THELEAVEN.COM | VOL. 34, NO. 15 | NOVEMBER 16, 2012 Despite being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in 2010, Mary Perrini has battled on and continues to work as director of campus ministry at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park. THE REAL DEAL Mary Perrini’s ministry of presence is as simple as it is effective Story by Sheila MyerS • PhotoS by elaina CoChran OELAND PARK — Mary Perrini is not Roeland Park that attracts students in droves? That brings your typical teen idol. She’s not a musi- every kid in the auditorium to their feet for a standing ova- cian or a harbinger of fashion. She’s not on tion every time she’s introduced at a school function? Facebook or Twitter. Sister Martina Rockers, OSU, has taught at Miege for So what is it about the 53-year-old, some 53 years — 25 of it with Perrini. diminutive campus ministry and social And she thinks the answer is simple. Rservice program director at Bishop Miege High School in >> See “CAMPUS MINISTER” on page 8 3 5 8 HONORING A SAINT ‘Dei verbum’ MARRIAGE MATTERS MYSTERY OF FAITH A delegation from the archdiocese attends Document results in additional Scripture Couple offers tips for a successful marriage Keep up with Michael Podrebarac’s “Mystery the canonization of Kateri Tekakwitha. readings at Mass. at Marriage Day of Enrichment. of Faith,” exclusively at: www.theleaven.com. 2 archbishop THELEAVEN.COM | NOVEMBER 16, 2012 NOVEMBER 16, 2012 | THELEAVEN.COM second front page 3 LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS pilgrims find joy, healing at st. Kateri canonization Vibrant witness to our faith is the way to change the culture n ARCHDIOcesaN PILGRIMS ome may to marijuana, to greed, to TRAVEL TO ROME FOR We need to pray gluttony, etc. Our American CALENDARS be suffering for all those in culture through its music, caNONIZatiON CEREMONY post-election cinema and other forms of ARCHBISHOP By Joe Bollig S elected office, entertainment is constantly NAUMANN [email protected] trauma! promoting the opposite — whether we voted that to be happy you have Nov. 16-17 ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Most For the first time, by to be sexually active and Knights of Columbus children love to hear stories, public referendum, a few ARCHBISHOP for them or not. rich. From the apple in the Gaudium et Spes Award and when Sister Virginia states (Maryland, Maine, JOSEPH F. NAUMANN Garden of Eden to the pres- presentation to past Pearl, CSJ, was little, she loved and Washington) narrowly ent day, pleasure and self- Supreme Knight Virgil Kto hear her mother tell stories about a approved the legality of so- Election Day, then we need gratification have always Dechant — Dallas wonderful Native American girl. called same-sex marriage. toward the tragic plight of to transform the culture. If been alluring. That Native American girl lived long Minnesota failed to pass a rape victims in order to pro- we want Americans to make The church does not op- Nov. 18 ago in the land of the Algonquin and state constitutional amend- mote successfully a mythical different and wiser choices pose premarital sex, homo- Crosier Mass Mohawk peoples, now upstate New ment prohibiting any future war on women. In so doing, in the voting booth, then we sexual acts, avarice, illegal York and southern Quebec. Her name legislation from attempt- they diverted attention from need to impact what people drugs, gluttony or any other Mass and presentation of was Kateri Tekakwitha. ing to redefine marriage the federal government’s value. vice because she wants St. rose Philippine Duch- “Mother talked a lot with us kids as something other than a efforts to coerce religious It should not surprise to prevent our happiness. esne Award — Sacred about this ‘little saint,’ as she called her,” covenant of love between institutions and individual us that fewer Americans No, just the opposite: The Heart, Mound City said Sister Virginia, who lives at the Sis- one man and one woman. A employers to violate their regularly attending church church understands not only ters of St. Joseph of Concordia mother- couple of states (Colorado conscience by paying for coincides with a smaller these actions will not make Nov. 19 house in Concordia. Her Potawatomi and Washington) legalized and providing abortion- percentage being married. us happy, but eventually Presbyteral Council name is “Na-me-que,” which means the “recre- inducing Nor should it startle us that they will bring us to sadness meeting “praying woman.” ational” use drugs as fewer children being raised and despair. Sister Virginia liked this “little saint” of marijua- ‘The SHEPherd’S VOIce’ well as con- in homes with both their The new evangelization Finance Council meeting because she was Native American — na. Archbishop Joseph F. Nau- traceptives biological parents has hap- is a challenge for Catho- just like her. Any mann’s radio program on in employee lics first to make the love pened when fewer Amer- Nov. 20 On Oct. 21, Sister Virginia stood in PHOTOS COURTESY OF DeacON DANA NEARMYER hope that KEXS 1090 AM airs at 10 a.m. health plans. icans claim any religious of Jesus real in the world Installation of Bishop the square of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome Above, Laura Waters, a member of the Choc- the election on Sunday and is repeated at What affiliation. today. No one can accept Conley — Lincoln, Neb. to hear Pope Benedict XVI declare her taw Nation, Deacon Dana Nearmyer who is would solve 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday and 3:30 should we Sadly, we have experi- the discipline and sacrifices mother’s “little saint” an official saint of part Cherokee, and Sister Virginia Pearl, CSJ, the attack p.m. on Thursday. do in the enced too many examples, of Christian discipleship, Nov. 21 the Catholic Church. a Potawatomi, wait for the canonization cere- on religious context of a in recent years, of those rep- unless they have first ex- Thanksgiving Mass and Sister Virginia, who was there as mony for Kateri Tekakwitha. liberty and culture that resenting churches failing to perienced the love of Jesus breakfast with chancery an official representative of the Prai- conscience rights created seems more than ever to be live in a manner consistent Christ. We must make clear and Pastoral Center staff rie Band Potawatomi and is herself Left, the relics of Kateri Tekakwitha are carried by the Health and Human “slouching towards Gomor- with what they preached. to the world that we love ev- Potawatomi, was surrounded by other in procession at the start of the canonization Services (HHS) mandate as rah?” From the abandonment of ery human being, no matter Nov. 22 Native Americans from Canada and ceremony. part of the implementation First of all, we need to Jesus by his chosen apostles if they have a homosexual Thanksgiving Day the United States, as well as those who of the Affordable Health pray for all those in elected on Good Friday to the pres- or heterosexual orientation, were there to witness the canonization Care Act (Obamacare) has office, whether we voted ent day, we are keenly aware no matter what addiction Nov. 25 of six other newly proclaimed saints. “Many . consider St. Kateri to be disappeared. To avoid a cri- for them or not. We need to of the human weakness of enslaves them, no matter Chiefs game for priests, Sister Virginia wasn’t the only one of their primary prayer interces- sis of Catholic institutions pray that our elected offi- the church. Jesus cautioned their economic status, race provided by Lamar Hunt Potawatomi from Kansas in St. Peter’s sors,” he continued. “A number of them and Catholic employers cials will put aside partisan us about the weeds and the or ethnicity. Square that day. Also in the crowd of have taken her name as their confirma- having to choose between politics and make decisions wheat growing up together. Why? Because they have Nov. 27 thousands was Jerry Tuckwin, a mem- tion saint or have named their kids af- violating Catholic moral that will rescue our nation Despite all of her weak- been made in the divine Administrative Team ber of the Haskell Catholic Campus ter her.” teaching or defying feder- from the economic calamity nesses, the church remains image! Because they are an meeting Center in Lawrence. A number of these youths are work- al law, either the current of an unsustainable national essential in Our Lord’s plan icon of God! Because the Tuckwin, a former track coach and ing or attending universities in Europe, administration must have a debt. Failure to do so will of proclaiming the Gospel Son of God gave his life on Catholic Foundation of athletic director at Haskell Indian Na- and they flocked to Rome to attend the change of heart or the fed- create tremendous hardship to all nations and through Calvary for them, so much Northeast Kansas annual tions University in Lawrence, said he canonization. eral courts must provide a for individuals and chaos for all time. It is in the church did he esteem and value meeting went to witness the canonization be- One touching moment Deacon favorable ruling. The Obama our society. that we receive the forgive- their life! cause St. Kateri is a tremendous role of the [tribal] elders who prayed for Nearmyer remembers is when Sis- administration changing However, even more ness, healing, nourishment What can motivate ARCHBISHOP model for all Native Americans. that day.” ter Virginia Pearl and Laura Waters, its position seems improb- critical for the long-term and support to follow Jesus individuals to give up the “One of the things that’s really big A reporter for the “CBS Evening a member of the Choctaw Nation and able and depending on the health and even survival of KELEHER faithfully in the particular secular culture’s seductive with Native Americans is role model- News” interviewed Jerry Tuckwin — part of the archdiocesan pilgrimage judiciary for relief is always our nation is a renewal of circumstances of our lives.