"Come to me, all you SOUTHWEST KANSAS who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." – Matthew 11:28 NewsMagazineoftheCatholicDioceseofDodgeCity dcdiocese.org/swkscatholic Vol.XLV No.22 March 7, 2021 The Rite of Election A welcome along the journey Pope Francis arrives in Iraq Manna House: A living celeb ration of generosity Photo by Gentry Heimerman Page 1 March 7, 2021 Southwest Kansas Catholic News Magazine Lent: A time to rememberwho we are emember who you are. I s�ll remember a �me I went to confession to a priest about 15 years ago. A�er I confessed my sins, the priest simply looked at me and said, “Remember who you are.” This past Sunday, we heard the Gospel depic�ng the Transfigura�on. We hear the voice of God our Father say, “This is R my Beloved Son. Listen to Him.” Bishop Gerald Vincke, Jesus knows who he is. He is the beloved Son of the Father. He Apostolic Administrator has a rela�onship with his Father. He spends �me in prayer with him. He always wants to do the Father’s will. Do we know who we are? Do we know that when we were bap�zed, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved son. This is my beloved daughter.” Our deepest iden�ty, more than the money we make, our profession in life, what others think of us Mufasa says, “Remember who you are. or even of what we think of ourselves, is the deep abiding fact that we are God’s You are my son.” beloved sons and daughters. When we sin, we literally forget who we My all-�me favorite Disney movie is the Lion King, which happens to have several are. If we look in the mirror, we may only Chris�an themes in it. Simba, the main character, is anointed as a baby lion. When he see ourselves and our faults and failings. becomes older, he disobeys his father, Mufasa, by going to a place he shouldn’t. Later, But if we look deeper, we see that we are Mufasa dies, and Simba runs away. Like what many of us do when we sin, we run away made in the image and likeness of God, from God (just like Adam and Eve did). Eventually, the confused Simba meets Rafiki, the that we are God’s beloved children. monkey who anointed him in the beginning of the movie. St. Therese of Lisiuex reminds us of who Simba doesn’t recognize Rafiki and demands to know who he is. Rafiki looks at Simba we are by telling the story of two and says, “The ques�on is: Who are you?” Simba admits that he’s not for sure who he daughters. Both of them commit the same is, and Rafiki says, “You are Mufasa’s boy.” sin. One runs away from her father, the Rafiki takes off running and Simba follows him, wondering how Rafiki knew his father. other runs to her father, jumps on his lap, He tells Rafiki that his father is dead, and Rafiki claims that Mufasa is s�ll alive. and says, “I am sorry.” God loves it when They arrive at a pool of water and Rafiki tells Simba to look down. Simba does and we come back to him. sees his reflec�on. Rafiki tells him to look harder, and when he does, Simba sees the We all sin. God does not want us to be image of his father’s face. And Rafiki says, “You see, he lives in you.” afraid of him. As Pope Francis said, “God All of a sudden, an image of Mufasa can be seen in the clouds above. Mufasa looks at never �res of forgiving us.” God is always Simba and says, “You have forgo�en me.” Simba denies it, and Mufasa says, “You have invi�ng us to experience his mercy. He is forgo�en who you are, and so have forgo�en me.” Simba asks how he can go back, and always reminding us of “who we are!” When we sin, we literally Simba doesn’t recognize forget who we are. If we look Rafiki and demands to know who he is. Rafiki in the mirror, we may only looks at Simba and says, see ourselves and our faults “The ques�on is: Who are you?” Simba admits and failings. But if we look that he’s not for sure who he is, and Rafiki deeper, we see that we are says, “You are Mufasa’s boy.” made in the image and Watch the likeness of God, that we are scene from God’s beloved children. “The Lion King” – Bishop Vincke Page 2 March 7, 2021 Southwest Kansas Catholic News Magazine Pope Francis arrives in Baghdad Pope Francis is presented flowers prior to mee�ng with the President of the Republic in the private study of the Presiden�al Palace in Baghdad on Va�can March 5th, Media/ 2021. CNA COVER STORY Regarding Johnson & Johnson vaccine 38 USCCB says Moderna and Pfizer is Rite of Election welcomes those on preferable to J&J 5 journey to enter fully the Church Meet Don Alberto, Italy’s new YouTube 39 sensation FEATURES COMMENTARY Manna House 9 A living celebra�on of a big-hearted Lent: A �me to remember who we are community 2 By Bishop Gerald Vincke Father Ultan Murhphy 11 Beloved priesty laid to rest in Olmitz Hard to ask 4 By Bishop Emeritus Ronald M. Gilmore Pope Francis in Iraq St. Paul’s encounter with the Lord 28 Where is he visiting, and why? 21 By Father Juan Salas Lent around the world When control turns to chaos 37 New podcast series 24 By Dave Myers HELP WANTED 54-55 AROUND THE DIOCESE 14-15 KIDS STUFF 41-43 SPANISH 44-53 OBITUARIES 65-66 PUZZLES67-68 Page 3 March 7, 2021 Southwest Kansas Catholic News Magazine Pray it; learn it; live it! Hard to ask “The love of God was revealed to us: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might have life through Him” (1 John 4:9). Most Rev. Ronald M. Gilmore Bishop Emeritus “Love One Another as I Love You.” Catholic Diocese of (John 15:12) Dodge City Pastoral Plan Outline for the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City 2020-2025 To Evangelize with Joy – Proclaim Christ’s love to all. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all na�ons.” od wants to answer more than we want to (Ma�hew 28:19) ask. To Catechize in the Catholic Faith with Diligence – He strains his old ears to hear us. He Form all as faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. puzzles over the spaces between our words. “Guide me by your truth and teach me, for you are God GHe yearns for the joy of giving. That’s why my Savior” (Psalm 25:5) he is never far from us, why he is always present To Build Community with Love – wherever we are. He sees our needs. He has the power Unite all in a hope-filled rela�onship with God and one another. to meet those needs. He has the constant will to do so. “That they may all be one.” (John 17:21) But he does … it is the oddest thing ... he does generally To Pray with Devo�on – waitforustoask. Worship the Father, through Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit And we are not very good at this ‘asking.’ If God’s heart as a community and individually. seems closed to us at �mes, it is because we don’t know “Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks” how to ask. ‘Our pride’ gets in the way: it refuses to (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18) admit we ever fail, ever fall, ever sin. ‘Our stubborn To Serve with Compassion – independence’ gets in the way: it refuses to obey, and Accompany all in the Lord, especially the poor. then will never ask for pardon. ‘Our weak faith’ gets in “Serve one another through love.” (Gala�ans 5:13) the way: it refuses to be courageous, and to hope for everything from his Goodness, which is infinite in its loving. We are abominably poor at this ‘asking.’ Usually Photo by Gentry Heimerman On the cover because we have been disappointed too many �mes. At the recent Rite of Elec�on celebra�on at St. Mary Parish in Garden Once burned, twice shy. We refuse to open our bruised City, Isabella Galliart signs the Book of the Elect. In signing this hearts to be bruised yet again. special book, she is confirming her commitment to enter fully the It is understandable that we would hang back, but why Catholic Church at Easter through the sacraments of Bap�sm, would He hang back? Why would he who knows Confirma�on and First Eucharist. At right is Imelda Ochoa, and at le� everything, why would he delay? I don’t really know. is Pa�y Smith, Isabella’s grandmother and sponsor. Coverage starts on St. Augus�ne thought that God does delay so that we the next page. might learn to desire his great gi�s with an even greater desire. What he looks for in us is Desire in the raw: the ‘faith that moves mountains,’ the ‘hope that always feels up Published Semi-Monthly by the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City. to leaping over them before ever they move,’ the ‘love All material in this newspaper is copyrighted 2020. that puts us right there, with him, before ever we Publisher ..