Southwest Kansas “Go�’� he��t �� �o�e �e�t�e th�� the V�����’� f���t k��� ��o� the Ch���t.” ATHOLIC -- St. Catherine o� Siena NewspaperC of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City www.dcdiocese.org/swkscatholic Vol. LII, No. 16 Sunday, November 19, 2017 CHILDREN BRING SAINTS TO LIFE Wheel of Balance Most Rev. John B. Brungardt Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City ishop Eugene Gerber, our bishop from 1976-1982, gave a conference in the 1990s Bto the seminarians of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita. I was a seminarian for Wichita at the ti me. The theme wasbalance : how to live a balanced life in the midst of a franti c, hecti c, busy world. The Lord calls us to holiness—but how do we, with His grace, live this virtuous life in a balanced way? Bishop Gerber taught that there are six general areas that we should consider: Spiritual — this includes prayer—our being aware of God's presence, Holy Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Bible reading/praying/ study, devoti ons. Service — putti ng our lives at the service of oth- Photo by Kristi e Ritt er ers: in the family, at the parish, at school, at GARDeN CITy -- Kristi e Ritt er’s fi ft h grade class at St. Dominic School dress as their favorite saint Nov. 9 as a celebrati on work, in the community. of All Saints Day. See more photos on Pages 11, 16. Social — family and friends enjoying each others company, playing/laughing together, encour- aging each other, building up each other, welcoming new friends. ELEBRATING LIFE Cultural — music, the visual arts, the performing on All arts, virtuous fi lm, beauty. Intellectual — stretching our minds, study, reading a book, taking a Pastoral Ministry Formati on Souls Day course. CSHLAND — Father Physical — proper diet, exercise, sleep, medical APrakash Kola, MSFS, checkups, counseling. and a group of parishioners from St. Joseph Parish, The key is that each week, we should experience visited St. Joseph Highland each of the six areas. It might not be possible each Cemetery in Ashland on day. This is living life “more abundantly” (John Nov. 2, All Souls Day, to 10:10). The false noti ons are that we can “go for pray a special rosary for the gusto,” or “just do it,” or “shop ‘ti l you drop” those who have died, and —these put ourselves at the center in a narcissisti c to bless the graves. way. We want Jesus at the center of our life. By honoring and praying At ti mes, we fall into a trap: We think we can for those who have died, serve and serve and serve. This leads to burn-out the day off ered a reminder and exhausti on; we have neglected the other im- of Christ’s promise of eter- portant areas in our life. Other obstacles to genuine nal life. balance: perfecti onism, control, having a savior- complex, believing my way is the only way, only I can do it, or over-reliance on technology. “I am not afraid Some helps to authenti c balance?: Slow down, of what happens relax, don’t take yourself so seriously, plan ahead, take a day off each week for rest/recreati on/prayer, after death: It is into ask Jesus to reveal your needs, heal your wounds, God’s arms that I and love you unconditi onally. We thank the Lord for the blessing of Bishop am falling!” Gerber, a wise teacher of the Catholic faith. Let — St. Therese, us trust in Jesus and Mary, who will help us with balance. Jesus “came so that they might have life the Little Flower Photo by Adam Elliot and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Page 2 November 19, 2017 The Southwest Kansas Catholic Share your on ‘Giving Tuesday’ Prayer, Reflection, Sacrifice he little boy laughed happily, has initiated a Share Your Heart perhaps a little mischie- campaign designed to coincide ome days we are just unsettled and restless. so much back. We are Tvously, as he played with a with “Giving Tuesday.” We are leaden, sad, and heavy. We can’t practiced masters of self- ball in the impossibly tiny hotel This year, on Tuesday, Nov. Swork. We can’t think. We can’t pray. deception. Knowing this in kitchenette, one of the cupboard 28—after you’ve enjoyed Do we just accept all that as the will of God for detail can set us free. doors barely hanging on by a Thanksgiving with family and us today? Just grit our teeth, and writhe in pain, We should sacrifice, single hinge. friends; after you’ve searched and hold on until it passes? “No,” said St. Ignatius he said, even if we don’t The boy and his mother were for Christmas gifts on Black Fri- of Loyola. He urged us to get off the couch, to be feel like it. What we want being lent assistance by Sister day, or ordered your loved one’s up and about, to do something about it. most in any time of desola- Janice Thome, OP, who serves gift over the computer on Cyber Three “somethings,” in fact. tion is “relief,” and what with the Ministry of Presence in Monday—the diocese is asking We should pray, he said, even if we don’t feel we do most is to seek Garden City. you to consider being part of a like it. And we usually don’t. We experience, that relief in something Although several years have “Giving Tuesday” effort. rather, a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. outside ourselves, some Another Way passed since the little boy led This effort offers a simple way We should petition the Lord to remove this desola- escape into diversion, into + Most Rev. Sister Janice and the Southwest to make a donation online: sim- tion from us. Such turning toward God in prayer busyness, into the media, Ronald M. Gilmore Kansas Register around the tiny ply click on the “donate” button counters directly any sense of separation from God. or into various gratifica- Bishop Emeritus of room as his mother unpacked on our web page at dcdiocese. We should never give up trying to be close to God, tions that are more or Dodge City groceries delivered by Sister org. Your donation will directly who never gives up trying to be close to us. less healthy. We usually Janice, the prevalence of poverty benefit ministries that serve We should think, he said, even if we don’t feel run away from God. We run from communion in southwest Kansas has only those most in need in the Catho- like it. Think especially of those truths of Faith, with him, when that communion gets hard. What grown. lic Diocese of Dodge City. those words of Scripture, those memories of our we need most is the courage to deny that fixed As organizations work to raise If you’d rather not donate own life history, whatever reveals God’s love for habit of running away. Hence, a suitable sacrifice, money for hurricane victims and online, feel free to send a check us, and so lifts up our heavy hearts. These down known only to you and to God, one that counters victims of other major national made out to the Diocese of days can also make us more aware of the things the very tendency to flight. disasters, you won’t see a tele- Dodge City to: in us that hold us back from God, more aware So, Prayer, Reflection, Sacrifice: threeSome - thon or a concert designed to “Giving Catholic Tuesday” than the up days can. We often fool ourselves in things. They give us a fighting chance to turn our raise money for those most in C/O Mark Roth thinking we are wholly His, when we really hold down times into up times. need who are living in your own 910 Central P.O. Box 137 backyard. Dodge City, KS 67801 Pastoral Ministry Formation The struggles continue right Include a note designating “Introduction to Old Testament” (THEO 1003) will throughout the Dodge City and Salina diocese. here, right now. if you have a preference how be presented Jan. 20, 27 Feb. 3, 10, 17 and March Cost for the three-hour course for college credit is Which is why the Catholic you’d like your donation to be 3, 10, 17, and 24 by Sister Joan Wolf. $150, plus the cost of books. The cost of the course Diocese of Southwest Kansas used. The Pastoral Ministry Formation class will pres- for personal enrichment only is $75, plus books. ent a study of the law, prophets, historical books, Sister Joan Wolf is a Dominican Sister of Peace long and wisdom literature of the Old Testament using acquainted with the Dodge City diocese. She has analytical methods of contemporary scholarship. taught in its schools, ministered in its parishes, and Each book will be studied within its own socio-politi- assisted with deacon candidate classes and taught cal and cultural context, as a product of the Jewish courses for the Interactive Television Network. She faith community and expression of Yahweh’s revela- has Masters’ degrees in Pastoral Ministry and Pas- tion. toral Counseling, received respectively from St. Paul Class times are Saturday mornings - 8:30 a.m. to University, Ottawa, Canada, and Loyola University Noon, and are held at Interactive Television sites in Chicago. Second ‘First Saturday Devotion’ Dec. 2 early 50 people on Nov. 4 attended the first Lucia at Fatima. Mary told Lucia that she would NFirst Saturday Devotion at St.