Using the Holy Family School of Faith daily meditations, you might invite them to pray the rosary with you. Eventually, you might invite them to come to Mass with you. When you do, be prepared to answer questions about the Eucharist and the real presence of Jesus.

I do not believe my QuikTrip acquaintance won the lottery. The archdiocese has not received several million dollars from an anonymous donor.

However, I continue to pray for this man. I pray that he might encounter Jesus and his church.

Sadly, there are many reports about lottery winners whose lives are a wreck after receiving their lottery fortune. Being instrumental in helping someone encounter Jesus and become part of his church is better than winning a lottery.

Money and the material things it can buy will not fulfill the longings of our hearts. We are built for communion with God and friendship with fellow believers. The odds of winning the lottery are stacked against us. We cannot lose when we open our hearts to Jesus and invite others to experience his love.

A short but fruitful priesthood

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Shortly before he died, Father Travis Wade Mecum said something to Rick Wiseman, a friend who visited him at the hospital.

“Rick, I want to tell you, being a priest these last four years — with the support of Archbishop Naumann — have been the best years of my life,” he said.

Father Mecum, 55, died on March 27 while in palliative care at Villa St. Francis in Olathe.

While interviewing Father Mecum for his July 9, 2021, podcast “The Shepherd’s Voice,” Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann said, “One of the most important things I do as a bishop is ordain priests. One priest I ordain . . . will serve the church for decades and influence the spiritual lives of tens of thousands of people.”

Father Mecum was a priest for three years, 10 months and four days. Despite his short tenure, he did indeed influence the lives of many even as he lay dying.

Only God knows how many lives he touched.

“That’s what I told him,” said Tammy Legleiter, an older sister, and a member of St. Joseph Parish in Hays. “He saved so many people from suicide and brought them back to the church. I told him how proud I was that he saved people’s souls and lives.

“When he was in hospital, he still replied to people on Facebook and answered parishioners’ emails. Parishioners visited him in the hospital.”

Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant and homilist at his funeral Mass, held on April 5 at St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee. Burial was at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa. Arrangements were by Porter Funeral Home of Lenexa.

A desire for the priesthood

Father Mecum was born on March 10, 1969, in Hays, the youngest of five children of Gary and Clara Rose (Gould) Mecum. His father was the mayor of Olmitz and a deputy sheriff in Barton County.

The Mecum family belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and were the only non-Catholic family in Olmitz.

Two things began Mecum’s pilgrimage to Catholicism and the priesthood.

The first was when his family attended the installation Mass of the new Catholic pastor of St. Ann Parish in Olmitz, the late Father Ultan Patrick Murphy from Ireland.

The second was a friendship with Father Murphy.

The school bus stop was at St. Ann Parish. To reach it, Mecum would cut through the rectory garden and there he would occasionally meet Father Murphy.

“We struck up a friendship,” said

Father Mecum in a 2020 interview. “He really began my formation as a Catholic. My parents were not aware of it at the time. Watching him as he shepherded the community through the difficult and the wonderful times, I identified with that. I wanted to be just like Father Murphy. So, when I told my parents at age 11 I wanted to be a Catholic priest, it was a shock to them.”

They were adamantly against this. Nevertheless, Mecum began to secretly attend occasional Masses.

When he was 15, he contacted a Lutheran bishop about going to a Lutheran seminary, and then a Lutheran pastor when he was 25. Both discouraged him.

Mecum graduated from Otis High School in 1987. He and his family moved to Overland Park.

He attended Bethany College in Lindsborg, Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas City Kansas Community College and MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe. He joined the U.S. Army reserve and was active duty for two years.

His employment history included stints at Black & Veatch and Angel Berry Realtors. He became a sleep technician and worked for SomniTech; St. Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, Missouri; Shawnee Mission Medical Center; and MidAmerica Neuroscience Institute/Rowe Neurology Institute, Lenexa.

First steps on the pilgrimage

After a few years of fruitless “church hopping,” he told his mother that his desire to become a Catholic priest never left him. She surprised him by saying, “If you feel that strongly about it, maybe you should go and do it.”

The first step was to become Catholic, which he did in 2013 (his mother

would follow him in 2014, and his father in 2015).

Pat Centner, a pastoral associate and tribunal advocate at St. Ann Parish in Prairie Village, remembered how Mecum plunged into becoming a Catholic with enthusiasm.

“As soon as he was moving toward Catholicism, he wanted to do ministry,” said Centner.

He took the Eucharist to the homebound, those in nursing homes and in hospitals, and he developed a deep love for the sick and frail. He sang in the choir and had “an exceptional voice.” He became an altar server.

“He was a happy person,” said Centner. “He loved corny jokes. One thing he did was play Santa Claus for entire groups of families. He enjoyed being with people and celebrating the good.”

At the same time, he was very serious, solemn and reverent when it came to matters liturgical.

Ordination and priestly ministry

Mecum entered St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, which specializes in “later-inlife” vocations in 2015. He was ordained a transitional deacon by Archbishop Naumann on May 18, 2019, at Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park.

And then, he had an unconventional ordination to the priesthood by Archbishop Naumann on May 23, 2020, at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance was strictly limited, and everyone was masked and socially distanced.

Father Scott Wallisch, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee, was present as archdiocesan vocation director.

“It was emblematic of his journey to the priesthood that even his ordination was not easy or smooth sailing,” said

Assignments

• 2020 — Assistant pastor, Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa

• 2023 — Assistant pastor, St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee

Father Wallisch. “It took a lot of effort to make it happen. He didn’t do it for the glory or the fanfare. We asked [the two ordinands] if they wanted their ordinations delayed until more people could be there, but he said ‘No, I just want to become a priest.’”

Later, Father Mecum served under Father Wallisch at St. Joseph Parish.

“He was a unique priest with a unique set of gifts,” he said. “One of those gifts was a heart for those in hospitals, nursing homes or homebound. Soon after he got here, he went to work visiting those folks, giving them a priestly presence.

“We were only blessed to have him as a priest for a short amount of time, but he touched a lot of lives during that time. He was present to a lot of people. People gained a lot from the wisdom he shared in the confessional. He gave great homilies and people learned a lot from them. . . . He had a lot of simple wisdom he shared in various ways with people.”

Father Travis loved serving as a parish priest and all that it entailed, said his sister Julie Fields from Rochester, Minnesota. He was a dedicated caregiver for his parents. He loved spending time with his family and their cats.

“He enjoyed writing poems and short stories, as well as verses for cards and songs,” said Fields.

Father Mecum did not waste his suffering and fatigue in his last days. He offered it up to God on behalf of a man who was considering becoming Catholic, said Father Wallisch.

Father Travis Mecum, associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee, died on March 27 in palliative care at Villa St. Francis in Olathe.

LEAVEN FILE PHOTO BY LORI WOOD HABIGER

Outfitting new evangelists with tools for the mission

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — July will be here before you know it. Are you equipped for the mission?

This summer will usher in the final phase of the U.S. bishops’ three-year program for National Eucharistic Revival: The Year of Going Out on Mission from July 21, 2024, to Pentecost 2025.

On March 7 and 19, members of several archdiocesan parishes got ready for phase three by attending ArchKCK Days of Equipping. The session on March 7 at St. Pius X Parish in Mission was conducted in Spanish, and the second on March 19 at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa was conducted in English.

The Days of Equipping were sponsored by the archdiocesan office of evangelization.

Deacon Dana Nearmyer, archdiocesan director of evangelization, was pleased with the turnout. The Spanish session had 25 in-person attendees and 23 online, with an additional 700 who later accessed a video recording of the event. The English session had 65 in-person attendees.

“People were thrilled at both of the sessions,” said Deacon Nearmyer. “People are excited [about going out on mission] and feel it’s important to evangelize, but they’re frightened of it and they also feel unequipped.

“We broke it down into tiny, little things people can do in their regular, everyday lives that are pretty nonintimidating to be evangelizers, and we walked through some of the science, too. People really appreciated that. The hope is they can go and lead these equipping sessions in their own parishes. . . . We trained the trainers.”

The Days of Equipping covered practical resources for sharing the Gospel at work in their own lives, celebrating the good work that has already been accomplished, planning for the Year of Going Out on Mission, how to offer one’s testimony and how to live one’s witness of faith.

“Equipping is really about increasing the confidence in people who already have the grace and ability to do

this as baptized Catholics,” said Emily Lopez, archdiocesan director of adult evangelization.

“It helped remind them it’s more about being in relationship with people and earning the trust to have conversations that require vulnerability and intimacy,” she added. “It’s not just knowing facts about faith but really being willing to give time and going into the messiness of people’s lives to speak Jesus into the struggles they’re dealing with.”

During the Spanish session, one presentation was offered by “experts” in what it means to go out on mission.

“We invited [the Sisters the Poor of Jesus Christ] to give us a presentation about what does it mean to be on mission and what is mission, and I presented the

context about why we are doing this,” said Karla Melgar, archdiocesan consultant for evangelization.

“It’s living the mission every day in your life in the different aspects that we are moving in the different areas we move,” she continued. “How do you identify your own mission and how you are called to live the mission in those areas, but also the importance of the testimony of your life — how you are the Gospel living . . . and people are attracted because of the way you live.”

A lot of what was presented during the two sessions tied into concepts the office of evangelization had been promoting for the past three or four years: living a life of prayer, caring about others and sharing the faith — that’s mission.

Catholics on mission must learn how

WE HAVE A WINNER

St. John School in Lawrence won first place for best float by a nonprofit at this year’s Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The float theme was “Wild About St. John.” In addition to winning a trophy, the school was also given a check for $500. Father John Kolencherry, OFM Cap., associate pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish, kicked off the parade with a prayer. PHOTO

to have conversations with meaningful questions and having the faith and patience to let the Holy Spirit speak through us.

“We are not responsible for converting anyone, but we can muck it up if we show up with our own agenda,” said Lopez.

Authentic relationships are time-consuming and intensive, and you have to invest in others, but it is the only way faith is transmitted.

“You don’t have to be a super-evangelist, but you can be a real friend,” said Lopez. “Everyone needs real friends. . . . It’s within relationships and spiritual friendships where people grow.”

For information about current and upcoming events and resources from the archdiocesan office of evangelization, go online to: archkck.org/oe.

University of Saint Mary earns Military Friendly designation

LEAVENWORTH — The University of Saint Mary here announced that it has earned the 2024-25 Military Friendly School designation.

Institutions earning this designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-25 survey, with 537 earning special awards for exceeding the standard.

The 2024-25 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found online at: www.militaryfriendly.com.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

From left, Pilar Herrero, Lupita Villalobos, Genaro Sanchez, Sister Monica Bernadette Aguello, SCTJM, and Armando Diaz talk about practical resources for sharing the Gospel at work and in their own lives during the March 7 Day of Equipping at St. Pius X Parish in Mission, which was conducted in Spanish. There was also an English Day of Equipping held March 19 at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa. The Days of Equipping were sponsored by the archdiocesan office of evangelization.

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

BEHOLD KC to be ‘event of a lifetime’ FAQ

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — It began with a forgotten photograph found in the archives of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

The 83-year-old black and white photograph shows a crowd of thousands gathered outside at night before a stage, raised on the north lawn in front of the Great Frieze of what is now the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri.

The caption on the photograph reads, “Holy Name Rally and Closing First Diocesan Eucharistic Congress, Kansas City, Mo., May 4, 1941.”

It’s a powerful photograph that speaks across the years of a robust Catholic faith.

The photograph was shared with Bishop James Vann Johnston Jr., of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, who shared it with his neighbor, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

And then they had an idea: Why not do it again?

The two bishops hope that thousands of Catholics will again gather at that same place from 4 to 9:30 p.m. on May 4 for BEHOLD KC, a eucharistic adoration event that is part of the U.S. bishops’ three-year National Eucharistic Revival.

This is the first big local event of the revival.

“BEHOLD KC will be another opportunity to join with thousands of other Catholics from Kansas and Missouri to worship our eucharistic Lord,” said Archbishop Naumann. “I believe that many will experience the depths of God’s love for them in a deeper, more profound way.”

Deacon Dana Nearmyer hopes that today’s Catholics will respond with as much faith as those who gathered in the past.

“[BEHOLD KC] has been tagged as one of the largest eucharistic celebrations in modern Kansas City history,” said Deacon Nearmyer, archdiocesan director of evangelization.

“We want as many people as possible to come and experience this, so they have that same kind of ‘mile marker’ in their head, that so many people prioritized coming together to pray with their bishops and priests with the Eucharist in one of the most prominent places in [the metropolitan area].”

This once-in-a-lifetime event, which occurs during the “Mission” phase of this third year of Eucharistic Revival, is a unique opportunity to experience the unity of the church, strengthen our own faith and evangelize others through public witness, according to Deacon Nearmyer.

The event will include a bilingual Spanish/English Mass and rosary, opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation and eucharistic adoration, and musical performances by local parish choirs and nationally known Catholic recording artist and composer Steve Angrisano.

Registration for this free event is not required but is strongly recommended. Details and registration can be found online at: www.beholdkc.org.

WHO WILL BE THERE?

• Archbishop Naumann from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas

• Bishop Johnston from the Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph

WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

• Praise, worship and music from both local and national talent

• The sacrament of reconciliation

• Rosary led by School of Faith

• Celebration of Mass

• Eucharistic adoration

WHEN IS THE EVENT?

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

WHERE IS THE EVENT?

The National World War I Memorial north lawn (the side facing Union Station)

2 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, Missouri

WHY SHOULD I ATTEND?

• It’s been over 80 years since a public outdoor eucharistic adoration event of this size has occurred in Kansas City!

• Boldly praise and worship Jesus present in the Eucharist.

• Gather with Catholics and non-Catholics in a collective expression of love for Jesus.

• Satisfy your weekend Mass obligation in a whole new way.

Q. Why this date and location?

A. The first major outdoor eucharistic adoration event in Kansas City occurred at the Liberty Memorial on May 4, 1941. As the National Eucharistic Revival closes out its Parish Year in 2024, this celebration recreates the first gathering from 80-plus years ago.

Q. Is registration required?

A: While this is a free event, we strongly recommend registering in advance so that we can communicate event updates.

Q: What can/can’t we bring?

A: Plan to bring your own seating. Guests will be allowed to bring in one sealed water bottle, up to one liter, per person. Do not bring tents, tables, grills, outside food and beverages, hard-sided coolers or picnic baskets.

Q. Can we bring food?

A. No. We are working on some plans for food options on-site or near the event venue while still observing the one hour fast prior to receiving holy Communion.

Q. Where do we park?

A. There are a number of parking options for this event. A grass lot on the east side of the National WWI Museum and Memorial will be available for public parking. Paid public parking lots may also be available at Union Station. Limited accessible parking will be available on the U-shaped drive on the south side of the National WWI Museum. Group and bus parking options will be available. Reach out to us online at: BeholdKC@gmail.com for more information on bus/group parking.

Q. How are you keeping us safe?

A. We are planning for a comprehensive security presence that will include limited access areas, private security and KCPD.

Q. What happens if it rains or there is severe weather?

A. The event will go on rain or shine.

Archdiocese marks day of atonement for sexual abuse

KANSAS CITY, Kan. —

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann will celebrate Mass at Savior Pastoral Center here on April 26 at 6:30 p.m. for the annual Day of Prayer in Atonement for Sexual Abuse in the Church.

All are invited to attend.

A short presentation will take place after the Mass on the topic of sexual abuse and restorative justice, including how the archdiocesan office for protection and care utilizes those principles. There will also be time for fellowship.

“We want this to be a beautiful and inspiring experience of hope,” said Melanie Savner, administrative assistant for the office for protection and care.

The purpose of the day and

the Mass is for the archdiocese to publicly recognize the scourge of clergy sexual abuse, she explained.

“We want survivors to feel welcomed, respected, heard and hopeful as a result of attending this Mass,” said Savner.

“We admire the great courage survivors show when they reveal abuse,” she continued, “which they have often kept inside for decades.”

Kathleen Chastain, associate director of the office, said the healing power of prayer can make a difference.

“We hope all will join us on April 26 at the Mass of Atonement or in private prayer,” she said, “remembering those who continue to suffer, often carrying this burden secretly.”

John and Pat (Brady) Anderson, members of Corpus Christi Parish, Lawrence, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on April 18. The couple was married on April 18, 1964, at St. Joseph Church, Lillis, by Father Carl Dekat. They have a son, Jeff Anderson, and two grandsons.

Eugene and Imogene (Weishaar) Bertels, members of Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Marys, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on April 20 with Mass at the church followed by supper at their home for immediate family. The couple was married on April 20, 1954, at St. Joseph Church, Nortonville. They will return to St. Joseph for a Mass on April 21 and host a breakfast for family and friends afterwards. Their children are: Catherine Rafferty, Debra Burrous, Martha Creevan, Mike Bertels, Alan Bertels, Phil Bertels (deceased), Jerry Bertels and Dan Bertels. They also have 20 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.

Sandy (Peresko) and Dennis Tillery, members of the Church of the Holy Cross, Overland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary April 20-21, highlighted by a dinner with family on April 21. The couple was married on April 20, 1974, at St. Anthony Church in Kansas City, Kansas, by Father Francis Keehn, OFM. They have three sons — Arik, Alec and Adam — and five grandchildren.

Deborah “Deb” and Steven “Steve” Zimmerman , members of Christ the King Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on April 19. The couple was married on April 19, 1974, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Hays, by Msgr. Armand Gerard. The couple will celebrate with a family dinner followed by a Caribbean cruise in June. Their children are: Andrew, David and Jeffrey. They also have four grandchildren.

SevenDays celebrates 10th anniversary

KANSAS CITY, Kansas — SevenDays, a Kansas Citybased nonprofit organization that overcomes hate by promoting kindness and understanding through education and dialogue, is marking its 10th anniversary with several events.

SevenDays was created after a white supremacist murdered William Corporon, his grandson Reat Underwood and Teresa LaManno outside of Jewish facilities in Overland Park in 2014. In the aftermath of the tragedy, family and friends of the victims were determined that love, not hate, would be their legacy.

On April 14, SevenDays will host its first Community Kindness Festival. This free event is scheduled from 4:30-7 p.m. on the grounds of the Jewish Community Center, 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park. The festival will be a fun, family-friendly afternoon of music, food trucks and interactive kindness activities for people of all ages. Kansas City’s own Kate Cosentino, who appeared on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2023, is the festival’s headliner. Cosentino is a cousin of Terri LaManno.

For more information, go online to: sevendays.org. This includes tools for educators, faith groups, businesses and organizations.

on page 4

It’s easy to see homelessness as simply a statistic. But these are not statistics, they’re people. Taking some time to really talk to the homeless can help us realize that.

By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org

So, how do we as a church and nation end chronic homelessness?

The answers might vary, depending on the community, the individuals being served and their needs.

For example, Eric Arganbright, the director of community engagement for the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition in Lawrence, has done some outreach with military veterans. He said oftentimes veterans could find housing, but are not able to furnish it. So, they’d live in an apartment with nothing but a sleeping bag, later returning to the homeless camps simply for a sense of community.

But, when the veterans were given some basic furniture and a few cooking utensils, the abandonment rate went down by 98%.

“Furnishing that apartment is so huge, and finding those resources, especially in rural areas, is challenging,” Arganbright said. “People are kind, but there’s such a large need.”

Arganbright would like decisionmakers to focus on solutions, but policymakers need to educate themselves first.

“Take time to listen and chat and work with people who are in the field and who have studied and gone to school and understand what the best practices are,” Arganbright said. The policymakers should not be afraid to

REAL PEOPLE, REAL SOLUTIONS

Homelessness can be solved, but it’s complicated

There’s not only a lack of affordable housing, but a lack of housing period, said Denise Ogilvie, chief mission integration officer for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas.

implement those best practices on a larger scale.

Christy McMurphy, executive director of the same organization, agreed, as did Barry Feaker, who

served as executive director of the Topeka Rescue Mission from 1986 to 2022.

>> Continued on the next page

Ways to help those who are homeless

The Kansas Statewide Coalition has a list of emergency shelters and advocacy organizations serving those in need across the state available on its website at: kshome less.com/kshc/resources. Also, quick online searches for emergency shelters or organizations serving the homeless within a community typically yield a lot of information.

There are numerous organizations across the archdiocese as well, including the Little Brothers of the Lamb, the Little Sisters of the Lamb and the Poor of Jesus Christ, that provide opportunities for archdiocesan Catholics to get involved, whether on the ministry or the advocacy side. Or, as individuals, Catholics can:

• Pray for those experiencing homelessness and those serving them.

• Carry snacks or bottled water with you, ready for distribution if you encounter someone in need.

• Educate yourself and others on the topic by suspending judgment and learning the facts.

• Attend public meetings at all levels of government.

• Choose elected officials wisely by being aware of their voting records.

• Volunteer your time consistently and regularly at a service organization.

• Contribute financially to organizations already engaged in solving homelessness.

“For us to do our work, we need outreach, especially in rural communities. There’s no funding for that,” McMurphy said. “We need more affordable housing. We need wraparound services and funding for those services, services which are client specific. They need to be what the client needs, not what somebody thinks they need.”

Feaker said how those who are homeless are viewed also needs to be part of the solution.

“Is this a person or a problem? If we’re going to look at them as a problem, we’re going to deal with it one way,” he said. “If we’re going to look at them as a person who has problems — which is all of us — we’re going to handle it a different way.

“So, that’s where we start. If we find out who the person is and we then try to unpack the problems they’re experiencing, we have a better chance of having a better understanding of what to do.”

In his interactions with policymakers, in particular, said Feaker, “There are three main things I’ve been telling people: We all need a healthy relationship; we all need opportunity; and we all need some guidance.”

Feaker doesn’t totally agree with the old adage about teaching people to fish and you’ve fed them for a lifetime.

“You can teach somebody how to do something all day long,” said Feaker. “But if they can’t get a job, don’t have legs to walk, don’t have a car to drive, don’t have anybody that will hire them because they don’t have an address — now you’ve eliminated the opportunity.

“You’ve given them a fishing pole with no fish in the pond.”

SOLUTIONS THAT ACTUALLY WORK

Those ideas, said La Manda Broyles, executive director of the Topeka Rescue Mission, are not necessarily popular with policy-makers.

“Homelessness has become a topic that is talked about in homes, talked about politically, talked about on national levels, local levels, but I feel like people are talking more about opinion than . . . facts or from experience doing the work,” said Broyles. “There’s not a quick fix with homelessness.

“We’re really working hard to find out the why. . . . And right now, that’s not popular because it takes time. It’s relationship building. It takes resources. There are opinions saying that we’re enabling, and I will challenge any of that to say, ‘No. We’re building relationships so that people can transform their own lives and walk alongside them while that’s happening.’”

McMurphy and Arganbright want policy-makers to focus on solutions that actually work.

“Don’t be afraid to invest in solutions that actually work. Housing works,” McMurphy said.

Denise Ogilvie, chief mission integration officer for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, agreed.

For decades, she said, the amount spent on housing has been calculated as 30% of one’s income.

“That has been the standard in America forever, and 30 percent includes your mortgage, your taxes, your insurance and your utility bill. That’s what the bank uses to loan money,” she said.

But it’s not an accurate reflection of today’s housing market.

For example, in Wyandotte County, the poorest of all 105 Kansas counties,

went down by 98%.

Ogilvie said more than 55% of renters pay more than the standard amount. In Johnson County, a county in some ways much more affluent, the percentage of

people paying more than the standard amount has risen to 39%.

“We would call those families cost-burdened, and we would also say

they are housing insecure because they’re one month away from something happening.”

Asking if society is even providing

Uplift is a mobile street outreach that goes to homeless people in the Kansas City area by van three nights a week with food, clothing and other essential

Eric Arganbright, director of community engagement for the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition in Lawrence, said that in working with homeless veterans, his organization could find housing for them but the veterans would often return to homeless camps simply for a sense of community if the house was not furnished. But, when the veterans were given some basic furniture and a few cooking utensils, the abandonment rate

affordable housing anymore, Ogilvie said in some communities, especially rural ones, there’s not only a lack of affordable housing, but a lack of housing period.

‘BUILT FOR ZERO’

Affordable housing, John Krehbiel said, is key.

He is a member of Justice Matters, an interfaith organization that exists “to move Lawrence toward a city where justice rolls down like a mighty river; to surface, understand and address issues of justice in the region; and to strengthen understanding of the scriptural imperative to do justice.” Krehbiel also serves on the Lawrence Community Shelter’s board of directors as well as other boards, work groups and committees.

Three years ago, Justice Matters became one of the driving forces behind getting the city of Lawrence and Douglas County to commit to being a “builtfor-zero” city.

“What we have done historically with the subject of homelessness is said community by community by community, ‘What can we do to manage it better than we managed it last year? What can we do to manage it better?’ All the conversations have always been around the

word ‘manage it,’” he said.

“When a community decides to change the narrative from managing homelessness to ending it, that’s a different conversation,” he added.

Krehbiel noted most service and advocacy organizations in Lawrence, Kansas City, Kansas, and Topeka have adopted the same mindset, even though city leaders may not be there yet.

Reaching functional zero, Krehbiel said, means a community has created the infrastructure “whereby homelessness becomes rare. It becomes brief, and it becomes non-reoccurring.

“When you go down the road of reaching functional zero, you learn very quickly that without housing, you’ll never get there.”

On any given night, Trey George, a member of the task force and chief executive officer for the Topeka Housing Authority, said the housing authority helps to provide 4,000 people with roofs over their heads. Of those, at least 68% are elderly or have a disability — mental or physical. He agrees that wraparound supports are needed, too. He’d also like to provide even more housing options.

WRAPAROUND

Along with housing, Krehbiel believes that support services are necessary for

Voices of the homeless

Rhudy

A guest at the Emporia Rescue Mission

On those who are homeless in general

“Even though there are so many similar backgrounds, everyone is carrying their own story. Oftentimes, they carry a lot of hurts, and that can lead to poor choices. Also, circumstance in itself can lead to homelessness. There are people out there who do not have the resources and the ability to care for themselves. Some people function on a level that can get them by, but would really benefit from . . . us, the body [of Christ], to reach out and be the hands and feet to those who might not seem like they can be helped.”

On what he wished policymakers knew and understood

Noting that some charities and private citizens across the country have been fined for providing meals or a sleeping bag, Rhudy said, “Our elected officials are shutting them down. I understand the necessity of keeping public areas clean but creating these deterrents into the infrastructure around train stations and bridges, such as spiked bridges, is cruel. Allow the goodhearted people to help. Don’t get in the way because, if nothing [else], there are organizations, largely church-based, that want to provide care and shelter for people.”

On how others can help him and others in similar situations

“Keep your eyes and ears open for someone in need. If you have that focus, you will find people in need. Maybe it’s just someone who needs a pat on the back. Maybe it’s someone you come across every day. Develop a relationship with them. Learn what put them in that situation. Be open to the Holy Spirit’s moving because he will move upon us with compassion. That is the number one cure for homelessness, I believe.”

Ron Jarowitz

Lead supervisor, Emporia Rescue Mission

On how he tries to help the other guests

“The main thing is love. I tell the guys I love them. I want them to know that because that’s why I’m here. I love what I do. I love the guys that come in here. I totally believe that if I show them love, they’re going to take it in like a sponge. If I show them love, it means somebody cares about them. Society has kind of cast them away.”

On what he sees policymakers doing with tax dollars

“How are people not that important? You can take that money and help these people. Why is that money going other places?”

Mindy

A guest at Topeka Rescue Mission’s warming shelter

On who is homeless

“It could be anybody. Everybody goes through hardships. . . . What if it’s you out there needing help — no money, no job, no nothing — and you’re trying to survive?”

On what she wished people would do for her and others like her “Sit down with someone and get to know them.”

On why she helps others, even though she herself is homeless

“I enjoy helping out others, even though I don’t have anything. It’s how Jesus is. Even if it’s my last bit of money or my last bit of food, I’ll give it to whoever needs it. . . . I know how it is not to have something.”

Ryder

A guest at the Topeka Rescue Mission

On his situation in general

“I came to be with my mom. She’s having trouble with bills and stuff, homeless as well, but I’m here, trying to get things going again. I love to work, but right now with the weather conditions and no vehicle, it’s tough.”

those experiencing homelessness to be able to “change their life, change their mind, change their habits, change everything — in other words, the transformation.

“Just the housing won’t do it. With just housing, you’ll have reoccurrence.”

That was the experience of Sister Vickie Perkins of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.

According to Sister Vickie, retiring in April from her longtime and pivotal role at DePaul Leavenworth Attainable

Housing, providing affordable housing to those in need has to be just a part of a larger program. That larger program needs to also provide wraparound services and supports for it to work.

First, participants have to meet regularly with a financial advocate.

“If they’re coming to us for housing, there’s some kind of financial problem,” she said. “So, let’s get somebody who can help them.”

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LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE essential supplies. Typically, the organization serves 250 to 400 people per night.

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The second pillar, Sister Vickie explained, focuses on health care — both physical and mental. Clients, she said, agree to address their health care needs either at St. Vincent Clinic for physical health or the Guidance Center for mental health needs, both in Leavenworth.

The third pillar is community. The idea is to bring all of the clients together for a monthly activity.

“Most of these folks don’t have a support base,” she said. “They don’t have somebody they can call if they need something.”

The fourth and final pillar relates to the house itself. Clients agree to weekly, hourlong meetings with a housing support specialist.

“He’s in the house, so he knows the house is being taken care of,” Sister Vickie said. “He sets goals with them, talks about what they need to do in order to meet those goals. . . . He finds out so many things during those weekly visits that we can address.”

“We’re not going to end homelessness if we don’t have someplace for people to live,” she concluded. “Having someplace for them to live means having the support they need to be able to stay in that house.”

‘THEY FEED SOULS’

Lee Alderman has seen that firsthand.

Trained as a behavior analyst with a doctorate in education and child psychology, Alderman has been executive director of the Emporia Rescue Mission since 2009. He puts his formal training to use in assessing each guest’s particular needs.

What are their abilities? What type of job might best fit them? If they get a job, what type of transportation do they need? Do they need to apply for governmental assistance for a physical or developmental disability? Do they need services to treat a mental health diagnosis?

With a staff of three, 200 volunteers and a budget of $100,000, the shelter is licensed to house 20 guests. On an average night, though, the shelter houses about 15.

The average guest, usually 33 to 35 years in age, stays around two to four months. During that time, Alderman surrounds them with love and tries to address all their needs by linking them to community resources.

“We try to get their mental health taken care of [as well as] their physical health,” he said. “We have a retired Kansas Works employee who focuses on getting the men jobs. . . .

He’s retired, but he goes [to the shelter] three days a week.”

The shelter also works on documentation needs such as IDs, birth certificates, etc.

Most importantly, though, Alderman and his staff provide the men with financial stability through at least three to five paychecks. About once a week, a guest moves into permanent housing, something that Alderman said is “just amazing to see.”

Alderman said the success he’s seen with the men he serves is due to one key factor: trust.

Broyles agreed, saying the Topeka Rescue Mission’s meal ministry provides more than 150,000 meals annually, something which helps build that trust.

“They feed souls,” Broyles said. But they’re also doing more.

“They’re building relationships with our unsheltered neighbors,” said Broyles, “because that unsheltered neighbor might not be ready yet to come into the shelter. . . . Our hope as we’re feeding souls is that one day they’ll say, ‘I’m ready for that next step. I’m ready to begin healing. This isn’t what I’m supposed to do. This doesn’t feel good anymore.’”

Like Broyles, Deacon Mike Denning of Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe sees firsthand the importance of building trust.

As a member of a mobile street outreach known as Uplift, he and other volunteers load a van every week with food, clothing and other essential supplies, all of which are distributed to the homeless wherever they live. Typically, the organization serves 250 to 400 people per night.

For example, during the extreme

cold this past January, the deacon estimated that Uplift distributed more than 350 zero-degree sleeping bags.

Deacon Denning goes out on the first, third and fifth Saturdays, always working the same route. As a result, he has the chance to build trust with those he serves.

“I’m looking individual people in the eye, and then we’ll exchange something,” he said. “The relationship grows a little bit deeper, and trust starts to build.”

Trust, he said, is “super critical” in helping people in addressing the root causes of someone’s homelessness. As both organizations provide food, shelter and supplies, they also try to provide referrals to community resources in order for their clients to exit homelessness quickly.

At the end of the day, said Deacon Brad Sloan, longtime member of Topeka Rescue Mission’s outreach team, it’s important for Catholics to ask themselves what Jesus would do.

“We know that Jesus himself had a preferential thing for the poor, for the disenfranchised, for widows and orphans, people that were suffering,” he said. “I think that it is one of the key things that we’re taught by his earthy life.

“That is what is at the core of Catholic social justice: that preferential treatment of the poor and the disenfranchised, those people that are marginalized.

“I get choked up talking about it. I have a big lump in my throat right now, and I’m trying not to cry. But when we look at our brothers and sisters struggling in that way, what is it that you see? What is it that you truly see?

“Is that your brother? Is that your sister? Or do you see something that just needs to be swept out of the way because it’s bothersome for you?

“That’s where the relationship piece comes in. If you see these individuals in the way Christ sees these individuals, how can you turn away? How can you ignore it?”

PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

On Jan. 16, a day when temperatures and wind chills were brutal across the region, Jenny Falk, director of Mobile Access Partnership Operations at the Topeka Rescue Mission, talked with Ryder, a guest and a volunteer at the mission’s warming shelter. Falk and a team of volunteers found Ryder in the bitter cold a few nights earlier. First, he stayed at the warming shelter, then at the mission itself.

An important part of helping the homeless is to make sure that they get both their physical and mental health needs addressed.

Iowa basketball superstar supported by Catholic faith, family

By John Knebels OSV

Wearing scrubs en route to the hospital to begin her day, a health care specialist was asked how much she knew about Caitlin Clark, the University of Iowa basketball superstar who has led her Hawkeye teammates — and by extension, all of “Hawkeye Nation” — to almost unprecedented acclaim in women’s basketball.

Not akin to assessing athletes and their acumen, she quickly and succinctly summarized Clark’s entrenchment in women’s basketball.

“That basketball that she dribbles and shoots and passes serves as a great metaphor for Caitlin Clark,” said the nurse. “The basketball is round, just like the world. And right now, Caitlin Clark has the world by her fingertips.”

That Clark has managed to permeate both the zealous and casual sports fan provides a testament to the level of her national impact at the young age of 22.

At this point, it’s an arduous task to cover new ground when it comes to Clark, a lifelong and reportedly devoted Catholic who attended St. Francis of Assisi parochial school in West Des Moines, Iowa, from kindergarten through eighth grade, and then spent four years at nearby Dowling Catholic High School.

Local reporters from Clark’s hometown have been sharing her exploits since the end of grade school. Clark wasn’t even a high school junior before national publications began pegging her as a can’t-miss collegiate standout. By the time she was a senior, the words “Caitlin Clark” had soared through the internet like an out-of-control locomotive with no definitive destination.

Those who have known Clark, however, said they never noticed any apparent change in her affable, comfortable, confident personality when early daily publicity — and subsequent almostridiculous national coverage last year and, in particular, the past few months — threatened to scrutinize every move Clark made both on and off the basketball court.

“She’s handled it as well as any 21- or 22-year-old could,” said Kristin Meyer, her high school basketball coach at Dowling, who somehow manages to cheerfully return countless phone calls from those researching Clark’s

star-studded scholastic career.

“Her support system starts with her family. She doesn’t get caught up in fame or the business aspect,” Meyer said. “She was like that in high school. She didn’t look to seek attention. She didn’t spend much time on social media. She’s grounded. Humble.”

When Clark played in grade school, Meyer immediately noticed a “different type” of player. Clark’s improvement quickly skyrocketed, rising to uncommon heights.

To communally celebrate their 2020 alumna, the Dowling Catholic student council rented out a local theater April 1 to watch Clark in the Elite Eight that night. They weren’t disappointed after she scored 41 points and threaded 12 assists in a 94-87 win over Louisiana State University that earned a trip to the Final Four.

“It’s incredible,” said Meyer. “It’s still surreal . . . the level of notoriety to women’s basketball. It’s not all about Caitlin Clark, of course, but she is a part of it. As terrific a player as she was in high

school, I can’t say I expected this level of success.

“Her court vision. Her understanding. I haven’t seen a higher IQ,” Meyer continued. “She’s fun to watch. She’s so consistent. Scores 30 or 40 against great teams. It’s an art. She can make it look effortless.”

Like Meyer, one of Clark’s gradeschool mentors at St. Francis — sixthgrade math and science teacher Jill Westholm — recalls Clark’s kind, easygoing disposition as a youngster and has witnessed her former pupil’s ability to remain stable despite unlimited attention from fans, media and even curious bystanders who can’t quite make sense of Caitlin-mania.

“It’s so crazy to me to see her in this superstar world,” Westholm told OSV News. “The same Caitlin you see today is the same Caitlin who walked the halls as a 10-, 12- and 14-year-old. She’s the Caitlin Clark who is very smart. Intelligent. Very driven. The Caitlin Clark who never gave less than her best. The Caitlin Clark who was and is very loyal

to her friends. The Caitlin Clark who, even in middle school, had their backs.”

Using some of the tools she learned in grade school and high school and benefiting from a close, faithsharing family, Clark recently started the nonprofit Caitlin Clark Foundation — described as a mission to “uplift and improve the lives of youth and their communities through education, nutrition and sport.”

Last November, Caitlin partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa and, with help from Nike, personally donated close to 100 hoodies, winter gloves and hats to help keep youngsters warm this past winter. Along with a sizable personal monetary donation, she also donated 57 basketballs, 15 footballs, 12 soccer balls and 15 jump ropes to the Boys & Girls Club.

“She uses her gifts to give back,” said Meyer. “She’s not bigger than the game of basketball, but she knows she has the capacity to help other people and is enthusiastic about doing as much as she can.”

KIRBY LEE-USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) controls the ball against Connecticut Huskies guard Nika Muhl (10) in the Final Four of the women’s 2024 NCAA Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland April 5. Clark graduated in 2020 from Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa.

EMPLOYMENT

Food access coordinator - Are you passionate about providing food access for low-income families and have a heart for advocacy? Do you have experience with community outreach and serving low-income families? Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is seeking a food access coordinator to manage our federal food and nutrition programs and to increase food access in our 21-county service area. To learn more and apply, visit: catholiccharitiesks.org, go to the blue box that says “Work With Us” and click on “Careers.” Then go to “View All Opportunities,” click on “View All” and then scroll down and click on “Coordinator, Food Access.”

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Retreat and spirituality center director - The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth are currently seeking a director for the Marillac Retreat and Spirituality Center. The director is responsible for leading the center, drawing on our mission and charism to serve the critical spiritual needs of God’s people today by providing an environment of prayer, peace, hope and transformation. As St. Vincent, St. Louise and Mother Xavier taught us, the Marillac Center is a place of encounter for the poor and marginalized and all those who serve them. The ideal candidate will possess a master’s degree in theology, spirituality or related field; knowledge of or willingness to embrace the mission and values of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth and the Vincentian charism; and previous experience working in a space focused on hospitality, rest or spirituality. To view the full job announcement, please visit our website at: www.scls.org. If you possess the desired qualifications and would like to work for a truly wonderful and outstanding religious community, please email a cover letter with salary requirements and your resume to: recruiting@scls.org.

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After-school care lead teacher - Nativity School in Leawood is seeking an after-school care lead teacher for our day school and K - 5th grades. Applicants should be at least 18 and have a previous teaching or assistant teaching position in a licensed early childhood program. Must be Virtus-trained and CPR/firstaid certified. Hours are Monday - Friday from 3 - 6 p.m. with one Tuesday per month from 1:45 - 6 p.m. Please contact: Katie.King@kcnativity.org.

IT specialist - Church of the Nativity Parish and School in Leawood are seeking to fill the position of IT specialist. This full-time position will oversee the development, implementation, maintenance and use of technology to support the church and school. They will be responsible for day-to-day operations of information and telecommunication systems, providing support and maintenance of existing technology and development of new technical solutions. They report to the director of IT. Go online to: www.kcnativity.org/ employmentopportunities for the full job description. Resumes should be sent to: jobapplication@kcnativity. org.

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Theology teacher - St. James Academy is seeking a full-time theology teacher for the 2024-25 school year. The ideal candidate will be a practicing Catholic with a passion for evangelization and experience teaching at the secondary level. Applicants should apply online through the archdiocesan website at: archkckcs.org/apply and click on “Teachers” and also send a resume and cover letter to principal Dr. Shane Rapp at: srapp@sjakeepingfaith.org.

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

Communication coordinator – St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee is seeking a full-time communications coordinator. The communications coordinator will coordinate and support the St. Joseph Campus with communication projects. This position will work closely with the school principal, EEC director and parish office to develop and implement communications strategies, media relations, social and digital media, article writing, video production, advertising/ marketing initiatives and other communication support as needed. A successful candidate should be Catholic, with strong relationship skills and the ability to work in a collaborative setting. The overall goal for this position is to promote St. Joseph Catholic Campus as the go-to source for relevant, reliable, evidenced-based information. Interested applicants should email resumes and cover letter to Father Scott Wallisch: frscott@stjoeshawnee.org or call (913) 6315983 for more information.

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

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

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

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

Staff job openings - Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, a Catholic college offering higher education for those who may not otherwise be served, has the following staff job openings available: security receptionist, part-time administrative coordinator for the nursing department, academic adviser, director of development, part-time front desk receptionist and admissions counselor. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.

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

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

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

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

Caregivers needed - Daughter & Company is looking for compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide sitter services, light housekeeping and light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match up hours desired. Contact Gary or Laurie at (913) 341-2500 if you want to become part of an excellent caregiving team.

SERVICES

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

Quality work - Quality painting, remodeling and minor electrical repairs. Call Rob at (913) 206-4524.

Garage door repair expert New Garage Doors Garage Floor Coatings

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

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

Free estimates - We are offering free estimates to all those thinking about painting this year. At Stone Painting, we put the customer first. We provide interior, exterior house painting along with deck staining, fence painting, etc. Stone Painting ensures a professional, clean and fair-priced job. Call today for your free estimate. (913) 963-6465.

Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704. Ros painting - Transforming your home one paint coat at a time. Over 20 years of residential and commercial interior and exterior painting. Reliable, professional and affordable. Insured. Call or text Ramiro today for a free estimate. (913) 579-5016.

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.

Catholic counseling - Sam Meier, MA, LCPC - (913) 9522-267 and David Walter, MA, LCPC - (402) 9130463 - book an appointment at: StillWatersKC.com in person or telehealth.

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.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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

STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 5791835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.

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

Local handyman - Painting, int. and ext., wood rot, mason repair, gutter cleaning (gutter covers), dryer vent cleaning, sump pump (replace, add new), windows, doors (interior and exterior), honey-do list, window cleaning and more! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118.

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

REAL ESTATE

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

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

WANTED TO BUY

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

BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS

Divine Mercy Parish

555 W. Main St., Gardner

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

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

WIDOWED WOMEN OF FAITH

Perkins Restaurant (back room)

1720 S.W. Wanamaker Road, Topeka

April 16 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Join other “Widowed Women of Faith” for lunch and companionship. No RSVP is needed, just come. Invite other widowed women of faith. We meet every month on the third Tuesday. Email any questions to: WidowedWomenof Faith@gmail.com or call (913) 558-0190.

AUTISM AWARENESS

Corpus Christi Parish

6001 Bob Billings Pkwy., Lawrence

April 16 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Come learn what is autism, how it is diagnosed and treated, what challenges people with autism and their families face, what support networks exist and how individuals can support loved ones/community members. Guest speakers are Sean Swindler from the KU Center of Autism Research & Training and Jim Hamilton, parent advocate and Church of the Ascension, Overland Park, parishioner. This free and open to the public presentation is for an adult audience.

HEARTACHE TO HEALING

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

9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park

April 16 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.

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

>> Continued from page 12

Wanted to buy

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

I’m a cash buyer. We’re Holy Trinity parishioners.

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

Wanted to buy - Antique & Collectibles: jewelry, military items, railroad, sterling, OLD holiday/toys and more. Renee Maderak (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.

Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.

Wanted to buy - I buy coin collections, military items, pocket watches, jewelry, class rings, old toys, holiday items and more. Cash in hand. Call Kirk at (913) 213-9843.

CAREGIVING

Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary.

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

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

HEALING MASS

Curé of Ars Parish (Father Burak Room)

9405 Mission Rd., Leawood

April 18 at 7:30 p.m.

A Mass with prayers for healing, sponsored by area charismatic prayer groups, will be held. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

POTLUCK DINNER

Most Pure Heart of Mary (Culhane Room)

3601 S.W. 17th St., Topeka

April 18 from 5 - 7 p.m.

The Christian Widow and Widowers Organization will host the potluck dinner. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call Gen at (785) 230-2473.

IGNATIAN DAY OF REFLECTION

Ignatian Spirituality Center

1100 Rockhurst Rd., Kansas City, Missouri

April 20 from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Come spend a day to experience listening for God in your prayer and daily life. Father Greg and Father Larry will offer Ignatian insights and prayer points to develop and deepen your relationship with God. For more information, visit the website at: www.ignatiancenterkc.org/events and look for “Ignatian Weekend” or contact Regina Santana by email at: rsantana@ ignatiancenterkc.org or call (816) 381-9168.

BEREAVEMENT MEETING

Curé of Ars Parish

9405 Mission Rd., Leawood

April 20 after the 8 a.m. Mass

The bereavement ministry will have a brief support meeting. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

ANNUAL SPRING BINGO

Holy Family Parish (Mejak Hall)

513 Ohio Ave., Kansas City, Kansas

April 20 at 5:30 p.m.

Dinner will be served from 5:45 - 6:45 p.m.

Bingo starts at 7 p.m. Cost is $20 for a bingo card, a sausage supper and two drink tickets. Additional drinks are available for purchase. No one under 21 admitted. Cost at the door is $25. For more information or to RSVP, contact Cathy Schneider at (913) 413-0022 or Sandy Cannon at (913) 396-1564. Reservations may also be made by email at: holyfamilychurch1925@ gmail.com or csandysangels@aol.com.

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

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

FOR SALE

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

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

For sale - Two cemetery plots at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa. Plots located in the Assumption Garden north of the Veterans’ Memorial and under a tree. Valued at $5190; asking $4500. Call (913) 6498072.

LINGER OVER BREAKFAST

St. Teresa’s Academy

5500 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri

April 20 from 9 - 11 a.m.

Want to enjoy beautiful butterflies, vegetables and flowers in your backyard, along with enhancing sustainability? The program will be presented by Amy Hereford, CSJ. There will be tips on gardening, composting and seed-saving, to home energy audits and beekeeping. We can enhance our lives, one plant at a time. Friends from area gardening collectives will also be on hand to help with your next steps in growing green.

CHARITABLE GIVING STRATEGIES

St. Ann Parish (hall)

301 William St., Effingham

April 24 at 7 p.m.

This parish workshop, presented by Jeannine Edmonds from nVision Wealth, will include information on understanding different kinds of investment accounts and tax consequences for each.

MEN’S FIRST BRING-AFRIEND WELCOME BREAKFAST

St. Michael the Archangel (Porter Hall)

14251 Nall Ave., Leawood

April 25 at 7 a.m. (after 6:40 a.m. Mass)

All men and their friends, regardless of parish, are invited. Father Luke Doyle will give a presentation on evangelization and welcoming. Breakfast and the event are free. RSVP is required to Rich Henry by email at: rhenry72@gmail.com or Mike Bartoski at: mike.bartkoski@bvmbiologics.com.

CAMP TEKAKWITHA

WOMEN’S RETREAT

Prairie Star Ranch

1124 California Rd., Williamsburg

April 26 - 28

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

CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN DIVORCE SUPPORT

St. Pius X Parish

5500 Woodson St., Mission

April 27 at 6 p.m.

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

SUDS & SCHOLARSHIPS 2024

Boulevard Brewing Company

2501 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri

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

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

ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

Tomahawk Hills Golf Course

17501 Midland Dr., Shawnee

May 10 at 8 a.m.

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

BISHOP MIEGE 50TH REUNION

Class of ’74

Looking for the class of 1974 Bishop Miege alumni. If you know someone who graduated from Miege in 1974, give them this information. Plans are underway for the reunion. We are looking for contact information (bios, photos and reunion registration fees) for some of our classmates. For up-to-date information, go online to: www.facebook.com/BMHS1974Reunion. Organizers’ emails are as follows: Janet Hostly Schlake at: jschlake55@gmail.com (reunion organizer); Maureen Reintjes at: deskside2@yahoo.com (send contact information to Maureen); and Steve Faltermeier at: steve.faltermeier@gmail.com (golf tournament).

THIRD WEEK OF EASTER

April 14

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

Acts 3: 13-15, 17-19

Ps 4: 2, 4, 7-9 1 Jn 2: 1-5a

Lk 24: 35-48

April 15

Monday

Acts 6: 8-15

Ps 119: 23-24, 26-27, 29-30 Jn 6: 22-29

April 16

Tuesday

Acts 7:51 – 8:1a

Ps 31: 3cd-4, 6ab, 7b, 8a, 17, 21ab

Jn 6: 30-35

April 17

Wednesday

Acts 8: 1b-8

Ps 66: 1-3a, 4-7a

Jn 6: 35-40

April 18

Thursday

Acts 8: 26-40

Ps 66: 8-9, 16-17, 20

Jn 6: 44-51

April 19

Friday

Acts 9: 1-20

Ps 117: 1-2

Jn 6: 52-59

April 20

Saturday

Acts 9: 31-42

Ps 116: 12-17

Jn 6: 60-69

JEANNE JUGAN 1792-1879

Born in Brittany, in France, Jeanne was 4 when her fisherman father died. Her mother supported six children as a farm laborer. Jeanne became a kitchen maid at 16, and her mistress took her on visits to the sick and poor. She joined a third order at 25, working in a hospital for six years, then returned to domestic service. Soon, however, she began devoting herself entirely to care of the poor, especially widows, living in community with two other women. Though she established the Little Sisters of the Poor in 1842, she was not recognized as the order’s founder until 1893. Canonized in 2009, she is considered a patron of the elderly.

What will you choose: A table or a fence?

Sometimes you come across a quote that’s so inspirational that it won’t let you go. Here’s one that’s been challenging me: “When you have more than you need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence.”

One fence that I’ve constructed over the years has to do with homeless people. For example, after enjoying a delicious meal in Lawrence, it’s rare not to encounter someone begging.

With a full stomach, more often than not, I focus my attention away from them as if they don’t exist. I smugly judge them as lazy, opportunistic, mentally unstable or addicted to alcohol or drugs. I justify ignoring them by saying to myself, “If I give them some money, I’m just enabling their disordered lifestyle.”

It’s easy to think this way when I have a roof over my head, health, insurance, a job, supportive family and friends, plenty of food and drink, disposable

FATHER MARK GOLDASICH

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

income and a car. Always at the back of my mind, though, are the words of the late Father Ray Davern, a fellow archdiocesan priest. When criticized by parishioners for handing out money to those who came to the rectory door for help, he’d say, “If I don’t give them something, that’s on me. But if I do give them something and they misuse it, that’s on them.”

He knew clearly

MARK MY WORDS

which side the Lord wanted him on.

The two-part series on homelessness — found on pages 7-10 in the March 29 issue and on those same pages in this issue of the Leaven — have expanded my vision. The reasons why people become homeless are varied and complex . . . as are the solutions.

I’ve heard people cruelly say to those who are homeless, “Hey, go get a job!” Easier said than done for someone who may have no permanent address to put on an application form, no phone where they may be contacted, no suitable work clothes, no transportation, no health insurance or no-

where to maintain their personal hygiene.

And even if they have a place to live, they may not have the financial skills to retain it (pay rent and utilities, for example) or money to buy furniture, cookware or food. I also never considered that homelessness may be the cause of alcohol or drug abuse or mental health issues rather than the reason for it.

The compassion — and frustration — of those who work with homeless people comes through powerfully in this series. Their commitment and practical suggestions to help them in their work are inspirational.

A few weeks ago, the youth group at Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie began making “blessing bags.” Each one is generously stuffed with the following items: a Bumble Bee tuna salad kit, hand sanitizer, bottle of water, pair of white socks, wash rag, toothbrush and toothpaste, comb, tube of body wash and an Oreo cookie. This

is an ideal solution, especially for those who are leery of giving out money.

Will it solve the problem of homelessness? No. But it will tell one person that they have dignity and are worthy of care. These bags are available at no charge to our parishioners to hand out.

In this time when folks might be spring cleaning, consider donating to organizations that battle homelessness. The compassionate work of Catholic Charities, Uplift Organization and the numerous other agencies mentioned in this series in Topeka, KCK, Leavenworth and elsewhere would welcome your time, talents and treasures.

It’s said that we make a living by what we get out of life, but we make a life by what we give. I don’t know about you, but I’m using the wood from dismantling my fence to build that bigger table.

The risen Jesus is speaking to us, too, across the centuries

“Y

ou are witnesses of these things.”

It almost sounds like an episode of “CSI: Jerusalem.” But the case unfolding in this Sunday’s Gospel is part of a larger story that gives the overwhelming events of Holy Week and Easter a surprisingly relatable, realistic dimension.

Luke gives us a risen Jesus who not only appears, talks and teaches, but he is also a Jesus who is unmistakably human. He even makes it clear he’s not a mirage, a phantom or a figment of their imagination. This is nothing supernatural.

DEACON GREG KANDRA

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

He is real. “A ghost,” he explains patiently, “does not have flesh

and bones.”

Passages like this serve to tell us that these aren’t flukes, daydreams or isolated cases of someone having too much wine and imagining he spotted a friend walking along the road. The Gospel assures us: A lot of people saw Jesus, heard him, even touched him. And we come to realize he is not just speaking to those in the room. He is speaking to all of us, across the centuries.

These appearances remind us that Christianity involves both communion and community. It is lived among others. Jesus first sent his

War is ‘folly,’ pope says as he leads

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis held up a well-thumbed, camouflage-covered pocket edition of the New Testament and Psalms and a small fabric pouch containing a rosary.

He told people at his general audience April 3 that the Bible and rosary had belonged to 23-year-old Oleksandr, a Ukrainian

followers out “two by two” to preach the Gospel. When he rose from the dead, he appeared repeatedly to multiple people at a time. And today, the great work that he began continues with communities of believers.

The message is clear: The Gospel we hold in our hearts is not something meant to be kept to ourselves. It’s meant to be lived, practiced, shared with others.

Christ’s great work in the world — the work of saving souls, healing wounds, opening eyes, inspiring hope — is to be lived and spread everywhere.

The fundamental message of the resurrection is heard in Christ’s first word to his followers: “Peace.” What he conveyed to them is now our charge to convey to others. We need to spread the word.

Pentecost is coming, and fire will fall and another thunderous event will remind us of the church’s first days and the astounding tale we have to tell.

We are Easter people!

This Sunday’s Scripture serves to keep that idea before us — and help us remember this beautiful truth: We are all witnesses of these things.

prayers for Ukraine, Gaza

soldier killed at Avdiivka. “He had his life ahead of him,” said Pope Francis as he asked the thousands of visitors and pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square to observe a moment of silent prayer for “this young man and many others like him killed in this folly that is war. War always destroys. Let’s think about them and pray.”

The pope also spoke of his “profound sorrow” at the news that seven

members of the humanitarian group World Central Kitchen were killed by Israeli strikes on their vehicles in Gaza April 2 “while they were working to distribute food aid.”

World Central Kitchen said the seven killed included an Australian, a Pole, three British men working security, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, and a Palestinian.

Do you feel equipped to share the faith? If not, we can help!

Are you magnetic?

Are you equipped to experience the faith in your heart, in your home with your family, with your friends and co-workers? Do you attract people by your curious and meaningful life?

Jesus calls us in both the great commandment and great commission to be in deep loving relationship with him and to share the roadmap and journey with others to him.

Your own soul and the eternal destiny of your family and friends are tied to embracing Christ and sharing the gateway to his heart.

The archdiocesan office of evangelization

SEEKING CHRIST’S HEART

DEACON

DANA NEARMYER

Deacon Dana Nearmyer is the director of evangelization for the archdiocese.

is offering Days of Equipping to send parish leaders home with simple and effective tools for both experiencing and witnessing

the good news of the Gospel. The approach and many of the tools can be found online at: archkck.org/oe/theenflame-movement.

Experiencing and passing on the faith is about magnetic living and relationships that are rooted in Jesus Christ. We invite you to dive into our eucharistic revival website

— archkck.org/eucha ristic-revival — to find face-to-face experiences that will leave you better equipped to listen, care and respond.

One of those experiences, Behold KC, coming on May 4 will be a powerful day of witness.

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the Diocese of Kansas City — St. Joseph in Missouri are joining forces to recognize Our Lord in the Eucharist and to plead for his blessing over Kansas City, over both respective dioceses, our country and the world.

This event is inspired by the prayers, hopes and dreams of those in a 1941 photograph taken at the

Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, of some 8,000 Catholics praying while facing the massive Great Frieze, which represents the progression of humankind from war to peace.

Join us at the Liberty Memorial to literally pray over Kansas City and witness Christ’s openness, readiness and fullness to the city.

Check out Behold KC online at: beholdkc. org. This is a free event. Behold KC will include Mass, confession, nationally recognized live musical talent, local choirs and the largest public eucharistic adoration opportunity in our city in more than 80 years.

This summer, Camp

Tekakwitha (archkck. org/camp), will be equipping youth and families to pray, care and share the freedom and assurance of walking with the Lord. Additionally, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, (www. eucharisticpilgrimage. org), will be coming through our archdiocese with several opportunities for families to walk closer with Our Lord both physically and spiritually. The National Eucharistic Congress (archkck. org/revival/2024eucharistic-congress/) is gathering 80,000 Catholics to equip them and to send them to where they live, work and play to pray, care and share.

Like Mary, our ‘fiat’ is essential to the completion of God’s work

Our daily life is filled with choices — what to wear, what to eat, how to use our time.

We have access to an incredible amount of data at our fingertips to inform these decisions. However, this increased ability to choose does not seem to actually improve the quality of our lives.

It may be quite the opposite. Studies have found that the stress of ongoing, active decision-making can lead to impulsivity or inaction. The activity of deciding can literally drive us to stop making any decisions.

EMILY LOPEZ

Emily Lopez is the lead consultant for adult evangelization. ALONG THE WAY

Fortunately, we have a clear model for intentional decision-making in the witness of Mary. This past week, our church celebrated the solemnity of the

Faith comes first. It’s a simple concept that’s repeated to all of us throughout our faith journey, but we all need that subtle reminder from time to time.

Like being reminded on a flight that it’s important to put our own oxygen mask on first, if we try to put something before our faith, we’re the first to suffer.

When we were bringing the archdiocesan health care ministries of Catholic Hospice and Homecare (formerly under the Catholic Charities umbrella) and Villa St. Francis all under a single banner, we felt it

Annunciation. Usually celebrated nine months before Christmas (March 25), this year’s date fell during Holy Week and the Octave of Easter so it was moved to Monday, April 8.

The Annunciation celebrates the incarnation of Jesus, the moment that our divine

God took on human flesh. But this was more than an announcement — it was also a decision. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was both troubled and confused by the unexpected encounter. This was the moment when the fall of man through the sin of pride was offered a redeeming invitation — to submit the gift of free will to God. Mary’s decision framed the course of salvation history for all of those who had come before her and those to come after. God and all of his creation waited for her words: “May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).

Mary’s reply was more than submission; it was an intentional decision to offer God everything. Her “yes” to his plan for her, allowed his plan to redeem all of us. In humble obedience and faithful trust, she allowed God to work incredibly through her life.

In the busyness of life, it’s easy to forget that God desires to work incredibly through our lives. We are not just passing time on earth; we are uniquely created to know, love and serve God now.

We have an eternal mission that can only be known through relationship with Christ. Before her decision,

Keeping the Catholic in Catholic health care

HEALTHCARE, THE CATHOLIC WAY!

BRAD HEIDRICK

Brad Heidrick is the CEO of Catholic Community Health.

was important to name the organization with this thought in mind: Catholic Community Health is first, and foremost, Catholic. One important way

that we demonstrate the critical importance of leading with our faith is by adhering to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services (or ERDs, for short).

This document, put out by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, makes our care

decisions much easier, by providing guidelines on nutrition, hydration, pain management with optimal consciousness and much more. It serves as a critical reminder that each person we serve is made in the image and likeness of God.

One of our hospice volunteers truly said it best: “When I’m at the bedside praying with someone in need, I can see the face of Jesus right there before me. It’s an opportunity to encounter him in the flesh.”

Recently, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann has made the ERDs particular canon law to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, and we are grateful

for his leadership and guidance.

We are blessed to have experts — like our chief mission officer, deacons and a member of our board — certified in the ERDs who offer guidance and training to our staff.

Seeing the fruit that has been born of this education, we have started doing presentations at parishes to help form the faithful throughout the archdiocese and educate them on the critical importance of authentically Catholic care. You can feel the Holy Spirit guiding this movement, and I am grateful to play a part in it.

“Health care in

Mary lived a life open to God, allowing her to hear his call. Her first decision every day was to serve him. She could not have known where that daily decision would ultimately lead.

Do we desire to serve God first every day? Do the decisions in our life prioritize our relationship with him? Are we just passing time or do we recognize the great magnitude of our intentional existence right now?

Only through our “fiat” can God’s work be completed in us — may the decisions we make every day be a faithful surrender to his will in our lives.

the United States is marked by extraordinary change.” This opening sentence of the ERDs is something that we feel each and every day. Our patients’ needs and the world around us are in a constant state of flux.

Part of our mission is to educate and equip those that we serve, their families and all those that we encounter on the importance of following the ERDs, especially as the only Catholic hospice provider in the Kansas City area. And armed with this great wisdom provided by our bishops, we are able to deliver excellent, but more importantly, Catholic, care.

New Catholics feast after Easter Vigil at Basehor parish

By Therese Horvat Special to The Leaven

BASEHOR — Immediately following the liturgically rich and joy-filled observance of the Easter Vigil at Holy Angels Parish here, the celebration continues each year with what has evolved into an extraordinary banquet in the parish hall.

Pastor Father Richard McDonald describes the Easter Vigil liturgy as the “feast of feasts” that engages all of the senses.

“After the liturgical splendor,” he explained, “our parish expands upon the holy celebration of Christian culture by giving parishioners the opportunity to greet and warmly welcome the newcomers to the church while enjoying fine cuisine. The spirit that goes into the planning, food preparation and decor for the banquet is testimony to the great volunteers at Holy Angels who value our vital parish community.”

Hearty welcome

The post-Easter Vigil meal’s primary purpose is to extend a hearty welcome to those newly received into the church. Mission accomplished for Hunter Benedict who was baptized, confirmed and made his first Communion during the Vigil Mass. The entire evening — from the intense focus on the Resurrection in the liturgy to the chance to meet and talk with many people at the meal — impressed Benedict.

Likewise, Christina Oberg felt overwhelmed in a good way by the vigil service and the celebratory meal. Christina and her husband Sean were confirmed and received their first Communion at the March 30 vigil.

“So many people congratulated and welcomed us,” Christina said. “They told us they had been praying for us.”

Christina was pleasantly surprised by the fancy dinner after the Easter Vigil. The parish hall took on a fine dining atmosphere under the direction of parishioner Karen Gaffney and a team of volunteers. Wrapped candy Easter eggs interspersed among greenery beautified each table.

‘Not your usual church dinner’

And then there was the elaborate menu, leading Donna Thomas, parishioner and regular attendee at the banquet, to note, “This is not your usual church dinner.” Donna and her husband Terry directed RCIA at Holy Angels for several years and remain active in parish ministries.

This year’s menu included an appetizer course of mini-sandwiches, bruschetta, cheese and crackers, and vegetable and fruit trays. Entrees included

ham, chicken cordon bleu, both chicken and lobster tortellini, and pasta with a secret family dressing made by Paul Rittof, parish business administrator. Asparagus, cream cheese mashed potatoes, a vegetable medley and rolls rounded out the meal.

The desserts definitely signaled the end of the Lenten fast. With efforts coordinated by Cathy Kern, parish assistant, a small group of volunteers prepared chocolate dipped strawberries, assorted pies and cheesecakes, strawberry shortcake and more.

Rodney Ashley served as master chef, assisted by his fellow Knights of Columbus members. And David Alvarado has

overseen the menu and staging of the meal since the dinner’s inception in 2012. Alvarado is a longtime friend of Father McDonald and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York.

Father McDonald first experienced a post-Easter Vigil celebration at a seminary in New York City. Aware of Alvarado’s expertise and culinary skills, the pastor turned to him to introduce the event at Holy Angels.

“We put David’s finely crafted skills to work,” said Father McDonald.

Having passed the master chef baton to Ashley, Alvarado is anticipating attending a future vigil banquet as

a participant and not an adviser.

“You could not ask for a better volunteer base than the Holy Angels group,” said Alvarado. “Rodney is so organized and has it down to a formula for how much to order and prepare and the timing it all takes.”

Well worth the effort

The banquet has expanded to welcome more guests each year. With 12 persons received into the church this year at Holy Angels, 200 parishioners and guests attended the meal. While the Easter Vigil banquet requires considerable time and work, the parish volunteers consider it well worth the effort.

“It’s a really great event that welcomes those joining the church, and it builds camaraderie and bonding among parishioners,” said Kern.

Donna Thomas believes the gathering is a wonderful way to develop friendships and cultivate community. Terry Thomas points out that the evening engages parishioners from the three different weekend Masses who may not otherwise have opportunities to interact.

The Easter Vigil and banquet also attract individuals received into the church in prior years. Having experienced the Vigil liturgy, the delicious meal and the expansive hospitality, new and established parishioners share the sentiments of Christina Oberg who said, “We’re going to want to help with and be part of this special dinner to welcome others into the church and the parish.”

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Edys Antonio Batista (left) and Dan Torline (right) serve Loriann Marx, Isabella Diaz and Roni Fortin at the Holy Angels Easter Vigil feast. The meal’s primary purpose is to extend a hearty welcome to those newly received into the Catholic Church.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Father Richard McDonald, pastor of Holy Angles Parish in Basehor, celebrates the Easter Vigil on March 30. He is assisted by Nicholas Monaghan, dean of men at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, and a friend of Father McDonald.