FALL 2011 Father Tom Leaves an Indelible Mark t’s nearly impossible to overstate the positive impact Father Thomas Stroot had on Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and St. IMary’s-Colgan Schools during his 23 years as pastor. He played a significant role in the lives of thousands of parishioners. In fact, about half of all alumni who receive this newsletter passed through the halls of SMC during Fr. Tom’s tenure as pastor. And that doesn’t even take into account those he impacted during his four-year stint as associate pastor. Fr. Tom Stroot visits with alumni and Prior to his semi-retirement this past June, Fr. Tom was honored on guests at the SMC All School Reunion, campus with “A Celebration of Service” ceremony and picnic. More June 2011. than a few tears were shed and laughs were heard at the sharing of stories and reflections that helped put Fr. Tom’s contributions into their proper perspective. on to the associates he mentored. A native of Colwich in central Kansas, Fr. Tom is keeping his south- • When Bishop Eugene Gerber appointed him east Kansas roots intact and remains in the area, where he serves as as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1989, Fr. administrator of Sacred Heart Church in Frontenac. Tom knew it would be a tough assignment. “Folks Following is a brief look back at key moments that reflect Fr. Tom’s thought I came here to close the school, which was dedication to Our Lady of Lourdes and SMC schools. in a tough financial position,” he recalled. “In fact, • As associate pastor under Fr. Edward Steinberger from 1977 to Bishop Gerber never said anything like that to me.” 1981, Fr. Tom was encouraged to visit the elementary school each To the contrary, Fr. Tom’s first major move was week, a practice from which he never deviated and one that he passed to bring together a group of parishioners to lead See Fr. Tom page 7 Success Through Struggles By John Kraus ~President of Schools/Director of Administration Down Home Hospitality 2 s St. Mary’s Colgan also reducing operating expenses. These pursues excellence decisions were made in order to grow our Grads Develop Sports A across faith, academic, and Memorial Fund and ensure a strong finan- Technology 2 co-curricular areas, we also cial future for the school’s next generation. Matthew Kelly 3 wrestle with operating in GOOD NEWS--the decisions, commit- ments, and sacrifices made are paying Class of 41 Reunion 3 difficult financial times. Before the end of the school year last off! We still have progress to make, but as this school year progresses we are real- Looking Back 4-5 May, our school families, administrators, izing a definite increase in giving. Thank Fr. Kapaun 6 finance council, and parishioners commit- you to everyone who has sacrificed, espe- ted to increasing giving to the parish while cially those who have taken on additional See Success page 7 Down Home Hospitality Fr. Mike Baldwin became pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in July of 2011 after spending the last 24 years as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul in Andover, KS. honored Zacchaeus, another tax col- his very self. Hospitality is about self- It’s a joy to be back in Southeast lector, by going to his house for dinner. less self-giving. That’s what Jesus did Kansas! I grew up in the Girard area He went often to the home of Martha, at the Last Supper. That’s what he does and lived in Coffeyville for mid- Mary and Lazarus to put his for us at every celebration of the Mass. dle school/high school years. This feet up and be refreshed and Jesus welcomes us all to come to his is home territory for me and it’s renewed. table. He feeds us with himself, knits great to return, to feel “at home.” Jesus also taught about himself into our flesh, so that we can I have received a wonderful wel- hospitality. He told the story in turn welcome others. come from the OLL community. of the prodigal son who The St. Mary’s-Colgan family has The hospitality is overwhelming. returned and was welcomed been nourished at that table since the Folks have gone out of their way by his father with a feast. He school was established in 1895. I see to help me settle in. It’s really heart- spoke about the king who invited sur- the welcoming heart of Jesus in this warming. prised guests from the highways and place. He is enfleshed in this parish Hospitality is central to our byways for his son’s wedding when family. I have seen evidence of that Catholic heritage. It was a hallmark those first invited had refused to attend. in the welcome I have received. And of the Jewish faith as well. Jesus both These stories resonate strongly with in the welcome that is extended to all enjoyed the hospitality of others and us because they came from Jesus’ who come here. I give thanks for your was host at his own celebration of heart. He had a welcoming heart and welcoming hearts. It is a blessing to be the Last Supper. The scriptures tell he proved that on the night before he with you. † us about many times he accepted the died. He gathered his disciples and You are so good!!! hospitality of others. He went to the hosted a meal. On that special night, Fr. Mike wedding feast at Cana and offered a he modeled hospitality by washing his hand when the wine ran out. He had disciples’ feet and feeding them. He dinner at the house of Matthew the tax fed them with more than his example, collector, who became his follower. He he fed them with his body and blood, Three Colgan Grads Develop Sports Technology By Mark Schremmer Every so often, a new idea or tech- Patrick Moodie, with a Bachelor’s create software that would put the nology comes along that changes the Degree in Exercise Science and math into practice. Ryan obtained a world of sports. a Master’s in Biomechanics from Bachelor’s Degree from Notre Dame, Three St. Mary’s Colgan gradu- The University of Kansas, began to as well as a Juris Doctorate from ates may have found the latest game- develop a concept using 3D motion Washburn, Ryan created the proto- changer as they are on the ground capture to analyze the forces that are type software to put his brother’s floor of a technology that could rev- applied to an athlete during a par- ideas into motion. olutionize the sports and physical ticular movement. Doing so without Ryan Comeau, who also received therapy industries. force plates, was something he was his Juris Doctorate from Washburn, Patrick Moodie, a 2001 SMC told was impossible. takes care of the business aspects of graduate, devised a way to measure "I can remember when I thought of Dynamic Athletics, including mar- human kinetics without the use of the concepts for Dynamic Athletics," keting and investors. force plates, shoe inserts or any con- said Patrick Moodie, "I was in my So, almost eight years after Patrick tact-based equipment. Along with his lab at KU during the start of my mas- Moodie first developed the theory, brother Ryan Moodie, a 1998 SMC ter's program, and I told some people the science is being put into reality at graduate, and Ryan Comeau, also a and asked their opinion and I was their headquarters in Overland Park. 1998 Colgan grad, Patrick formed laughed at. Only one person actually Several athletes, including Kansas the company Dynamic Athletics with heard what I had to say, and thought I City Chief Dexter McCluster, have the goals of improving performance, should pursue this. That person is my used the service, and the technology injury prevention and improving wife Nicole. is going through a third-party verifi- rehab. Patrick had the mathematics down, cation process at KU. but he called on his brother Ryan to This all sounds good, but what See Colgan Grads Page 8 2 St. Mary's COLGAN Alumni Newsletter | Fall 2011 OLL Brings Matthew Kelly To Pittsburg! By Janice Wilbert Dellasega Have you ever wondered if God ple, yet, deeply profound way. “He cases, lives were altered. For more was speaking to you or if it was just opened my eyes to see we really have information about Matthew Kelly and a voice in your head? Do you know everything we need to feed us right to receive a free copy of his book how to tell the difference? That is here in the Catholic Church. During Rediscovering Catholicism, visit his just one of the many things New York his talks a light went on for me website www.dynamiccatholic.com. † Times bestselling and I realized how author Matthew great our faith is… About Matthew Kelly: Kelly taught at we have all the Matthew Kelly was born in Sydney, the retreat that tools,” said Chad Australia, where he began his lay gathered over Mishmash, Our ministry in 1993. Since that time he 700 people in the Lady of Lourdes has travelled in more than fifty coun- SMC Fieldhouse parishioner. tries and spoken to over three million on August 27, As the event people. He has written thirteen books 2011. It was the reached the end which have appeared on the New York first ever Kansas and attendees Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Regional Event began thinking Today bestseller lists and been pub- held in Pittsburg of catching their lished in twenty-five languages.