06 21 19 Vol. 40 No. 41

THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 40, NO. 41 | JUNE 21, 2019

WALK BY FAITH Young Leawood parishioners take on the Braille Challenge STORY AND PHOTOS BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD

As one of only 50 students to qualify for the North American Braille Challenge, Brooke Petro attends the Alphapointe Braille Challenge Study Program twice a week to hone her Braille skills.

L

EAWOOD — Brooke Petro is gradually losing her eyesight.

A seventh-grader at Church of the Nativity School in Leawood, she understands her future will be filled with challenges.

But when asked how she finds the strength to face that future, this beautiful young girl answers with confidence and conviction: “I walk by faith, not by sight.”

This verse from the Second Letter to the Corinthians is Brooke’s favorite, and her Catholic faith is her bedrock.

Her mother, Lyn Petro, has learned to type Braille so she can translate Brooke’s schoolbooks, as well as her religious education materials and weekly Mass hymns.

“Part of the challenge with [visually impaired] kids is helping them be literate in our faith,” she said. “They should be able to know and love Jesus.”

Knowledge is power When Brooke was 18 months old, her parents learned she was visually impaired due to a retinal condition

Jude Nickson prepares for the Braille reading comprehension and spelling competitions at the 2019 Braille Challenge national finals on June 21 and 22 at the University of Southern California. and made the decision to have her learn Braille as soon as she started preschool.

“We wanted Brooke to be able to choose what she wants to do with her life,” said Lyn. “And the only way she can do that is if she’s literate.”

At this point, Brooke has enough

vision to read print.

“But it has to be really big and it takes me a very long time,” she said.

“Braille is much faster because I can read it with my hands, and I don’t have to strain my eyes.”

Braille literacy gives the blind a great advantage in life, especially when

it comes to education and career opportunities.

To promote Braille literacy, the Braille Institute, a nonprofit organization in southern California, developed a national competition for students in first through twelfth grade called the Braille Challenge Each year, thousands of students compete in preliminary Braille Challenge events throughout the United States and Canada, but only the top 50 are invited to the Braille Challenge in Los Angeles.

Five years ago, Brooke qualified and placed second in the youngest age group.

“It was really nerve-racking,” she said. “I remember feeling sick when I was waiting for them to call the names.

“But it was a great experience and I knew I wanted to come back.”

She did come back, qualifying and placing first in her age group every year since.

Two for the road This year, another student from the archdiocese will join Brooke at the Braille Challenge. >> See “FAITH” on page 6

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Wathena parish focuses 150th on families

By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org

June 21 Closing Mass for Senior High Max Camp — Prairie Star Ranch

W

ATHENA — She didn’t expect it.

After all, it wasn’t her birthday. That had already come and gone back in March.

Still, when Thelma Hewens, 99, heard her name read as the oldest parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in Wathena, she said she felt truly honored and humbled.

Hewens was among a group of six or so honored as the oldest parishioners prior to the 5 p.m. Mass on May 25, as part of the parish celebration of its 150th anniversary. In addition to honoring the oldest parishioners, members paused to offer a moment of silent prayer for the “faith stewards” — the deceased members of the parish throughout its history.

Established in 1869, St. Joseph Parish has never had more than 100 families and currently has 82 families. In fact, its small size, according to parishioners, is what makes the parish special.

It also explains why organizers kept the festivities modest.

“We kept it low-key,” said Father Francis Baykor, the parish’s pastor, adding that the parish intentionally chose to keep things “local” and focused on its families.

That included the family of Father Henry Wertin, the only living priest to have come from the parish. Currently a priest in the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado, Father Wertin celebrated the anniversary Mass, along with Father Baykor.

In his homily, Father Wertin reflected on the words of Psalm 67 in which the psalmist prays, “May God be gracious to us and bless us. May his face shine upon us.” The parish, he said, has been blessed these 150 years and will continue to be so to the degree that parishioners practice the faith. He reminded those gathered of the promises of the Easter season — that, one day, the faithful will all share in eternal life with Jesus.

After Mass, a dinner followed in the nearby parish hall, where families had a chance to enjoy food and

Archbishop Naumann

June 23 Corpus Christi Mass, exposition and procession — St. Mary-St. Anthony, Kansas City, Kansas June 24 Kathy O’Hara’s retirement Mass and reception — St. Joseph Church, Shawnee June 26 Life Teen national convention Mass — Benedictine Abbey

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Father Henry Wertin, a priest in the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado, and the only living priest to have come from St. Joseph Parish in Wathena, celebrates St. Joseph’s 150th anniversary Mass with Father Francis Baykor, the parish’s current pastor.

“

“I THOUGHT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. IT’S A GOD-GIVEN GIFT.” fellowship. During dinner, Hewens, a lifelong member of the parish and a graduate of the parish’s grade school, offered a few thoughts.

“I’ve had quite a life,” she recalled.

Born and raised in the area, Hewens and her husband, raised nine children in the parish — all of whom, except one, attended the parish grade school as she had done before them.

(The school closed in 1970, so the youngest child finished grade school within the public school system.)

Like Hewens herself, all nine children also received their sacraments at the church.

In fact, most of Hewens’ memories involve the parish and/or the church itself in some way. Recalling church picnics and other such activities, the kids she met in grade school and the church’s architecture, Hewens said she felt proud to be both a cousin to Father Wertin as well as a member of

St. Joseph Parish.

That sentiment was shared by another one of the parish’s oldest members, Agnes “Aggie” Wertin. At age 89 (she turns 90 in October), she presented the gifts at the offertory to her pastor, Father Baykor, and her son, Father Wertin. She said she will always treasure that memory.

Speaking about the parish’s anniversary itself, she said, “I thought it was absolutely beautiful. It’s a God-given gift.”

Like Hewens, Wertin raised her children within the parish — all 11 of them.

Although not brought up in the parish, she moved to the area when she got married and has remained since. She, too, has many fond memories of watching her children grow up in the parish and grade school, adding that she has no regrets.

Recalling her late husband of 61 years, she said even his funeral Mass brought joy and consolation to her since — prior to his death — she witnessed firsthand his suffering from cancer. The funeral Mass made her realize that his suffering was now over and he was at peace.

“Everything’s a good memory,” she concluded.

June 27 Dianna Bagby’s retirement Mass and reception — Savior Pastoral Center June 30 Religious Freedom Mass and ice cream social — Church of the Ascension, Overland Park July 5 Pitching for Priests game — T-Bones Stadium, Kansas City, Kansas July 11 Johnson County Serra Club’s annual seminarian Mass and barbecue July 14 Installation of Father Daniel Coronado — St. Joseph, Olpe Baptism of third or more child — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas July 15 Keeler Women’s Center blessing “Shepherd’s Voice” recording

Archbishop Keleher June 27 Dianna Bagby’s retirement Mass and reception — Savior Pastoral Center

2

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

NATION

3

BISHOPS TAKE ACTION

10-point plan acknowledges ‘episcopal commitments’

By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service

B

ALTIMORE (CNS) — The U.S. bishops approved a 10point statement, “Affirming Our Episcopal Commitments,” June 13 during their general meeting here in which the bishops hope to regain “the trust of the people of God.” The 217-1 vote, with two bishops abstaining, was applauded by the bishops gathered in Baltimore for the meeting.

Approval was needed by two-thirds, or 180, of all U.S. bishops.

The bishops were scheduled to discuss the statement at last November’s general meeting, but a vote was put on hold after the Vatican asked the bishops to not pass any proposals regarding clerical sexual abuse until it had had sufficient time to review those proposals.

In 2002, the bishops approved a “Statement of Episcopal Commitment,” in which they declared that the provisions of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” applied to them as well.

But a stronger response was called for after last summer’s revelations of the decades-long abuses committed by Theodore McCarrick, a former cardinal who was laicized earlier this year, and the release last August of a Pennsylvania grand jury report on a months-long investigation into abuse claims against clergy and other church workers in six Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses dating back to 1947.

The week before the bishops’ meeting, details emerged from the Vatican-ordered investigation of retired Bishop Michael J. Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, spelling out a multitude of financial and sexual improprieties. Bishop Bransfield resigned last September, shortly after fresh allegations of sexual misconduct involving adults were reported against him — the first allegations surfaced in 2012 and dated back to the 1970s, when he was a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who was appointed apostolic administrator of the diocese last September, restricted Bishop Bransfield’s ministry. Archbishop Lori also was charged with overseeing the investigation.

“Some bishops have failed in keeping to these promises (made at their episcopal ordination) by committing acts of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct themselves,” the text of the new statement says. “Others have failed by not responding morally, pastorally and effectively to allegations of abuse or misconduct perpetrated by other bishops, priests and deacons. Because of these failures, the faithful are outraged, horrified and discouraged.”

The statement adds, “The anger is justified; it has humbled us, prompting

CNS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER

Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley looks on as Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Oregon, speaks from the floor during the spring general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore June 13. us into self-examination, repentance and a desire to do better, much better.

We will continue to listen.

“In his personal letter to the U.S. bishops in January 2019, Pope Francis reminded us that the consequences of our failures cannot be fixed by being administrators of new programs or new committees. They can only be resolved by humility, listening, selfexamination and conversion.”

The document, formally presented June 11 by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, was itself updated from a version mailed to bishops in May and received further modifications during the Baltimore meeting. The previous document, then titled “Acknowledging Our Episcopal

President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)

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

Commitments,” had nine points. The approved statement has 10.

The newest point reads: “We are also committed . . . to include the counsel of laymen and women whose professional backgrounds are indispensable.”

Other points in the document include: • “We will continue to reach out to the victims/survivors of sexual abuse by the clergy and their families in support of their spiritual and emotional well-being” so they can “find the care and healing they need.”

• Pledging that the requirements of the 2002 charter “apply to bishops as well as to priests and deacons and commit to hold ourselves and, fraternally, hold our fellow bishops to comply fully with the charter’s ‘Statement of Episcopal Commitment.’”

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

Reporter Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org

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

• Promote and disseminate details on how abuse can be reported to an independent third-party entity. “While safeguarding confidentiality of all persons involved, every effort will be made toward transparency and keeping the reporter appraised of the status of the case.”

• Amend if necessary diocesan codes of conduct to state “unequivocally” that they also apply to bishops.

• “Make sure that these codes of conduct contain proper explanations as to what constitutes sexual misconduct with adults as well as what constitutes sexual harassment of adults.”

• “We will be always mindful that there can be no ‘double life,’ no ‘special circumstances,’ no ‘secret life’ in the practice of chastity.”

• Quoting from the 2004 Vatican directory for the pastoral ministry of bishops, “Apostolorum Successores,” and Pope Francis’ May “motu proprio,” titled “Vos Estis Lux Mundi” (“You are the light of the world”), “our first response will be to provide for the pastoral care of the person who is making the allegation, as well as follow the established church and civil procedures to investigation. This will be done in cooperation with lay experts and civil authorities.”

• Participate in gatherings “in regard to best practices in dealing with sexual abuse of minors, and sexual misconduct with or sexual harassment of adults.”

• When proposing names of potential future bishops, “we will offer candidates truly suitable for the episcopacy.”

Cardinal Tobin told his fellow bishops June 11 that it was “the expressed desire” of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops “to include bishops in the requirements of the charter (‘Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,’ approved in 2002) in a way that didn’t require a change in the Essential Norms,” also passed in 2002 and are considered particular church law for the United States.

It represents, he said, “a pledge to hold ourselves and one another to complying fully to the ‘Statement of Episcopal Commitment,’” also approved in 2002. “We can’t immediately change the Essential Norms, but we have the possibility of taking what is said in the charter and applying it to ourselves.”

Following a question posed June 13, he said he sees no contradiction between “Affirming Our Episcopal Commitments” and the “Statement of Episcopal Commitment,” nor was the former meant to replace the latter. “It is on ourselves to uphold our standards,” he added.

Bishop W. Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City, Missouri, said during the discussion, “Now that we have experienced this horrible year of bad bishops, the laity are demanding, too, that something must change.”

Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

4

HOME SWEET HOME

African ministry finds a home at Prince of Peace

By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org

O

LATHE — It’s not easy to move to a new place — especially when it’s a continent away.

But this is the reality that hundreds of Catholic families originally from Africa are now living in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

When they arrived, many felt like outsiders — and it’s caused them to leave the church.

“Our archdiocese should have approximately 800 African families,” said Thomas Miano Ngundo, a Prince of Peace, Olathe, parishioner from Kenya. “But they are at evangelical churches.”

On July 7, however, the archdiocese is launching a new ministry for African Catholics based at Prince of Peace Parish. It will kick off with a 1 p.m.

Mass celebrated in the African tradition with fellowship to be held afterward. Going forward, African ministry Masses will be celebrated the first Sunday of each month.

And it’s been a long time coming.

A place for the African in the United States It was over a year ago that Ngundo and Ngugi Kamau, also a Prince of Peace parishioner, began organizing a plan for African ministry in the archdiocese.

Ngundo has been involved with the National Association of African Catholics in the United States (NAACUS) for some time and recently became the Region IX NAACUS coordinator.

Region IX is comprised of the states of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa.

In his new role, Ngundo approached the archdiocese about launching a ministry for African Catholics to show them they still have a place in the church.

Many feel more embraced by evangelicals, said Ngundo, than their fellow Catholics.

“We have evangelical communities here who are from Africa and they continue quite successfully,” said Kamau. “Africans like to sing, we like to dance, we like to do things the way we do back home. . . . The evangelicals have that.”

While various African Catholic communities exist in the archdiocese, they are separated by parish and/or nation. And sometimes, they struggle to organize themselves.

African ministry hopes to unite Catholics from Nigeria, Eritrea, Kenya, the Congo, Sudan, Togo, The Gambia and more under one roof: Prince of Peace.

And African ministry will provide a space that will honor African Catholic traditions and educate on how to evangelize, empowering Africans in their own parishes.

“If they join the community here, then we can give them a voice and help them,” said Ngundo.

“Somebody telling them they are welcome will not work unless they feel it,” he added.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

From left, Thomas Ngundo, Father Jerry Volz and Ngugi Kamau talk about the new ministry for African Catholics being launched on July 7 at Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe where Father Volz is the pastor. African ministry Masses will be celebrated on the first Sunday of each month at Prince of Peace.

“

“WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE DIFFERENT CULTURES COMING TOGETHER, YOU REALLY FEEL THE BEAUTY [OF THE GATHERING] — OF ALL PEOPLE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD.”

Open wide the doors Prince of Peace pastor Father Jerry Volz couldn’t be happier about opening his parish’s doors to the new ministry.

“I know our parish here is excited,” said Father Volz. “I think it will allow the community of Olathe to be exposed to a greater sense of the universal church.”

The African ministry will also have its own chaplain: Father Beyuo Kuukole.

In addition to his experience ministering to Americans as a former chaplain of Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, Father Kuukole has considerable experience ministering to multicultural communities.

While still in his native Ghana, Father Kuukole ministered to a diocese that included about 23 ethnic groups — and almost every one spoke a completely different language.

“When you have those different cultures coming together, you really feel the beauty [of the gathering] — of all people before the throne of God,” he said.

“This ministry,” he continued, “will allow [Africans] to know there is at least a place they can go and find one or two people who might speak their language.”

Because of the wide diversity of languages among African nations, the African ministry Masses will be celebrated in English.

“We also want the parishioners and communities around to come,” said Kamau. “We don’t want to isolate ourselves.

“We are just celebrating Mass the way we do it in Africa and we hope to make people feel they belong.”

The search for belonging Kamau knows what it feels like not to belong.

In 2015, Kamau and his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Olathe.

Born and raised in coastal Kenya, Kamau grew up in a region dominated

by Islam.

But the Catholics stuck together.

“In Africa, people live in communities,” said Kamau. “I was raised in a community, in a village where everybody took care of each other.”

Accustomed to meeting in “small Christian communities” — a tightly knit prayer group — in Kenya after every Sunday Mass, Kamau was surprised to find things were not the same in Kansas.

“Coming to the States was a kind of challenge for us,” he said. “I didn’t know anyone at the beginning; I went to Prince of Peace with my family, but when the Mass was over, people would just go back home.

“We felt like we were isolated.”

This was an experience Ngundo

knew well, too.

He came to the United States from Kenya with his family in 2003, first settling in Lawrence.

The only Africans in the parish, Ngundo found it difficult to ask questions or express concerns because no one in the parish could closely relate to his situation.

“That really makes you feel vulnerable or exposed,” he said. “[The parishioners] did not do anything wrong, but [we didn’t] feel protected. You feel like you are mimicking their environment.”

Coming home In fact, it wasn’t until the Christ Renews His Parish program came to the Olathe church that Ngundo and Kamau really began to meet their fellow parishioners.

“We always felt kind of not part of the community,” said Kamau.

Through Christ Renews His Parish, “I started to get to know people by their names, families and by what they do,” he said.

It was that process that also taught both men that becoming part of a parish community in the United States requires a lot of personal effort, too.

Kamau’s diligence in searching out community has led him to be elected parish council president at Prince of Peace.

And now he, Ngundo, Father Kuukole and others will launch the African ministry Mass next month.

“It will be a long battle,” said Ngundo, “but we are hopeful that if people help us talk about this, they will get the message that they have a home back home.”

That is, back in the Catholic Church.

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

5

‘Green cathedral’ is blessed in Baldwin

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

B

ALDWIN — There were a lot of happy people at the dedication of the new cemetery shelter here on May 26, but the happiest was probably the pastor of Annunciation Parish.

“You can see a smile on my face,” said Father Jomon Palatty, MSFS. “We have been really praying for beautiful weather, and here it is. . . . How blessed we are.”

May this year had been an especially soggy month with frequent rains, full creeks and rivers, and flash flood warnings.

But not on May 26. For the day of the outdoor Mass and blessing, held under a tent provided by the Knights of Columbus, the breezes were gentle and the sky was absent of rain. The trees and grass were vibrantly green from a month of moisture.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was the main celebrant and homilist of the Mass, and he blessed the new cemetery shelter.

“It’s a joy to be with you today and to celebrate Mass in this ‘green cathedral,’” said Archbishop Naumann.

Construction began in November 2018 and concluded in April. The low-maintenance shelter is built of buff brick on a cement slab, measuring 12 feet by 24 feet. The metal roof is supported by four brick pillars in front and a wall in back. The sides are open.

In the center of the back wall is a plain, stone cross. Flanking the cross are directories for Mount Calvary Cemetery on the left and Prairie City Cemetery on the right. Donor plaques are also on the wall. Forty-five individuals and families donated funds for the project.

What looks like one is actually two adjoining cemeteries. The south half is the Catholic cemetery, bought in 1867, although the first datable grave is from 1863. The north half is named for Prairie City, which was founded in 1859, but

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Father Jomon Palatty, MSFS, pastor of Annunciation Parish, share a laugh after the dedication and blessing of the new Mount Calvary Cemetery shelter in Baldwin. dwindled and became a ghost town. A small, stone, mission Catholic church existed nearby between 1857 and 1893.

Mount Calvary and Prairie City cemeteries are located on the southwest edge of Baldwin, slightly into the countryside, not far from the Midland Railroad Depot.

For several years, the cemetery directories were on a shed-like wooden building that was formerly the Media town library, but it deteriorated and was demolished in 2012. The new shelter was built on the former structure’s site.

In his homily, Archbishop Naumann

thanked the pastor and parishioners for inviting him to bless the new structure. He also talked about the significance of a Catholic cemetery in terms of Christian belief.

“It’s important for us as Christians always to keep the memory of those who have died and gone before us,” he said. “The care we have for the remains of those who have died is a special part of our Christian spirituality.

“It shows a faith in the victory of Christ over death, but it also shows a faith in the reality that our bodies are these human temples that carry the very life of God within them. And

that Jesus has promised that not only our spirits will live with him, but our bodies will be raised up as well. This is a central belief that we have as Catholics.”

Before the conclusion of the Mass, Father Jomon thanked several people who played specific roles in the planning and construction of the cemetery shelter. He also thanked the donors. He noted that fundraising chairman Dave Hill raised the $50,000 cost of the project in 60 days. Cemetery sexton Larry Butell, who supervised the construction, was given a statue of St. Joseph blessed by Archbishop Naumann.

Religious freedom rally to promote First Amendment rights

By Ellie Melero @eleanor_melero

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — One of the founding principles of the United States is that people have a right to practice their religion. But around the country, people feel they are losing that right. In Kansas, people are doing something about it.

On June 30, the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is sponsoring the Religious Freedom Rally at Church of the Ascension in Overland Park.

The rally, which is hosted in collaboration with Faithful Citizens and FIAT, is meant to bring awareness to issues of religious liberty across the country and around the world. It is a pre-Fourth of July and end of Religious Freedom Week celebration.

Faithful Citizens and FIAT are local organizations dedicated to educating people about religious liberty issues.

Rosemary Maher, a member of Faithful Citizens and one of the organizers of the event, wants the rally to open people’s eyes to how they are slowly losing their religious freedoms and motivate people to take action.

“Our Religious Freedom Rally is to

celebrate our First Amendment right to freely practice our religion without government interference,” said Maher.

The rally will be held after an 11:45 a.m. Mass with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. There will be tacos, hot dogs, ice cream, snow cones, a photo booth and carnival games, as well as three guest speakers.

The guest speakers include: Elizabeth Kirk, a writer and national speaker on matters in the law pertaining to

the family; Eddie Greim, the president of the local Federalist Society and secretary of the Kansas City Catholic Lawyers Guild; and Chuck Weber, the director of Kansas Catholic Conference and a former Kansas state legislator.

The event is free and family-friendly and open to non-Catholics as well.

Bill Scholl from the archdiocesan office of social justice said the goal of the rally is to raise awareness and encourage people to speak up for their rights.

“We want people to learn more about our religious freedom, what that means and how it includes conscience rights,” Scholl said. “We want people to understand how we’re at risk of losing that freedom and equip them to advocate for protecting our First Amendment [rights].

“We’re calling upon Catholics to be vigilant about this crucial issue.”

Maher wants to motivate people to contact their representatives about religious liberty because that is one of the easiest ways to speak up. She hopes to have computers set up at the rally so people can email their senators and representatives while there.

“You can change things if you challenge things,” said Maher. “If you just

What to know What: Religious Freedom Rally Date: June 30 Time: After 11:45 a.m. Mass Where: Church of the Ascension, 9510 W. 127th, Overland Park

let it go, a precedent is established, and they just continue to discriminate against people of religion.”

Fellow member of Faithful Citizens Linda Meiers agreed.

“It’s not wrong for Catholics to speak up and disagree with things that are affecting our faith,” said Meiers. “We just can’t sit back and be like lobsters in a pot until it’s too late. We should be aware, and we should use our voice because we as Catholics have a large base if we work together.”

Scholl agreed.

“We want to celebrate religious freedom and we want to take steps . . . to make people aware of what we’ve got and how it could be gone if we don’t protect it,” Scholl said.

For more information about the rally, go to the website at: www. archkck.org/religiousfreedom.

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

FAMILY LIFE

6

Words are an important window on another’s heart

By Deacon Tony Zimmerman Special to The Leaven

M

y father-in-law was a veteran of World War II. I never heard him talk about his experiences as a paratrooper in the Battle of

the Bulge.

He had a sense of humor but, more often than not, he seemed to be a serious and private person.

He was committed to TOOLS FOR his family, faith and FAMILIES work.

Growing as Looking back, I did Disciples of not really know him Jesus very well.

All that changed one day when he decided to share some newsreel footage he found about the end of the war in Europe. As he and other members of the 82nd Airborne Division disembarked in New York City, they were asked if they would like to take part in the victory ticker tape parade down the street known as the Canyon of the Heroes. He was part of that parade. It was breathtaking to behold that celebration unfold.

I took a chance and asked: “What did it feel like to be a part of this great event?” He proclaimed in a one-word answer: “TREMENDOUS!” The word was spoken with such feeling that I could imagine that recalling that day caused his heart to swell in his chest with pride at what they had accomplished. I was thankful for that opportunity to get to know him better.

The simple question that invited him to tell us more about a day that was obviously important to him — and letting that one-word answer penetrate our hearts — gave us the gift of knowing him better.

In today’s busy world, we live such

high-speed lives and have so much technology to distract us that we miss out on moments to really get to know other family members.

Perhaps your experience is a little like mine. My grandparents, parents and mother- and father-in-law have all passed away. I sometimes wonder how they met and what they fell in love with about the

other person.

Over summer cookouts and dinners to celebrate life’s moments like baptisms, first Communions, graduations or weddings, take time to ask simple, open-ended questions that invite the other person to tell you more about themselves. Questions like: “What was it like to receive your first Communion?” or “Tell us about your wedding

day when you saw your bride-to-be coming down the aisle to join you in giving your lives to each other.”

Listen closely to the answers to get a sense of the feeling they convey. In later years, when our loved ones are no longer with us, we will be able to recall those moments of sharing and thank God for his gift of those people in our lives.

Faith bolsters families as they face day’s challenges >> Continued from page 1 Jude Nickson, a second-grader at Trailwood Elementary in Overland Park and member of Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood, will be competing in his first Braille Challenge.

He’ll also be taking his first plane ride.

“I’m really actually kind of nervous,” he said. “But I think it’s going to be a good time there.”

Jude is the third of six children.

When he was born, the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired in Kansas City, Missouri, put his parents in touch with the Petro family and they became friends.

Like the Petros, the Nicksons wanted their child to learn Braille so he could experience life to the fullest.

“So much of what we learn and understand about our world is learned visually,” said Jude’s father, Matt Nickson. “If Jude has the ability to read a book that paints great pictures through words, he will have a far greater ability to connect with the world around him.”

Braille literacy will also open doors to independence for Jude.

“There are some professional paths that are not going to be possible for Jude,” said Matt. “But if he becomes literate through Braille, there are really many routes where he can thrive and be very successful professionally.”

Brooke and Jude, along with two other qualifying students, practice for the Braille Challenge at Alphapointe, a nonprofit in Kansas City, Missouri, that

As part of the Braille Challenge finals, Brooke Petro must use her Braille skills to decode charts and graphs with lightning speed and answer detailed questions about them. provides rehabilitation services to the visually impaired.

At the challenge, both will compete in tests on reading comprehension, spelling and proofreading.

Brooke will have additional tests in speed and accuracy and decoding charts and graphs.

Beyond competition, the Braille Challenge is an opportunity for visually impaired children to bond.

“We don’t treat each other as competitors,” said Brooke. “We treat each other as friends.”

Strength in faith Through the joys and struggles of raising a visually impaired child, both families have found strength in their Catholic faith.

“Jude has revealed God’s goodness in a way that’s enlivened our faith and made us ever more trusting in God’s work and in the ways and areas in which God can penetrate your heart,” said Matt.

“Curé has been a tremendously compassionate and supportive community,”

he added. “We thought this before Jude was born, but have certainly felt the arms of the community since Jude has been a part of our family.”

After Brooke was diagnosed, Lyn naturally questioned why this happened to her child.

“But as we’ve gone along on our journey with Brooke,” she said, “it’s made me realize I’m very thankful for my faith.

“There are some tough moments when you have a visually impaired child and I can rely on my faith then. And I also can teach my child there will be rough moments in life, but God is always with you.”

The lesson has been well learned.

“When I’m having a rough time, I’ll go home and pray,” said Brooke. “It helps me get through a lot of challenges.”

There is a saying within the blind community that speaks volumes: “Love is a color only the blind can see.”

Every day, Brooke and Jude have to trust others to support and include them.

When asked how he wants sighted kids to treat him, Jude said simply, “Just ask me to play with you.”

That’s at the core of an important lesson God is allowing Brooke and Jude to teach.

“In the areas of compassion and service to others,” said Brooke’s mother, “kids realize that just because this person has a disability doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.

“Those are the areas where I think Brooke and Jude are opening the eyes of others.”

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

7

Mentorship program addresses spiritual, cultural needs

By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Some say two years isn’t worth it.

But participants in the Spiritual Mentorship Program offered by the Apostles of the Interior Life (AVI) know better.

To them, it’s worth a lot more than the two years it requires — it’s worth eternity.

From May 18-24, over 70 men and women from across the country gathered at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, for the first of four “in-residence” sessions as the fifth class or cohort of mentors-in-training.

The program seeks to equip men and women to accompany others in their parish toward spiritual growth.

Since it began in 2011, the program has produced over 300 spiritual mentors.

Over the next two years, these students will meet four times at Savior Pastoral Center for intensive weeklong formation. These sessions include theology lectures, practicums, meditation and opportunities to receive the sacraments daily.

“We have a wide variety of people who come from different stages in life and different occupations,” said Cari Hillyer, program coordinator. “So, in between sessions, they are asked to do a certain level of online study.”

Students take two online classes designed by the AVIs and the Holy Family School of Faith before each in-residence session — because they really do come from all sorts of backgrounds.

Accessibility Susy Sosa, a parishioner at St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kansas, was a bit nervous at the start of the week.

A native Spanish-speaker from Puerto Rico, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to express herself in English or understand the lectures.

“But I was surprised when I found out there was another Puerto Rican here!” she said.

“For me, this was one of the miracles during the program: someone here understood my language,” she added.

“What a multicultural gift!”

Though the program is entirely in English, the AVIs excel in creating a welcoming environment for non-English speaking participants — as well as for members of the deaf community. “[The AVIs] have made the journey so comfortable and supportive,” said Father Chris Klusman, a deaf priest from Milwaukee. “I never really felt isolated or excluded or frustrated at all in this program. It’s been great.”

One of about a dozen deaf priests worldwide, Father Chris is a member of the fourth cohort.

But because he joined the program after his cohort’s first in-residence session, he graduated as the fifth cohort began.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE BOLLIG

New graduates of the fourth Spiritual Mentorship Program cohort receive a blessing from Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann on May 23: (from left) Mary Adenekan, St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, Spring, Texas; Paul Bauer, St. Peter Parish, Kansas City, Missouri; Father Chris Klusman, St. Matthias Parish, Milwaukee; Bonnie Skiles, Holy Trinity Church, Peachtree City, Georgia; and Sister Mary Ann Steele, SSSF. James Halpin, AVI, assists the archbishop.

“

“IF I TAKE A DEEP BREATH, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT IN, HE’S ALWAYS ABLE TO GIVE ME A MORE ELOQUENT AND BETTER-GUIDED ANSWER THAN I COULD HAVE COME UP WITH ON MY OWN.” And to him, the program meets the deaf community exactly where they are.

“The deaf community struggles with access,” said Father Chris, “accessing the church, accessing catechesis, where to receive mentors, how to learn about the faith. There’s not that much out there.”

Because of this lack of access, even Father Chris as a deaf priest has struggled to find mentorship.

“I had been praying for something like this [program],” he said. “I knew I really needed something like this.”

When a friend invited him to join the program a couple years ago, it was like he found the missing piece of a puzzle.

“Everything has been fully inclusive and accessible,” said Father Chris.

“They even included me in the eucharistic prayer.”

Seeing this was especially impactful for Sosa.

“When I saw Father Chris at the first Mass, . . . I said, ‘Lord, you have

given me this [man] to show me who will evangelize our brothers and sisters with disabilities,” she said. “What a great gift to have a deaf priest for [God’s] people!”

And Father Chris is determined to share all he has received during the program.

“The deaf community is a different cultural community,” he said. “Their thought process is different. “[I] am trying to figure out how to make things work for the deaf community.”

And he is certain spiritual mentorship is a starting point.

“It’s one of the best graces I’ve ever received in my life,” he said.

Staying relevant Though the fifth cohort has just begun its journey, members are already feeling the effects.

“I am capable of a lot more than I may have thought . . . when I [surrender] to the Holy Spirit,” said Brian Armstrong, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Shawnee.

“If I take a deep breath, let the Holy Spirit in, he’s always able to give me a more eloquent and better-guided answer than I could have come up with on my own,” he continued.

Learning to listen and to guide others are key components of the program — as well as to recognize boundaries. “[Participants] are trained to understand . . . what is not their responsibility,” said Sister Susan Pieper, superior of the AVIs.

For more info For more information about the Spiritual Mentorship Program, contact Cari Hillyer at: spiritualmentorship@ schooloffaith.com.

To find a spiritual mentor, send an email to: support@schooloffaith. com.

Sister Susan is one of the co-founders of the AVIs and has been with the program from the beginning. But even for her, it never gets old.

“Every session, I learn tons about myself: my gifts, talents, weakness, frailties and how to live them joyfully,” she said. “I never get tired of hearing the lessons.”

Troy Hinkel, who holds a doctorate in theology and is co-founder of the Holy Family School of Faith, gives many of the program’s lectures. He is continually struck by the relevance of spiritual mentorship.

“In our culture, [there is] a lack of understanding of God and a lack of knowing how to help people feel his love,” said Hinkel. “[This program] addresses that crisis.”

Despite having felt occasionally discouraged as a deaf person in a hearing world, Father Chris has found it’s the opposite within the Spiritual Mentorship Program.

“It gives me comfort,” he said, “knowing that I don’t have to be like the world — to become indifferent, cold or to be a mediocre Catholic.

“I know the truth will set [us] free — and that truth is love.”

Erin Barrett, Agent www.InsureKCMetro.com

Call or Text: (913) 648-1100 | erin@insurekcmetro.com | St. Joseph Parishioner 13139 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Shawnee, KS 66216 | Bishop Ward Alum

FRIENDSHIP

The ‘journey of friendship’ between Catholics and Jews

By Philip A. Cunningham Catholic News Service

O

n June 13, 1960, French historian Jules Isaac arrived at the Vatican for a private audience with St. John XXIII. The octogenarian Jewish professor had researched the centuriesold Christian “teaching of contempt” for Jews ever since his wife and daughter died at Auschwitz.

He hoped that the pope would add a discussion of the church’s painful historical relationship with Jews to the agenda of the upcoming Second Vatican Council. Perhaps Isaac apprehensively recalled the 1904 meeting of Pope Pius X with an earlier Jewish petitioner whom the pope had dismissed with the words, “The Jewish religion was the foundation of our own; but it was superseded by the teachings of Christ, and we cannot concede it any further validity.”

However, “Good Pope John,” who as a Vatican ambassador during World War II had helped thousands of Jews escape the Nazis, was supportive and soon gave instructions that relations with Jews be studied by council.

That directive would result in the promulgation in 1965 of the conciliar Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, “Nostra Aetate.” This groundbreaking document repudiated the long Christian practice of demeaning Jews as rejected

by God. It insisted instead that Jews remain beloved by God; that Jesus, Mary and the apostles were all Jews; and that mutual understanding through “biblical and theological studies” and “fraternal dialogues” be pursued.

So began what Pope Francis has called the “journey of friendship” between Catholics and Jews. In the 1960s, it was a real question, given their religious differences and inimical history, if it was possible for Jews and Catholics to have any kind of dialogue. It would be a journey that would require a collective examination of conscience by Catholics.

As Pope Benedict XVI has observed, faced with the “crimes of the Nazi regime and, in general, with a retrospective look at a long and difficult history, it was necessary to evaluate and define in a new way the relationship between the church and the faith of Israel.”

This inescapable confrontation with history, begun in the 1960s, led on the First Sunday of Lent in 2000 to an unprecedented “Day of Pardon” Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. Pope John Paul II prayed for God’s forgiveness of sins committed

by Christians over the previous millennium, including sins “committed against the people of Israel,” the Jewish people.

He prayed: “God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your name to the nations. We are deeply saddened by the behavior of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the covenant.”

Two weeks later in Jerusalem, Pope John Paul prayed in Jewish fashion by inserting the text of the same prayer into the crevices of the Western Wall. The pope’s prayer of commitment to God at

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Pope Francis has recounted how his nearly 20 years of dialogue with fellow Argentine and friend Rabbi Abraham Skorka was “very important because my religious life became richer, so much richer.”

“

TODAY, CATHOLIC-JEWISH RELATIONS MIGHT BE DESCRIBED IN CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL TERMS AS THAT OF “CO-COVENANTING COMPANIONS.” SINCE COVENANT IS A DYNAMIC SHARING IN LIFE WITH GOD, BOTH JEWS AND CHRISTIANS WALK WITH GOD IN DISTINCTIVE WAYS. respective hallowed sites of Catholics and Jews was iconic.

Pope John Paul’s long pontificate (1978-2005) saw various controversies unfold. These included the presence of a Carmelite convent near Auschwitz and the slowness of the Holy See to formalize diplomatic relations with the state of Israel (which eventually occurred in 1993).

However, regular channels of communication and personal friendships had developed, and the issues were mostly resolved, demonstrating that the young relationship could weather disputes. The same may occur with the imminent opening of the Vatican’s World War II archives.

Pope John Paul greatly advanced the relationship theologically by repeatedly portraying Jews as “the present-day

people of the covenant concluded with Moses” and “partners in a covenant of eternal love which was never revoked.”

The realization that Jews enjoy covenantal intimacy with a saving God raises new theological questions that continue to be studied by both Catholics and Jews, but there have also been immediate consequences.

One is that the Catholic Church, as Pope Benedict has written, does “not concern herself with the conversion of the Jews” because “Israel (i.e., the Jewish people) retains its own mission” and “is in the hands of God.” Another pastoral consequence is seen in the close friendship of Pope Francis with fellow Argentine, Rabbi Abraham Skorka. Pope Francis has recounted how their nearly 20 years of dialogue was “very important because my religious life became richer‚ so much richer.”

Their experience, in effect, enacted Pope Benedict’s hope that the Jewish and Christian ways of reading biblical texts should “dialogue with one another to understand God’s will and his word aright.”

Today, Catholic-Jewish relations might be described in Catholic theological terms as that of “co-covenanting companions.” Since covenant is a dynamic sharing in life with God, both Jews and Christians walk with God in distinctive ways.

But since they are covenanting with the same Holy One, their experiences of God have many resonances. This means that they can assist each other in living out their respective covenantal obligations before God. Many challenges face Catholics and Jews as their new relationship matures.

The need for sustained, intensive dialogue is great. Their journey will continue

CNS PHOTO/CATHOLIC PRESS PHOTO

St. John XXIII, who as a Vatican ambassador during World War II helped thousands of Jews escape the Nazis, met with French historian Jules Isaac on June 13, 1960. Isaac hoped that the pope would add a discussion of the church’s painful historical relationship with Jews to the agenda of the upcoming Second Vatican Council. because, as Pope Francis has underscored, “dialogue and friendship with the children of Israel are part of the life of Jesus’ disciples.”

Philip Cunningham is professor of theology and director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations of St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He is immediate past president of the International Council of Christians and Jews and manages the online documentary library of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations whose website is: www.dialogika.us.

PS IN FAITH Muslims and Catholics ‘We adore the one . . . God’

By Jordan Denari Duffner Catholic News Service

I

n the woods of southern Indiana at a Catholic youth summer camp, teenagers prepared themselves to pray after a day of canoeing and rope courses. But these young people were not Catholics; they were Muslims.

In the summer of 2018, the Catholic Camp Rancho Framasa opened its cabins and mess hall to Muslim campers for a week. It was a gesture of hospitality that emerged from the camp’s Catholic identity and faith.

But it might never have happened without an event that occurred more than 50 years before: the Second Vatican Council, when the Catholic Church, among other things, sought to forge a new, positive relationship with people of other faiths around the world.

Though previous church councils had mentioned Muslims (sometimes pejoratively referred to as “Saracens”) in passing, Vatican II was the first time a council spoke about Muslims in a concerted way.

The first teaching appears in “Lumen Gentium,” the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. There, in a broader discussion about other religious groups, it declared: “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place among these, there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind.”

This recognition of Muslims’ faith in God, which they share with us, is carried over into “Nostra Aetate,” a document promulgated specifically to address the church’s relationship to other religions.

The paragraph on Muslims begins with a declaration that the church “regards with esteem” Muslims, and it goes on to highlight our shared faith in God, who we both affirm as One, merciful and Creator; Muslims’ praiseworthy endeavor to submit themselves to God; their reverence for Jesus and Mary; and their commitment to prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

“Nostra Aetate” was not comprehensive in commenting on Islam — it did not comment on the Quran, which is the word of God for Muslims, nor the Prophet Mohammad — but it sought to be an impetus for dialogue and collaboration between Catholics and Muslims around the world.

“Nostra Aetate” encouraged Catholics to recognize all that is “true and holy” in other faiths, and to “preserve and promote” all that is good in them.

Fifty years later, the Catholic camp in Indiana is carrying out the mission of Vatican II’s teaching on Muslims, as are countless other Catholic individuals and institutions around the world.

From St. Paul VI in the 1960s to

Pope Francis today, popes have actively reached out to Muslims — not only in visits to Muslim-majority countries, but also by inviting them to the Vatican.

St. John Paul II was a pioneer in this regard, seeking to communicate the Catholic esteem for Muslims and the commonalities we share in his audiences with them around the world.

The Vatican and national bishops’ conferences have also instituted regular, formal dialogues between Catholic and Muslim leaders, which serve as contexts for mutual learning and improved understanding.

This push for dialogue has been welcomed by Muslims and met with enthusiasm, for Muslims themselves find the impetus for interfaith collaboration in the Quran’s affirmation that God created humanity so that they could “get to know one another.”

On the local level, the fruits of “Nostra Aetate” are too many to count: CatholicMuslim efforts to serve the poor; visiting one another’s houses of worship; and standing up for one another in the face of tragedy and suffering.

In Indianapolis, not far from where Camp Rancho is located, Catholic and Muslim men gather monthly for friendship and conversation at a local Jewish deli and, in 2015, then-Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin advocated for the welcoming of Muslim refugees after the state tried to bar refugees from Syria.

CNS PHOTO/JOHN SHAUGHNESSY, THE CRITERION

In the summer of 2018, the Catholic Camp Rancho Framasa in southern Indiana opened its cabins and mess hall to Muslim campers for a week. It was a gesture of hospitality that emerged from the camp’s Catholic identity and faith.

In Indonesia, Muslims have protected Catholic churches targeted by militants, and in Iran, U.S. Catholic and Iranian religious leaders have gathered to advocate against nuclear weapons.

Though much has been done to put these teachings into practice, many Catholics still remain unaware of Vatican II’s teaching on Muslims.

According to a survey of Englishspeaking U.S. Catholics that I helped commission a few years ago, only 10% have heard of “Nostra Aetate,” and only a fraction of those can call to mind what it is about.

And despite Vatican II’s positive teaching, many U.S. Catholics hold onto negative views of Muslims as a group and cannot name some of the core similarities shared by both religious groups.

Even 50 years after its promulgation and amid the hard work of many Catholics around the world, the teaching on

Muslims still has not reached many.

Pope Francis recently said, when returning from his trip to the United Arab Emirates, that “for a council to sink its roots in the church it takes 100 years. We are halfway there.” So while much has been accomplished in the past 50 years, there is still much more to be done.

Fortunately, young Catholics and Muslims from the forests of Indiana to the halls of the Vatican are taking up the mantle of dialogue. By their striving for a better world, they give praise to the merciful God in whom we both believe.

Jordan Denari Duffner is the author of “Finding Jesus Among Muslims: How Loving Islam Makes Me a Better Catholic.” She is currently studying for a doctorate in theology and religious studies at Georgetown University, where she focuses on Catholic-Muslim relations.

CNS FILES

Pope John Paul II reviews an honor guard with Morocco’s King Hassan II after his arrival at Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport for an historic state visit on Aug. 19, 1985. Two crown princes, the head of Morocco’s armed forces and a palace official accompany the two leaders.

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

10

Church, youth could collaborate on issue of the environment

By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org

O

VERLAND PARK — Of all the nations in the world, only one has achieved carbon neutrality.

Which one?

“Vatican City State,” said Msgr. Stuart Swetland, president of Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas.

On May 29, over 40 people gathered at Church of the Ascension for what Msgr.

Swetland called “a public act of theology” on Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’.”

The event was sponsored by Ascension’s Common Home ministry. Chad Scholes, professor of biology at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, gave a presentation as well.

“At the center of who we are is our love affair with God,” said Msgr. Swetland.

“It’s in that context that we are going to . . . understand the theological truths of [‘Laudato Si’].”

Published in 2015, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home” is Pope Francis’ first encyclical.

“It’s a teaching document,” explained Msgr. Swetland, “one of the most authoritative ways the pope teaches.”

This means all Catholics are normally obliged to give assent to its teaching in areas of faith and morals. And its teachings are relevant for all people.

“Laudato Si’” focuses on ways mankind has failed in the past to care for creation; theological and scientific teaching in support of caring for the environment; and proper morality toward creation.

Though it may seem the church’s attention to the environment just began within the last century, Msgr. Swetland said that it’s been around a lot longer.

“Care of creation has been there since the beginning,” he said. “Because salvation is about the restoration of all things in Christ.”

That includes restoration of the environment. This is additionally important because it has direct effects on the

Give thanks to God in prayer for the gift of his creation Use LED light bulbs Don’t use disposable water bottles Turn the thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter Drive and fly less Recycle Pay bills online Use reusable shopping bags Buy local products LEAVEN PHOTO BY OLIVIA MARTIN

Msgr. Stuart Swetland, president of Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, discusses Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’” May 29 at Church of the Ascension in Overland Park. most vulnerable.

“The first to be affected by environmental degradation is the poor,” he said.

Opportunity for evangelization Science in recent centuries has reinforced the church’s theology.

Msgr. Swetland presented decades’ worth of information on increasing global temperatures. He pointed out that the harsh weather Kansans have experienced this year is a direct result.

“Over the winter, when there was no sunlight in the north — it was their dark season — the North Pole one day almost got above freezing,” he said. “The reason we were so cold this March is the warming of the north pushed the polar vortex into the . . . Midwest and we suffered through that.

“The warming is quite obvious.”

To those who disbelieve changing global temperatures, Msgr. Swetland affirmed that Pope Francis’ recommendations in “Laudato Si’” to conserve and be good stewards of creation are still the most reasonable courses of action. “[E]ven if we got it all wrong and we don’t have climate change going on,” he said, “all the moral teaching here is the prudent thing to do. It just makes sense.”

Those main moral teachings include receptivity and gratitude for everything in existence.

“Every part of God’s creation is meant to build up his kingdom,” said Msgr.

Swetland. “You will be judged on everything you own — how did you use it to build the kingdom?

“Environmental justice is a concern for every person because it is a part of the human vocation to participate responsibly in God’s ongoing creative action.”

Conserve water

It’s a role Ascension parishioner Ellen Johnson takes seriously.

“I have four grandchildren and I’m worried about what the world will look like when they are my age,” she said.

“What are they going to have?”

Scholes agreed.

“This is something I feel very strongly about,” he said. “The idea of passing on a horribly warm planet to [my kids] is not a comfortable thought.”

Msgr. Swetland noted that the church’s participation in environmental care is an opportunity to reach youth — especially those with little to no religious interest.

“It has really caught on with young people,” he said. “If we want to lead young people, . . . we can do that within the environmental movement.”

“Laudato Si’” can be accessed for free by going online to: w2.vatican.va, and pulling down to “English” on the top right. Then type “Laudato Si” into the search bar.

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JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

11

Priests gear up for softball battle

By Ellie Melero @eleanor_melero

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — There are few things more satisfying than the crack of a bat making contact with a wellthrown pitch, but a priest swinging that bat might make it a little better.

That’s exactly what’s going to happen at the sixth annual Pitching for Priests softball game on July 5.

Pitching for Priests is a contest between the priests of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the priests of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

The Catholic Radio Network hosts the event, and all proceeds go toward seminarian education in both dioceses.

“Pitching for Priests is one of those vocation events that really just tries to celebrate priesthood by inviting the faithful out for an evening of fun,” said Father Dan Morris, the director of the archdiocesan vocations office. “It’s just a fun, family event that celebrates and supports priesthood.”

The softball game might be a fun event that supports a good cause, but it’s also a serious competition between two teams trying to bring home a trophy.

William and Andrea Staudenmaier, members of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, Overland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 30 with an open house.

The couple was married on June 27, 1969, at Sacred Heart Church, Bonner Springs. Their children are Rebecca Staudenmaier and Judith Gross.

They also have four grandchildren.

Janice (Schneider) and Jim Quinlan, members of St. Patrick Parish, Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this summer.

The couple was married on June 27, 1959, at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas, by Msgr. J.P. McKenna. Their children are: Susan, Jackie and Jimmy. They also have seven grandchildren. They will celebrate with a trip to Las Vegas later this year.

Donna and Joe Harrity, members of Our Lady of Unity Parish, Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary June 24 with a family dinner. The couple was married on June 27, 1959, at St. John the Evangelist Church, Kansas City, Kansas. Their children are: Ann Matz, Joel Harrity (deceased), Kevin Harrity and Beth Sutton. They also have 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

The priests from Missouri are 3-2 for the series and, after their win last year, the trophy resides with them. But Father Morris and his team of clergymen are determined to take it back.

“I do believe that there’s a new sheriff in town and that’s me as the coach,” said Father Morris. “I feel like our chances are as good as ever that we’ll bring the trophy back to this side of the state line.”

Last year about 3,500 people came to the game and raised $8,700 for the seminarians. Father Morris would like even more people to come this year.

Melanie Savner, who assists in the vocations office, said the game is fun to watch and gives people a chance to see priests in a different setting than they normally would.

“Sometimes it’s funny and kind of humorous what goes on, but then it’s just plain exciting, too,” Savner said. “I think any age person would have a really good time and might enjoy the game more because it’s priests and people they know.”

The game will take place at T-Bones Stadium (formerly CommunityAmerica Ballpark) in Kansas City, Kansas, at 7 p.m. on July 5. Tailgating will begin at 4 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under. Baseball cards will be available for free for children.

Buck and Marie Weafer, members of Santa Marta retirement community, Olathe, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on June 19. The couple was married on June 19, 1954, at St. Anthony Church, Woburn, Massachusetts. Their children are: Thomas Weafer, Robert Weafer, Ann Raney and Liz Walling. They also have seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Kip (Rockers) and John Jewell, members of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Lapeer, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on June 27. The couple was married on June 27, 1959, at Sacred Heart Church, Topeka.

Their children are: Jamie (deceased), Jan (deceased) and Jerry Jewell.

They also have four grandchildren.

Kathleen and Ray Colgan, members of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, will celebrate their 60th wedding a n n i ve rs a ry on June 30 with a blessing after the 11:30 a.m. Mass, followed by a celebration with the family.

The couple was married on June 30, 1959, at St. Benedict Church, Atchison.

Their children are: David Colgan, Karen Gomric, Diane Striler, Stephen Colgan, Thomas Colgan, Kevin Colgan and Mary Heit. They also have 21 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Janet (Beatty) and James O’Connor, members of Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 22 with a Mass and reception at the Holy Trinity Quigley Center.

The couple was married on June 21, 1969, at Blessed Sacrament Church, Kansas City, Kansas. Their children are: Laura Warthen, Julie Dalsing and Rachel Baker. They also have nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Charles and Shirley Maxwell, members of Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 14 with a dinner at Gaslight Grill. The couple was married on June 14, 1969, at St Cyril Church, Sugar Creek, Missouri. Their children are: Stephen Maxwell (deceased), Jennifer Gibson, John Maxwell, Mary Patterson and Catherine Burtchett. They also have 11 grandchildren.

Betty and Tom Wilson, members of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 21.

The couple was married at Most Pure Heart of Mary, Topeka, by Father Quinlan.

Their children are Zach Wilson and Adriane Brandenburg. They also have five grandchildren.

Sandra and James Tira, members of Holy Cross Parish, O ve r l a n d Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a family dinner. The couple was married on June 28, 1969, at St. Joseph Church, Benld, Illinois. Their children are Angela Gravitt and James Tira. They also have six grandchildren.

John and Joyce Blaske, members of St. Columbkille Parish, Blaine, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 29 with a Mass, dinner and reception at St. Columbkille. The couple was married on June 28, 1969, by Father Richard Etzel.

Their children are: Karen, Kathy, Kristie, Kevin, Keith and Ken. They also have 14 grandchildren.

David and Marjean (Wusk) Zumbahlen, members of St. Patrick Parish, Corning, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on July 6 with family and friends. The couple was married on July 5, 1969, at St. Mary Church, Odell, Nebraska. They have six daughters: Amy Wasinger, Ann Stallbaumer, Manda Thompson, Mindy Olberding, Jill Ritchie and Joy Schmidt. They also have 19 grandchildren.

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CLASSIFIEDS

EMPLOYMENT Part-time staff nurse - Advice & Aid Pregnancy Centers is looking for an individual who will assist our ministry as a staff nurse. The staff nurse is a medical professional responsible for a wide variety of clinic functions at Advice & Aid. Candidates must be dedicated to the pro-life belief and the dignity, sanctity and worth of every human life. This position is part time (20-25 hrs. per week).

This individual must have the following qualifications: BSN nursing degree; licensed RN in state of Kansas; certification in limited ultrasound (or Advice & Aid will provide training if needed); must agree with Advice & Aid Pregnancy Centers’ vision, mission, and statement of faith and core values. Please email your resume and cover letter or questions to Ruth Tisdale at: rtisdale@ adviceandaid.com or mail them to Advice & Aid Pregnancy Centers, P.O. Box 7123, Shawnee Mission, KS 66207.

No calls please.

Drivers - Assisted Transportation is now hiring caring and reliable drivers to transport K-12 students to and from school and other activities in company minivans.

Positions are now available in Olathe, Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas. Competitive wages and flexible schedules. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. Call (913) 262-3100 or apply online at: Assisted Transportation.com. EEO. OPEN POSITIONS - Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph (CCKCSJ) serves those in need by taking direct action to relieve their anxieties and remove their burdens while simultaneously lifting them to the dignity of self-reliance. CCKCSJ is a fun and faith-based environment. Associates of CCKCSJ enjoy a compressed workweek by working Monday-Thursday weekly (dependent upon each position), with almost every weekend as a three-day weekend. We currently have the following positions open: • Accounting Supervisor • Community Housing Program Manager • Stay the Course Program Navigator Case Manager • Stay the Course Program Data and Administrative Assistant • Deaf and Disabilities Coordinator To apply and to view all available opportunities at CCKCSJ, go online to: careers.hireology.com/catholiccharitieskansascityandstjoseph.

Parish manager - Holy Cross in Overland Park is seeking a faith-filled servant leader to join our team as the parish manager. This full-time position fills a key leadership role in the parish and is responsible for the management of all business and facility-related functions in our church, school, and preschool. Proven leadership experience in a similar position and a college degree in a related field are preferred. Candidates with a heart for God who want to use their many talents to build up his kingdom can check out our website at: holycrossopks.org for a complete position description and application form.

Interactive media specialist - Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is actively seeking an interactive media specialist. This entry-level position requires web experience and graphic design experience and successfully promotes and markets the mission of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas and Catholic Charities Foundation of Northeast Kansas. Apply online at: catholiccharitiesks.applicantpool.com/jobs/342393. html.

Teacher wanted - Sacred Heart School in Ottawa is looking for a second-grade teacher for the 2019-20 school year. Please contact the principal, Lisa Blaes, at (785) 242-4297.

Holy Spirit extended day care position - Do you enjoy spending time with children? Holy Spirit Catholic School is seeking an enthusiastic person to be the group leader in our after-school care program. This well-established program runs from 3-5:45 p.m. each school day. We are looking for a responsible, organized and creative person.

Applicant should have knowledge of child development and be able to implement age-appropriate activities. The ability to communicate clearly with children, colleagues and parents is most important in order to foster positive relationships. Applicant must attend a Virtus training and be at least 18 years old. If you are interested, contact Eileen Colling at (913) 492-2582 or online at: ecolling@ hscatholic.org for more information.

Customer support specialist - My Catholic Faith Delivered is looking for a customer support specialist to help with the day-to-day needs of our clients in the areas of online learning and Catholic education delivery. Responsibilities include helping customers by providing product and service information; implementing solutions; and resolving technical issues. For more information, visit our website at: www.mycatholicfaithdelivered.com or call (866) 981-8964. Email resumes to: jfoster@mycatholic faithdelivered.com. Compensation: $30,000 to $38,000 annually. Benefits offered: 401(k), dental, medical and vision. This position is full time. Company address: 12603 Hemlock St, Overland Park.

Early childhood position - Wonderful opportunity for adults interested in working with young children. Catholic preschool seeks caring individuals to work with children in our 3-year-olds preschool class. Position is part time (7:30-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday weekly). Great working conditions and immediate benefits. Call Patricia at (913) 248-4588 to inquire and set up an interview.

Archdiocesan legal counsel - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking a qualified attorney to serve as general counsel for the archdiocese. Applicants must hold a license to practice law in the state of Kansas. The ideal applicant would be an experienced attorney with employment, real estate/construction, education and general practice preferred. Some knowledge of canon law would also be helpful. The archdiocese will entertain options with the successful applicant for serving either as in-house general counsel with salary, benefits and office space provided or to be contracted as an outside general counsel. Interested individuals should submit a resume with a thorough professional work history, as well as other professional experience, to the office of human resources at: jobs@archkck.org.

Community assistants - L’Arche Heartland of Overland Park serves adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in day program support services and in residential services. We are seeking assistants who are looking for a unique opportunity in a faith-based organization. We are in immediate need of day service assistants to work in our day program serving 30 adults.

We have a recycling program and community activities.

Our core members participate in distributing for Meals on Wheels and Rise Against Hunger. They also attend community events such as the library, movies, bowling and going to parks. We also have a need for live-in and live-out assistants in our five residential homes. If interested, contact Jamie Henderson, community leader, by email at: jamie@larcheks.org.

Early childhood position - Wonderful opportunity for adults interested in working with young children. Catholic preschool seeks caring individuals to work with children in our infant - three-year-olds preschool classes. Positions are full time. Great working conditions and immediate benefits. Call Patricia at (913) 248-4588 to inquire and set up interview.

Board members - Santa Marta, Johnson County’s premier life care community sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, is actively seeking board members for the term beginning January 2020. The board meets during the business day six times a year, and each board member also serves on a committee that meets six to 12 times a year. We are seeking applicants who have experience serving on a not-for-profit board, have a concern for our senior citizens and who have a background in health care, business management, law, finance, etc., to serve a four-year term with the option to extend for a second four-year term. Those who wish to be considered for appointment to the board are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, resume or details of relevant experience, and home parish to Heidi Abeln at: habeln@santamartaretirement.com by July 31. Include your phone number and mailing address. If you have any questions, Heidi can be reached at (913) 323-7106. Additional information about Santa Marta can be viewed at: www.santamartaretirement.com.

Coaches - Bishop Miege High School is seeking an assistant baseball coach and a dance team coach for the 201920 school year. Contact Andrew Groene, athletic director at: agroene@bishopmiege.com or (913) 222-5802.

Mini-storage facility manager - Shawnee/Lenexa area.

30 - 35 hrs/week. Job tasks include helping customers with storage needs; following up on sales prospects; collecting payments; monthly billings; collecting delinquencies; keeping the site in good shape; and frequent property walks. Manager must have a pleasant disposition, good telephone skills and be comfortable using a computer. Other responsibilities include light maintenance which includes cleaning units; sweeping; mopping; changing light bulbs; and cleaning the office. Great opportunity for retired person or couple. Send inquiries to PO Box 860049, Shawnee, KS 66286, or email resumes to: aaselfstorageKC@gmail.com. Members, St. Joseph Parish.

Caregivers - Daughters & Company is looking for several compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to ambulatory seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide light housekeeping/ light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation services for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication. A CNA background is helpful, though not mandatory. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match up hours desired. Contact Pat or Murray at (913) 341-2500, or contact Gary at (913) 787-4123 if you want to become part of an excellent caregiving team.

Lawn care - Do you know someone with ambition who is looking for a CAREER working in the outdoors? We are looking for smart, energetic people with high integrity who are motivated to learn our business and help us grow. You must be excited to work outside and interested in learning about lawns, pruning, tree care, landscaping and irrigation. Prior experience is not required; a college degree is strongly preferred. We call it “putting your degree to work, outdoors”! We are an employee-owned, nonsmoking company. New hires quickly make great friends with our quality staff. As a faith-based company, we are confident you won’t be disappointed referring a friend to RYAN. Apply online at: RyanLawn.com.

Liturgist - St. Francis Xavier Jesuit Parish, Kansas City, Mo., seeks a liturgist. Primary requirements of the position are assisting the pastor in leading the overall liturgical life of the parish by promoting and coordinating the active participation of the parish community in liturgical prayer and music. A moderately flexible schedule is required to accommodate holy days, weddings and funerals. The liturgist reports to the pastor; the position is full-time, 25 - 30 hours during the week, plus weekends; eligible for benefits. For the full job description and to apply, go online to: kcsjcatholic.org, click on “Get Started,” scroll down to “Job Openings,” then click on “Click here to view and apply for current openings.”

Toddler/preschool teachers - Little Saint/Saint Thomas Aquinas is seeking toddler/preschool teachers beginning in August. If interested, call Jeanne at (913) 940-4781.

Music teacher - Holy Rosary Wea School is seeking a music teacher for the 2019-20 school year. Interested applicants should apply at: www.archkckcs.org and should email a resume to: info@qhrwea.org.

Parish development consultant - Do you have sales experience? Are you well-networked in the local community? J.S. Paluch, a national publisher of church bulletins, has a full-time position to sell advertising space and service parishes. Base salary plus generous commission.

BC/BS health insurance, plus other competitive benefits.

Send resume by email to: Recruiting@jspaluch.com.

Counselor - St. Gregory the Great School in Marysville is seeking a part-time school counselor. The applicant must hold a current Kansas license through the appropriate accrediting agency (licensed professional counselor, licensed master’s social worker, national certified counselor or licensed school counselor). Interested applicants need to complete the teacher application process online at: www.archkckcs.org. For details or questions about this position, send an email to principal Karen Farrell at: kfarrell@stgregorychurch.org or call (785) 562-2831.

Director of religious education - Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka is seeking a full-time director of religious education who is passionate about catechesis and the new evangelization. Primary responsibilities involve the coordination, promotion and implementation of youth and adult religious education; sacramental preparation; and RCIA for the parish. There will be both day and evening working hours required, as well as occasional weekend hours. This person must be a faith-filled Catholic in good standing with the church; have excellent communication skills; good computer skills; and be highly organized. Send a resume and cover letter to Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish Search Committee, 1800 SW Stone Ave, Topeka, KS 66604 or to: parish@mphm.com

by July 2.

Youth minister - St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood is seeking a youth minister. As a member of the Christian formation and evangelization (CF&E) department, our youth ministers are the pastor’s delegates responsible for the planning, organization and implementation of evangelization and formation of the middle school and high school youth of the parish. The successful candidate for this position must manage the financial resources and volunteers available to them to create new and maintain existing programs to form in each youth a missionary disciple. The ideal candidate will have an active spiritual life, be willing to share with others and be able to adapt their spirituality to meet the youth where they are in their faith journey. This is a permanent, full-time position and includes the archdiocesan benefits package. Salary will be commensurate with experience. For more information and a complete job description, go online to: www.stmichaelcp.org and click on “Our Parish/Employment Opportunities.”

Director of development and marketing - Resurrection Catholic School at the Cathedral is seeking a talented and ambitious individual to serve as its director of development and marketing. This is a part-time position in which the director reports to the principal and works in collaboration with the board of trustees.

Responsibilities for this position include overseeing and growing two annual established fundraisers; grant writing; maintaining and expanding individual and business donor relationships to include a planned gifts strategy; and developing and executing a school marketing and social media plan. The ideal candidate will have for-profit and not-for-profit experience. A track record of sales and marketing success is preferred. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and resume to Lynda Higgins at: Lhiggins@rcskck.org.​ Lead preschool teacher - St. Patrick Early Education Center in Kansas City, Kansas, is seeking a lead preschool teacher. Responsibilities include planning lessons; preparing a classroom; assessing student performance; infusing spiritual activities into lessons; and supervising up to 12 students Monday - Friday from 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., August - May. The lead teacher must also attend all staff meetings and communicate with parents on each student’s progress. The applicant must be a practicing Catholic; have prior early childhood teaching experience; be able to meet KDHE state requirements; and have an AA, BA, or BS degree in early education, early childhood or related field. Interested individuals should send a resume to: Jobs@stpatrickkck.eduk12.net. For a complete job description, send an email to Patty Dickinson at: pdickinson@stpatrickkck.eduk12.net. The application deadline is June 27.

Aftercare lead teacher - St. Patrick Early Education Center in Kansas City, Kansas, is seeking an aftercare lead teacher. Responsibilities include planning lessons; preparing a classroom; assessing student performance; and infusing spiritual activities into lessons. The teacher

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will supervise up to 12 students Monday - Friday from 3 - 6 p.m., August - May. The lead teacher will also need to attend other school functions and events as necessary. The applicant must be a practicing Catholic; have prior early childhood teaching experience; be able to meet KDHE state requirements; and have prior experience working with young children in a child care setting.

Interested individuals should send a resume to: Jobs@ stpatrickkck.eduk12.net. For a complete job description, contact Patty Dickinson at: pdickinson@stpatrickkkck. eduk12.net. The application deadline is June 27.

HOME IMPROVEMENT DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time.

Windows - Doors - Decks - Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and be glad you did.

Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com Swalms organizing - downsizing - cleanout service - Reduce clutter – Any space organized. Shelving built on-site. Items hauled for recycling and donations. 20 years exp.; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115. WWW. SWALMSORGANIZING.COM. EL SOL Y LA TIERRA *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation *Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 935-0176 The Drywall Doctor, Inc. – A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean! Lead-certified and insured!

Serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655.

Local handyman - Painting int. and ext., wood rot, power washing, staining, masonry (chimney repair, patio’s) gutter cleaning, water heaters, junk removal, lawn mowing, window cleaning, honey - do list and more!! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913)927-4118.

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

Sheetrock repaired - We can repair your ceilings and walls and can retexture with popcorn or knockdown ceilings. We can repaint old yellowed ceiling. Interior painting for 24 years with no mess!! Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144.

Interior painting - Renew your ceiling and walls with a fresh coat of paint. Replace drywall or plaster repaired with no mess!! 25 years experience. Call anytime. Jerry (913) 206-1144.

Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 829-4336.

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) 579-1835.

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

Rusty Dandy Painting, Inc. – We have been coloring your world for 40 years. Your home will be treated as if it were our own. Old cabinets will be made to look like new. Dingy walls and ceilings will be made beautiful.

Woodwork will glow. Lead-certified and insured. Call (913) 341-9125.

NELSON CREATION’S L.L.C. Home makeovers, kitchen, bath. All interior and exterior remodeling and repairs.

Family owned, experienced, licensed and insured.

Member St. Joseph, Shawnee. Kirk Nelson.

(913) 927-5240; nelsport@everestkc.net Helping Hand Handy Man - Semi-retired handyman can help with your ‘to do list,’ small and medium projects around your house. Also electrical; ceiling fans, light fixtures, outlet and switches. Most deck and shed repairs, power washing restaining and painting. No yard work. Member of Prince of Peace, Olathe. Call Mark Coleman at (913) 526-4490.

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

>> Classifieds continue on page 15

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CALENDAR 39TH ANNUAL MEXICAN FIESTA St. John the Evangelist Parish 1234 Kentucky, Lawrence June 21 and June 22 from 6 - 11:30 p.m.

There will be authentic Mexican food, mariachis and live entertainment from The Steele Road Band of Kansas City, Kansas, on Friday and Grupo Picante on Saturday. There will be carnival-type games on Saturday. Admission is free.

Corner Grille will donate 15% of the margarita sales to benefit Centro Hispano. Please mention this promotion to your server.

PRAYER VIGIL FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE SACRED HEART St. Joseph Parish 11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee June 27 at 7 p.m.

The prayer vigil will include the rosary, vespers, Act of Reparation, Litany of the Sacred Heart and chaplet of the Sacred Heart.

SALAD POTLUCK Most Pure Heart of Mary (Formation Room) 3601 S.W. 17th St., Topeka June 27 from 5 -7 p.m.

HEALING AND HOPE Holy Angels Parish (hall) 15440 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor June 22 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

This is a workshop on coping with grief, mourning and loss. Hospice chaplain and bereavement counselor, Sister Susan Holmes, OSB, will facilitate. For more information or to register (registration is required), call (913) 724-1665, or download the registration form at: holyangelsbasehor.org.

FIRST SISTERS IN CHRIST LUNCHEON Divine Mercy Parish 555 W. Main St., Gardner June 22 at 11:30 a.m.

The Christian widow and widowers organization will host a salad potluck dinner. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call (785) 233-7350.

POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE BENEFIT Holy Family Hall 513 Ohio Ave., Kansas City, Kansas June 29 from 6:30 - 10 p.m.

There will be a Slovenian wine tasting and a 50/50 raffle. Tickets are $15 and include the wine tasting, a sausage sandwich and music by the Brian McCarty Band. Raffle tickets will be sold; need not be present to win.

For more information, call Julie Schneller at (816) 797-8623 or send an email to: julieschnel115@aol.com.

DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA LITTLE FLOWER CIRCLE Christ the King Church 5973 S.W. 29th St., Topeka June 23. Rosary at 12:30 p.m.; business meeting at 1 p.m.

A social will follow the business meeting.

If anyone knows of a member or a family in distress, sick or in need of the circle’s prayers, contact Theresa Smith-Lawton at (785) 640-1403. If you are interested in or would like more information about Daughters of Isabella, call Cindy Keen at (785) 228-9863.

CHURCH PICNIC St. Mary Parish 9208 Main St., St. Benedict June 23 at 5 p.m.

Fresh fried chicken and a ham buffet will be served. The cost is $10 for adults; $5 for kids from 4 - 10. Takeout is available. There will be games, and an auction will start at 8:30 p.m.

PROJECT CHRYSALIS Church of the Ascension (St. Luke’s Room) 9500 W. 127th St., Overland Park June 24 from 7 - 8:15 p.m.

Project Chrysalis is a Catholic ministry designed to help parents who have lost a child to find hope through sacred Scripture and community in a time of transformation. The group is open to parents who have lost a child or grandparents who have lost a grandchild.

Immediate family members are also invited to attend. For more information, call Ken or Patty Billinger at (913) 634-4210; send an email to: kbillinger@archkck.org; go online to: www.hopeinscripture.com; or see the Facebook page: @projectchrysaliskc.

MARGARITAS FOR MARGARITA RND Corner Grille 801 Massachusetts St., Lawrence June 25 from 4 - 9 p.m.

This is a benefit for Centro Hispano. RND

celebrate Mass. Following Mass, there will be a free lunch, carnival games and an ice cream social for all ages. The event is sponsored by the archdiocesan offices for pro-life and social justice, Faithful Citizens and FIAT. Visit the website at: archkck.org/religious freedom for detailed information.

itual Energy” in the tradition of Salesian spirituality with the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales after Mass in the Magi Room.

To attend, send an email to Ruth Owens at: rowens4853@gmail.com. For additional information, visit the website at: www.sfds association.org.

‘COFFEE AND SILENCE’ Sophia Spirituality Center 751 S. 8th St., Atchison July 5 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

TOTUS TUUS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS St. Joseph Parish 11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee July 22 - 26 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Come for a morning or bring your lunch and spend the day. We’ll have the coffee on for you. Spend time in silence, walk the grounds, or pray in St. Scholastica Chapel. The cost is a donation. Register online at: sophiaspirituality center.org, or call (913) 360-6173.

PRO-LIFE FORUM George J. Perry Memorial Armory 110 S. 5th St., St. Marys July 6 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

The forum will feature 40 Days for Life, the Thomas More Society, Kansans for Life, U.S. Rep. Dr. Roger Wayne Marshall and more.

Learn about the current legislative battles to end abortion at the state level and in Congress. Find out some strategies and practical steps everyone can take to help end abortion.

PRAYER AND FASTING RETREAT Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton July 12 - 14

The retreat begins on July 12 at 6 p.m. and ends on July 14. There will be perpetual adoration (sign up for slots, especially at night), prayer from the Divine Office, the rosary, the Divine Mercy chaplet and silent prayer. Fasting will consist of bread and water. The cost is $150 for individuals; $225 for couples; and $80 for those who choose the small rooms.

To register, call (913) 773-8255 or send an email to: info@christspeace.com.

Speaker Camille PInkhinke will talk about the services offered by Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas for the homeless. Music and devotions will also be included in the program. There is no cost to attend, but food donations to the Johnson County Multi-Service Center are requested. Registration begins at 11 a.m.

GOTTA HAVE HOPE GARAGE SALE St. Michael the Archangel School 14201 Nall Ave., Leawood June 28 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

June 29 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

This is Gotta Have Hope’s 12th annual sale.

Tax deductible donations will be accepted June 27. All proceeds benefit St. Joan of Arc School in Uganda and area villages. For more information, visit the website at: www. gottahavehope.org; send an email to: info@ gottahavehope.org; or call (913) 226-6958.

BINGO NIGHT Sacred Heart Parish 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas July 13 at 7 p.m.

Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus will host bingo. There will be cash prizes, and concessions will be sold. For more information, call (913) 850-3348.

BEGINNING EXPERIENCE - A WEEKEND AWAY FOR A LIFETIME OF CHANGE Precious Blood Renewal Center 2120 St. Gaspar Way, Liberty, Missouri June 28 - 30

This is a weekend for those who are suffering the loss of a love relationship and may feel left out by their church, uneasy around married friends and unsure of themselves.

For more information, visit: www.beginning experiencekc.org; send an email to: register. bekc@gmail.com; or call Michelle at (913) 709-3779.

RALLY FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM Church of the Ascension 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park June 30 Mass at 11:45 a.m.; rally at 1:30 p.m.

All are welcome to rally for religious freedom. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann will

This program is for children ages 6 - 14 years of age with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Volunteers are needed. The fee is $40 per child. The registration deadline is July 8. For more information, contact the office of special needs by email at: tracunas@archkck.org or call (913) 6477487. To register, go online to: www.archkck. org/specialneeds.

DIVORCED: CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN Church of the Ascension (St. Luke Room) 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park 2nd and 4th Sundays from 7 - 8:30 p.m.

What’s next after divorce/annulment? Join us for a formation series on the gift of self, which helps us fulfill the call to love again.

Various topics will be discussed. Visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ giftofself143 or send an email to: called tolove143@gmail.com.

CARD PARTY AND LUNCHEON Holy Cross Parish 8311 W. 93rd St., Overland Park July 23 from 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

St. Benedict Circle is hosting the card (or game of your choice) party. The cost to attend is $12. Men are welcome. For more information or to RSVP, call LuAnn at (913) 888-5534 or Judy at (913) 732-2435.

‘SUMMER SIPS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS’ Boulevard Brewery 2534 Madison Ave., Kansas City, Missouri July 28 from 5 - 8 p.m.

This is a benefit for the students at Resurrection School. Tickets are $50 per person and includes appetizers, beer, wine and a souvenir pint glass. Tickets on sale at: www. rcskck.org or mail your check to: 425 N. 15th St., Kansas City, KS 66102.

IMMACULÉE ILIBAGIZA Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish 3601 S.W. 17th St., Topeka Aug. 23 from 5 - 9 p.m.

Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

FAMILY SPECIAL-NEEDS SUMMER CAMP Prairie Star Ranch 1124 California Rd., Williamsburg June 28 - 30

This is a summer camp for families who have a loved one with special needs. For more information, go online to: www.archkck.org/ specialneeds or contact Tom Racunas by email at: tracunas@archkck.org or call (913) 647-3054.

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SACRED HEART CHURCH PICNIC Sacred Heart Parish 357 3rd St., Baileyville July 13 at 5 p.m. (Mass at 4 p.m.)

Roast beef and ham dinners will be served.

The cost is $10 for adults; $5 for children under 10. Takeout meals are available. There will be fun and games for everyone. The auction will begin at 8:30 p.m.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST Divine Mercy Parish (Christian Formation Center) 555 W. Main St., Gardner July 14 from 8 - 10 a.m.

Enjoy a hot, hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and all the fixings. The cost is: $6 for adults; $3 for kids 6 - 12; and kids 5 and under eat for free.

‘SPIRITUAL ENERGY’ Church of the Nativity 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood July 20 at 8:15 a.m. (Mass) 9:15 a.m. (meeting)

Come reflect on and share the topic of “Spir-

Immaculée Ilibagiza is a Rwandan genocide survivor who speaks to groups about her faith saving her while hiding from killers outside her home. The cost for tickets is $57. To register, go online to: www.immaculee.com and type “Retreat in Topeka, Kansas” in the search box.

THURSDAY EVENING PRAYER Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m.

Enliven your faith and grow in your relationship with the Lord as you pray with the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel. Come early and discover the beauty and tranquility of our grounds. For more information, call (913) 773-8255 or send an email to: info@christs peace.com.

Concrete Work

Any type of repair and new work Driveways, Walks, Patios Member of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish

Harvey M. Kascht (913) 262-1555

Call or text 913-621-2199

JUNE 21 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY TWELFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME June 23 THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST (Corpus Christi) Gn 14: 18-20 Ps 110: 1-4 1 Cor 11: 23-26 Lk 9: 11b-17 June 24 THE NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Is 49: 1-6 Ps 139: 1b-3, 13-15 Acts 13: 22-26 Lk 1: 57-66, 80 June 25 Tuesday Gn 13: 2, 5-18 Ps 15: 2-5 Mt 7: 6, 12-14 June 26 Wednesday Gn 15: 1-12, 17-18 Ps 105: 1-4, 6-9 Mt 7: 15-20 June 27 Cyril of Alexandria, bishop, doctor of the church Gn 16: 1-12, 15-16 Ps 106: 1b-5 Mt 7: 21-29 June 28 THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS Ez 34: 11-16 Ps 23: 1-6 Rom 5: 5b-11 Lk 15: 3-7 June 29 PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES Acts 12: 1-11 Ps 34: 2-9 2 Tm 4: 6-8, 17-18 Mt 16: 13-19 June 30 THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 1 Kgs 19: 16b, 19-21 Ps 16: 1-2, 5, 7-11 Gal 5: 1, 13-18 Lk 9: 51-62 July 1 Junipero Serra, priest Gn 18: 16-33 Ps 103: 1b-4, 8-11 Mt 8: 18-22 July 2 Tuesday Gn 19: 15-29 Ps 26: 2-3, 9-12 Mt 8: 23-27 July 3 THOMAS, APOSTLE Eph 2: 19-22 Ps 117: 1b-2 Jn 20: 24-29 July 4 Thursday Gn 22: 1b-19 Ps 115: 1-6, 8-9 Mt 9: 1-8 July 5 Anthony Zaccaria, priest; Elizabeth of Portugal Gn 23: 1-4, 19; 24: 1-8, 62-67 Ps 106: 1b-5 Mt 9: 9-13 July 6 Maria Goretti, virgin, martyr Gn 27: 1-5, 15-29 Ps 135: 1b-6 Mt 9: 14-17

H

umbled.

Comforted.

Grateful.

Since my mom’s death on June 4, these three words pretty much summarize how I feel.

I’ve received a deluge of sympathy cards, emails, Facebook messages, phone calls and hugs — all a testament to the impact my mom had on others. The many people who came to her wake and funeral Mass brought tears to my eyes.

Even though I’m sure Mom saw me as the “professional” religious person, she was actually it. In other words, she practiced what I preach.

And how did she do that? This little story explains it well: A woman in a Bible study told about an interesting discovery she made recently when going into her basement.

Some potatoes there had sprouted in the darkest corner of the room.

At first, she couldn’t figure out how they received enough light to grow. Then she noticed that she had hung a copper kettle from a rafter near a cellar window. She kept it so brightly polished that it reflected the rays of the

Thank God for copper kettles MARK MY WORDS

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

sun onto those potatoes.

“When I saw that reflection,” she said, “I thought, ‘I may not be a preacher or a teacher with the ability to expound upon Scripture, but at least I can be a copper kettle Christian, catching the rays of the Son and reflecting his light to someone in a dark corner.’” (Found in “Sower’s Seeds of Encouragement: Fifth Planting,” by Brian Cavanaugh, TOR.) That was definitely my mom. She reflected the light of Christ in her radiant smile, her grateful attitude, her simple lifestyle, her generous

nature and her warm hospitality. She especially enjoyed giving “low fives” to kids after Mass and at restaurants.

She lived the joy of the Gospel in her sense of humor, her exuberant singing (in Croatian and English), her readiness to polka at any time and in her ear-splitting “yeehoo-hoo!”

And she shed light for me on the many copper kettle Christians brightening the world, especially now as I grapple with her death. A bookmark someone sent me said it well: “It’s the little things that make life beautiful.” Here are just a few examples: • One parish family brought me enough tasty spaghetti and garlic bread to sustain me for several meals as I planned all of Mom’s

services.

• The donations of so many to Mom’s favorite places — St. John’s, Sacred Heart and the Strawberry Hill Museum — have astounded me.

• Another parishioner sent two sheets of postage stamps in a sympathy card, anticipating what I’d need in writing thank-you notes.

• Skradski Funeral Home on Strawberry Hill made arranging the wake and funeral as easy as possible and did a stellar job.

• Two of my parishioners were a tremendous help as they cleared out my mom’s room at the nursing center.

• Friends have taken me out to eat and talk.

• My parish Knights of Columbus organized an honor guard for Mom. • My home parish of St. John the Baptist in Kansas City, Kansas, could not have been more hospitable — from the support of the parish staff to the beautiful music of the funeral choir to the delicious meal after the burial.

• My brother priests concelebrated the funeral Mass.

• A parish council member brought a bag of chocolates to share at our

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last meeting in honor of one of Mom’s main food groups.

• A Monster Truck driver from the parish dedicated a maneuver in her show to my mom and sent me a video.

• And the concern of so many people as to “how I’m doing” and the offers of “call if you need anything” have truly touched my heart.

It’s these copper kettle Christians who show what the faith is all about.

I recently came across this story in “Illustrations Unlimited,” edited by James S. Hewett, which captures so well why I continue to believe and do what I do: When Robert Ingersoll, an ardent 19th-century agnostic, was in his heyday, two college students went to hear him lecture. As they walked down the street afterwards, one said to the other, “Well, I guess he knocked the props out from under Christianity, didn’t he?”

The other said, “No, I don’t think he did. Ingersoll did not explain my mother’s life, and until he can explain my mother’s life, I will stand by my mother’s God.” Me, too.

Offerings of Melchizedek foreshadow the Eucharist

A

fter fighting a battle, what does a soldier do? Check back with the family at home? Get some R and R? Just chill out?

Or, maybe breathe a prayer of thanksgiving to God for still being alive? That appears to be the case in Sunday’s reading, Gn 14:18-20. In the aftermath of a battle, Melchizedek is offering a sacrifice.

The reading identifies Melchizedek as the king of Salem. According to tradition, the word “Salem” corresponds to “Jerusalem.” In other words, it’s just another name for the city.

Another possibility, however, proposes that the word “salem” is another form of the

IN THE BEGINNING

FATHER MIKE STUBBS Father Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.

Hebrew word for peace, “shalom.” Melchizedek, then, would be a king of peace, an ally with

POPE FRANCIS

Abram, who is also present for the sacrifice. The two, along with some other kings, have joined forces in battle against Chedorlaomer and his allies. (These kings do not rule over vast swaths of territory. They operate more on the lines of a tribal chieftain.)

To celebrate their successful battle, Melchizedek offers this sacrifice

Too often when Catholics try to talk to young people about vocational discernment, “it’s as if we were speaking Esperanto to them, because they don’t understand a thing,” Pope Francis said.

Bishops, pastors, religious and other adults must learn to speak young people’s language and must avoid exercising undue pressure on young men and women to enter a seminary or join a religious order, the pope said June 6 at a gathering of people doing vocations work in Europe.

With the advent of new technologies and social

of bread and wine in thanksgiving for their victory. He says, “Blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.”

The offerings of bread and wine immediately resonate with us as Catholics. After all, we present bread and wine to God, to become the body and blood of Christ.

We offer them to God in a sacrifice of praise in the Eucharist.

Appropriately, the word “Eucharist” means “sacrifice” in Greek.

We are expressing our gratitude to God for all that we have received, especially for the gift of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In offering thanks to God, we follow the example of Jesus Christ himself, who “on the night

he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:23b-24).

It’s amazing! Even though Jesus realized that his friends would abandon him and that he would soon die, he still found it in himself to give thanks to God. That is why we assure God at the beginning of the eucharistic prayer of the Mass: “We do well, always and everywhere, to give you thanks.”

On this solemnity of Corpus Christi, we do well to remember that whenever we celebrate the Eucharist, we join our sacrifice of thanksgiving to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

media, he added, young people today know how to contact others, “but they do not communicate. Communicating is perhaps the challenge that we have with young people,” the pope said.

“Communication, communion,” he continued, “we must teach them that computers are good, yes; to have some form of contact, but this isn’t language. This is a ‘gaseous’ language. The true language is to communicate, to speak.”

Participants in the Congress for the Pastoral Care of Vocations in Europe were in Rome to study ways to implement the recommendations made during the Synod of Bishops on young people and vocational discernment last October.

— CNS

JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

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JUNE 21, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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A HOME OF THEIR OWN

Myanmar community celebrates 10th anniversary at Holy Family

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Three flags led the way as parishioners processed from Holy Family Church here to Msgr. Mejak Hall, and those flags had a story to tell.

The American, papal and Myanmar flags symbolized how Catholic refugee families from Myanmar carried their faith and heritage halfway around the world to become new Americans and establish a community in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

The Myanmar Catholic Community of Holy Family Parish celebrated its 10th anniversary on May 19 with a Mass, followed by a program of song and dance, and a dinner featuring a variety of Myanmar foods.

The main celebrant was Father Michael Van Lian, who celebrates the sacraments for the Myanmar communities at Holy Family and St. Patrick parishes in Kansas City, Kansas.

The homily was given by Father Chrysostom Ah Maung, a retired priest from the Diocese of Wichita, who is from Myanmar. Father John Htun Htun Naing, visiting from the Archdiocese of Mandalay, Myanmar, also concelebrated.

Before the final prayers and dismissal, Father Van Lian recognized the founding families of Holy Family’s Myanmar community. A special blessing was given to high school and college graduates. The first serving member of the U.S. military from the parish was also recognized.

During the reception following the Mass, Father Anthony Ouelette and Father Van Lian cut a ceremonial cake.

Father Ouelette, who formerly served as pastor of All Saints, was given new Mass vestments as a gift of thanks.

Dance and song groups from Holy Family and St. Patrick parishes performed, and Rockhurst High School sophomore Le Tin presented a brief history of the community.

Myanmar has many different language and ethnic groups. The Myanmar people at St. Patrick Parish are Chin from Chin State. This group was established in 2013.

The Myanmar community at Holy

Announcement Joseph A. Butler & Son Funeral Home has re-opened as

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE BOLLIG

From left, Saw Mike Eh and Joseph Kua Paw with the American and Myanmar flags, lead a procession from Holy Family Church in Kansas City, Kansas, to the parish’s social hall. They are followed by Father Michael Van Lian and Father John Htun Htun Naing.

Family Parish is comprised of seven groups: Karenni, Padong, Sagaw Karen, Poe Karen, ZoTung, Mindat and Kachin. They came from the states of Kaya, Karen, Kachin and Southern Chin in Myanmar.

The community initially established itself at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish (later part of All Saints) on April 12, 2009. Father Paul Lwin, a Myanmar priest from California, would occasionally visit to celebrate the sacraments for them in the Burmese language.

Later, Father Theodore Khing from the Diocese of Wichita would visit once a month. Father Michael Van Lian, from the Diocese of Hakha in Chin State, arrived at St. Patrick Parish in 2015, and began to celebrate weekly Mass for both groups.

When Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church was closed due to parish consolidations, the Myanmar community

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Jim Larkin

Sam Garcia

transferred to Holy Family, a historic Slovenian parish, in November 2017.

“In the 18 months since their arrival, we have been very favorably pleased with their support and participation at Holy Family Parish,” said Father Peter Jaramillo, SSA, pastor.

Although unable to attend the 10th anniversary celebration, he spoke with The Leaven before the event.

“We have 80 [Myanmar] families registered, which is almost double the number of parishioners,” he said.

“There are currently 53 children at Resurrection Catholic School, four at Bishop Ward High School, one at Rockhurst High School [in Kansas City, Missouri] and nine at local colleges and universities.”

Since their arrival, members of the Myanmar community have also enlivened the sacramental life of the parish with 12 baptisms, 30 first Communions,

T

three confirmations and seven weddings.

“We’ve also experienced an increase in our Sunday collections of almost $1,000 a month,” said Father Peter.

“We’ve noticed that the [Myanmar people] are very faithful supporters . . . and love this parish, feel connected and are proud to call Holy Family their own.

“We’ve also observed how the [Myanmar people] are willing to take personal responsibility and be involved in parish activities, [including] our annual Slovenefest.”

Father Peter expressed gratitude for the vital pastoral ministry of Father Michael Van Lian and assistance of layman James Khung Min Than, who serves as representative and liaison for both Holy Family and the larger Myanmar Catholic Community.

ARCHDIOCESAN LEGAL COUNSEL

he Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking a qualified attorney to serve as general counsel for the archdiocese. Applicants must hold a license to practice law in the state of Kansas. The ideal applicant would be an experienced attorney with employment, real estate/construction, education and general practice preferred. Some knowledge of canon law would also be helpful. The archdiocese will entertain options with the successful applicant for serving either as in-house general counsel with salary, benefits and office space provided or to be contracted as an outside general counsel.

Interested individuals should submit a resume online with a thorough professional work history, as well as other professional experience, to the office of human resources at: jobs@archkck.org.