Pope's UN 'Ambassador' Visits Benedictine
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WWW.THELEAVEN.COM | NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF KANSAS CITY IN KANSAS | VOL. 30, NO. 27 FEBRUARY 27, 2009 ‘Prophet’ on the world stage Pope’s U.N. ‘ambassador’ visits Benedictine By JOE BOLLIG Leaven staff TCHISON – The Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin was re - puted to have scoffed at the Holy Father, A asking, “How many divisions does the pope have?” He had none then, of course, and he has none now. But, with Soviet communism moldering on the ash heap of history, the pope still has a voice. And at the United Nations, that voice is Archbishop Celestino Migliore. Archbishop Migliore is the apostolic nuncio, or permanent observer of the Holy See, to the United Nations. And on Feb. 18, he traveled to Benedictine College in Atchison to address that very topic: “The Role of the Catholic Church in the United Nations.” The archbishop has rarely strayed from the East Coast during his six years as the Holy See’s top diplomat at the U.N., but he made a special trip to Benedictine College, thanks to the en - terprise of Andrew Morris. Morris, now a graduate student pursing a master’s of business adminis - tration degree at Benedictine, got the idea to invite the U.N. nuncio in 2007. Morris was an undergraduate ma - joring in international business when he and another student, both members of the Student International Business Council, attended a seminar at the Vatican’s New York mission. “It was while I was out there meet - ing with different people within the mission itself that I realized this was a great opportunity for Benedictine College and SIBC to use these con - tacts,” said Morris. Morris decided he would invite Archbishop Migliore to Kansas. “I didn’t ask him at that time,” said Leaven photo by Susan McSpadden Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, talks to Atchison’s Benedictine College students in the Turn to VATICAN on page 4 school’s dining hall on Feb. 18. He is flanked by Benedictine College president Stephen Minnis. GIANT LEAP Obstetrician Dr. Bruce Snider took a leap of faith when he decided to integrate his THE ROAD NOT TAKEN THE ELDERS Catholic values If fate had played a different Back with a new studio album, this Celtic into his workplace. hand, Father Jerry Arano-Ponce rock band has made it a point to give back 3 might have been a cowboy. 8-9 to the community from the very beginning. 16 2 ARCHBISHOP THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 27, 2009 THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 27, 2009 SECOND FRONT PAGE 3 LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS No Catholics should have to carry their burden alone A LEAP OF FAITH everal of my previous I have asked every department in the If you have been the victim of recent Archdiocese to attempt to reduce their layoffs and are struggling to make ends S columns have attempt - budgets in order to free up more re - meet, I encourage you to let your pastor Doctor makes unconventional career decision ed to explain how the sources to meet the most pressing needs know of your situation and allow the of individuals and parishes who are parish community the opportunity to as - By KARA HANSEN virtues of faith and hope struggling at this moment. I am gratified sist you. I know that all of us would pre - Leaven staff About CRHP can help us cope with the by the response so far to this year’s Call fer to be the one giving help rather than To Share, the annual effort of the people asking for help. Yet, the Lord may desire OVERLAND PARK — It Christ Renews His inevitable anxieties fos - of the Archdiocese to pool our resources to use you to call forth greater generosity was a familiar story. Parish (CRHP) is a copy - to fund the educational, pastoral and from the rest of us. “I went only because my righted parish renewal tered by our nation’s cur - This letter reminded me of the pas - charitable ministries of the Archdiocese. All of us need to be more attuned to wife signed me up for it,” ad - process that began in rent economic problems. sage in the Letter of James: “If a brother The sacrificial generosity of people the needs of those around us. In one of mitted Dr. Bruce Snider. 1969 and is recom - or sister has nothing to wear and has no throughout the Archdiocese, coupled my parochial assignments as a priest, But the retreat held at mended by the U.S. Recently, I received a letter from a food for the day, and one of you says to with our staff’s efforts to reduce budgets, there was one or more “phantom givers” Church of the Ascension in Conference of Catholic reader whose spouse had lost his job sev - them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm and eat will free up additional resources to help in the parish. This person or persons Overland Park Bishops. It has been eral months ago and has been unable to well,’ but you do not give them the ne - those in need. would anonymously send cash to fami - four years ago used as the primary in - find suitable employment. The part-time cessities of the body, what good is it?” In last week’s Leaven, Bill Scholl, our lies if someone was out of work. To schedule an was anything strument of personal job salary of the letter’s author has been (Jas 2: 15-16). Obviously, it is not consultant for social justice, described the Sometimes, large families received an appointment but familiar. and parish renewal in for some months now the sole means of enough for the church just to exhort peo - recent efforts to improve the communica - anonymous donation to help them with with Dr. “The retreat over 1,000 parishes in support for the family. Without any ple to have faith and hope. We must at - tion and linkage between our parishes the care of their children. It is not neces - Snider, con - was absolutely 32 states and 84 health insurance, they are just hoping tempt to do everything that we can to and Catholic Charities. Our priests, parish sary to wait for people to ask for help. tact his office life changing,” Catholic dioceses. The that no one becomes sick. They are striv - provide for the needs of those who are staffs and parish volunteers are also on We need a legion of modern-day year- directly at the said the obste - program involves a ing to live very frugally — keeping their suffering. the front lines of the battle against pover - round St. Nicholases who recognize a Olathe trician. “At the commitment to a week - home cool to conserve energy and eating I know that the staff and volunteers of ty as many individuals come to our need and find a way to respond without Women’s time, I was a end retreat designed to very simply. This couple has one child Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas church doors seeking assistance. any other prompting. Center. Call Catholic who deepen spirituality and whom they are attempting to protect are doing everything possible to assist Catholic Charities and our parish- I have been praying daily for “Out of (913) 764- went to Mass build community. If par - from realizing the precariousness of the those adversely affected by the economic based assistance programs are not just to Faith in Northeast Kansas.” I hope that 6262. on Sundays, ticipants wish, they can family’s financial state. problems of our nation. I am grateful to assist Catholics. In fact, the vast majority the Lord will inspire someone to notice but that was also continue in faith The letter’s author was obviously very the generous benefactors of Catholic of people that we serve are not Catholic. and respond to their need. I also invite about it. formation over the fol - distraught. She said that it was difficult to Charities who make it possible for our We do not respond to another’s human “Out of Faith” or anyone else in a simi - “I went home after that lowing six months with go to church, because she could hardly church to make the love of Jesus real and need because they are Catholic, but be - lar situation to write to me. I will do weekend and made the deci - their fellow retreat par - keep from crying. She signed the letter: tangible to those who are suffering. The cause we are Catholic. my best to connect you with those sion to stop performing steril - ticipants. At the end of “Out of Faith in Northeast Kansas.” My staff and volunteers of Catholic Charities At the same time, we must give spe - within our archdiocesan family who izations in my practice imme - those six months, the words about hope and faith, rather than are on the front lines of the battle against cial attention to the needs of those with - can best help you. Give your faith fami - diately.” group then puts togeth - comforting and strengthening her, actual - poverty as they bravely enter into the in our own parish communities. No indi - ly the chance to fulfill the mandate of The retreat was part of the er a CRHP retreat at ly exasperated her pain. Unfortunately, I suffering of others, seeking to find ways vidual or family in our parishes should Jesus: “Love one another as I have parish renewal program their parish for a new have not been able to contact this family both to attend to their immediate needs ever carry any burden alone.