THE ORIGINS of WARD Before the Turn of the Century, Most Catholic Sec - Ondary Schools Were Oper - Ated by Religious Orders
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WWW.THELEAVEN.COM NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF KANSAS CITY IN KANSAS • VOL. 29, NO. 7 SEPTEMBER 21, 2007 BISHOP WARD TURNS 100 THE ORIGINS OF WARD Before the turn of the century, most Catholic sec - ondary schools were oper - ated by religious orders. One current example is Maur Hill-Mount Academy in Atchison, founded by the Benedictines of Mount St. Scholastica and St. Benedict’s Abbey. “But with the coming of the public high school movement, there soon ap - peared also the Catholic high school movement,” wrote Father Richard J. Bollig in his 1933 disserta - tion, “History of Catholic Education in Kansas 1836- 1932.” The first organized parochial high school in the history of the archdiocese was in St. Marys. Catholic High School [Ward’s pre - decessor] of Kansas City, Kan., was founded in 1908 at the request of Bishop Thomas F. Lillis. Catholic High was origi - nally located in the base - ment of St. Peter School. It was a central high school from the beginning, draw - Leaven file photo by Susan McSpadden CENTENNIAL Bishop Ward High School kicks off its centennial year with Homecoming Week. Several events are planned during this year of celebration. ing its 23 freshman students from all parishes. The first president was Father Patrick McInerney, who was assist - ed by two Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. Classes A CENTURY were added until Catholic High was able to offer a regular four-year curriculum in 1911. By then, five Sisters of Charity were full- time teachers. The school had a home OF CYCLONES to call its own when a new school was built in 1912 at 1236 Sandusky, at the re - ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Here’s the Stories by “This 100th anniversary is also time for us quest of Bishop John Ward. question: Which is the greatest JOE BOLLIG to look ahead to the future,” Father Hermes Enrollment rose to 310 in year in the history of Bishop continued. “The core mission of Bishop Ward 1928, and the faculty con - Ward High School here? High School has not changed in 100 years. It sisted of seven priests and K The answer: All of them. is to provide Catholic formation to hundreds eight Sisters of Charity. It’s a trick question, to be sure, but “all of of young Catholics in Kansas City, Kansas. We Even this school was out - them” is the answer that makes the most are doing our best to do a good job with the grown. Despite the onset of sense. The 100-year history of Bishop Ward spiritual formation of our students.” the Great Depression, a High School is so full and rich that it would be The celebration of the centennial year be - new school was built at impossible to pick just one as “the greatest.” gins with Homecoming Week 2007 and con - 708 N. 18th in 1931. The That’s why Ward is dedicating an entire cludes with Homecoming Week 2008, said new school was named in year to celebrating its centennial. Cindy Isabel, of the Ward development office. honor of Bishop Ward and “The 100th anniversary of Bishop Ward is This year, the Ward Cyclones take on the dedicated on Oct. 25, cause to look back and give thanks to God for Perry-Lecompton Kaws at Dorney Field on 1931. 100 years of Catholic formation and educa - Sept. 28, with kickoff at 7 p.m. This year’s It’s worth noting that, tion in Kansas City, Kansas,” said Father homecoming theme is “A Century of through almost half of its Michael Hermes, Ward president. “We have Cyclones.” history, the school was led by Msgr. John P. McKenna, over 12,000 alumni who have graduated from The Ward centennial committee, led by who was president from our school over the past 100 years. We are Msgr. Michael Mullen, class of 1954, is plan - 1914 to 1954. proud of all of them. ning a host of activities for the year. In the ensuing decades, Confirmed activities include: Bishop Ward High School • Homecoming Mass at 10 a.m. on Sept. 28 saw challenges and tri - LI’L CYCLONE Fourth-generation Cyclone, Liddy at Dorney Field umphs. In the 1940s, many Porterfield, daughter of John and Teresa Serrano • Centennial Mass celebrated by students quickly traded their Porterfield (class of ‘96), will be crown bearer at Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann at 2 p.m. on graduation gowns for mili - Bishop Ward’s homecoming game on Sept. 28. The St. tary uniforms or war indus try Peter parishioner is almost three. See “Family” on page 6 See “A brief” on page 6 2 LOCAL NEWS THE LEAVEN • SEPTEMBER 21, 2007 SEPTEMBER 14, 2007 • THE LEAVEN SECOND FRONT PAGE 3 LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS Photos by Truth, not tolerance, should be our absolute Susan McSpadden any years ago, I was making a revere the God-given dignity of every a covenant between a man and a “Dominus Jesus” states: “Equality, private retreat. Also on retreat other human being as one made in the woman. which is the presupposition of inter- M that week at the same center image of God and one who the Son of This summer’s statement from the religious dialogue, refers to the equal was a group of Universalist Unitarians. God so valued that he gave his life on Holy See clarifying questions about the personal dignity of the parties in the They were very Calvary. doctrine of the church was actually a dialogue, not to doctrinal content, nor friendly and at meal If you want a re - follow-up to a document, entitled even less to the position of Jesus Christ time always at - markable experience “Dominus Jesus” (“The Lord Jesus”), — who is God himself made man — in tempted to engage ARCHBISHOP of diversity, make a published in the jubilee year 2000 by relationship to the founders of other me in conversation. JOSEPH F. pilgrimage to St. the Congregation for the Doctrine of religions.” I asked them NAUMANN Peter’s Basilica in the Faith whose prefect, at the time, My Unitarian friends helped me Tyler Keohane (left) and Father Mike Stubbs (right) assist Servers Tyler Keohane and Zach Martin applaud as about the format Rome. In St. Peter’s, was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The make a very special retreat. They re - Archbishop Naumann in the St. Francis de Sales site blessing Archbishop Naumann examines a T-shirt presented to him. and content of their you will see pilgrims original document also created quite a minded me of the gift of my Catholic on Sept. 9. retreat. The objec - representing every furor. faith and its belief in truth — both nat - tive of their retreat race, as well as an in - In “Dominus Jesus,” we find a reaf - ural truths accessible to us through hu - was for each of them to formulate or to credible variety of ethnic backgrounds. firmation of the church’s commitment man reason and revealed truths com - revise their own personal creed. I With the appearance of the Magi at to interreligious dialogue: “In consid - municated to us by God. asked them if there had to be certain the Nativity scene, we recognize in the ering the values which these religions The problem with every person de - common beliefs in each of their creeds. very beginning of the Gospel Jesus witness to and offer humanity, with an veloping their own creed is that God is LITTLE GIVERS The answer was to me a surprising breaking down the barriers of race and open and positive approach, the limited by the capacity of our minds to “No.” The only absolute was that each ethnicity. Our Catholic faith celebrates Second Vatican Council’s Declaration conceive him. God becomes something St. Francis de Sales children personal creed had to be tolerant of the beautiful mosaic of God’s image re - on the relation of the Church to non- made in our own image, rather than contribute to new church building everyone else’s creed. vealed in humanity with its different Christian religions states: The Church our Christian understanding that we I was reminded of this experience races and ethnic cultures. rejects nothing of what is true and holy have been created in the divine image. By KARA HANSEN feet, including additional area during the furor this summer over the Yet, sometimes tolerance and diver - in these religions. She has a high re - What God revealed of himself in the Leaven staff for classrooms, offices, and stor - statement by the Congregation for the sity are really used today to promote gard for the manner of life and con - Bible and ultimately in the Incarnate age space. The new church will Doctrine of the Faith entitled, secular relativism, a philosophy that is duct, the precepts and teachings, Word — Jesus — is so much greater LANSING — Every week for be attached to the cur - “Responses to Some Questions regard - premised on a rejection of objective which, although differing in many than what our minds could have ever the past five years, they have do - rent church building, ing Certain Aspects of the Doctrine of truth. For the relativist, you can have ways from her own teaching, nonethe - imagined. nated money to help fund a new which will then become the Church.” your truth and I can have my truth less often reflect a ray of that truth We find the battle between truth church building. But instead of the parish hall. A new In our culture today, tolerance and even if we contradict each other. In which enlightens all men.” and its denial right in the Gospel of an offering basket, these dona - parking lot is also includ - diversity have become the new ab - other words, there is no truth.