Friday, 18 May 2012 04:00

Bishop Michael O. Jackels has announced new assignments for clergy with an effective date of June 11, 2012.

Retirements
Father Dwight Birket, retirement from active ministry

Other assignments
Father Brian Nelson - Further study in Canon Law at the Catholic University of America
Father Hien Nguyen - Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in McPherson and St. Bridget Parish in Lindsborg
Father Darrin May - Pastor of Holy Family Parish in Marion County
Father Robert Wachter - Pastor of Mary Queen of Angels Parish in Fort Scott
Father John Miller - Pastor of St. John Parish in lola, St. Joseph Parish in Yates Center, and St. Martin Oratory in Piqua
Father Curtis Robertson - Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Cunningham, St. Leo Parish in St Leo, St. Peter Parish in Willowdale, and St. John Parish in Zenda
Father Ned Blick - Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in South Hutchinson and Chaplain of Trinity Catholic High School in Hutchinson
Father Maximilian Biltz - Associate Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Wichita
Father Marco De Loera - Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Pittsburg

Friday, 18 May 2012 03:59

By Christopher M. Riggs
Bishop Michael O. Jackels will ordain two men to the priesthood and one to the transitional diaconate next week.

Rickey Kotrba
Rickey Kotrba, the son of Scott and Mary Kotrba of Wichita, will be ordained to the transitional diaconate at 7 p.m. Friday, May 25. Because the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is being renovated this year, Kotrba will serendipitously be ordained in his own parish church, St. Francis of Assisi.
He and the other ordinandi recently responded via email to questions posed by the Catholic Advance.
Kotrba said he is excited to be able to work this summer as a deacon alongside the diocesan priests.
“I particularly am hopeful to be able to perform many baptisms and welcome more and more people as children of God and members of Christ’s body, the church,” he said.
The other Kotrbas are also excited about his upcoming ordination. “I have received so much tremendous support from my parish and the whole diocesan family as ordination approaches,” he wrote. “My mom is always telling me of more and more people who are praying for me, helping in planning and organizing in the ordination, and just generously giving themselves for the church through the ordination, and this has been very humbling for us.”
The Mount St. Mary’s seminarian said he would encourage any young man considering the priesthood to give of himself to God’s will. “We cannot outdo him in generosity.”
He also recommended staying close to the Blessed Mother and to entrust himself to her guidance.

Thursday, 17 May 2012 11:16

Summer series at SLC to ‘unveil’ Vatican II
By Fr. Jarrod Lies
The diocesan Office of Faith Formation will be presenting a series on the documents of Vatican II this summer to prepare for the upcoming Year of faith which Pope Benedict XVI has announced will be observed from Oct. 11, 2012, to Nov. 24, 2013.
October 11 is historically significant. It is the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council and is the 20th anniversary of promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The Holy Father chose the dates to rekindle interest in the council and the catechism. As such, catechesis throughout the next school year should be focused on a deeper understanding of both of these treasures of the church.
In declaring next year to be the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict has three goals in mind:
• Renewed conversion
• Rediscovery of faith
• Becoming credible and joy-filled witnesses of the person of Jesus Christ in the world today.

Thursday, 17 May 2012 10:58

Don Racine retires as girls basketball coach
Don Racine, long time head girls basketball coach at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School is retiring.
During Coach Racine’s 33 years as head coach, he accumulated a record of 565 wins and 180 losses, a 75.8 winning percentage. His teams won the Greater Wichita Athletic League title five times, were regional champions 16 times and state champion once.  He was awarded the Greater Wichita Athletic League Girls Basketball Coach of the year four times and received Kansas Coach of the Year honors once.

Thursday, 17 May 2012 10:38

Kapaun image hangs at his seminary
By Tracy Winslow
The ordination class of 2012 of Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., left a special departing gift to the seminary. They commissioned artist Cynthia Hitschler to make a portrait of Kenrick alumnus Father Emil Kapaun.
The presentation of the picture was made at the seminary’s annual Deacon Banquet for those who will be graduating or being ordained in May.
Normally the event is limited to only those who are “in house” because the main entertainment for the event is a “roast” of the class by the third year men.
This year, however, the event was open to one other person – Cynthia. To view a close up of the painting, visit her site at htwww.celstumo.com/, and click under the “paintings” link.
A graduating member of the class, Deacon David Voss, said for years he’s thought Kenrick should have a large portrait of Fr. Kapaun.
“Now that problem is solved and there is a fine addition to the artwork attributed to the inspiration of this hero. Chaplain Kapaun, Pray for us!” he said.
The canonization cause for Fr. Kapaun is currently under study at the Vatican.

Thursday, 03 May 2012 10:27

By Christopher M. Riggs
Bishop Michael O. Jackels led a religious freedom rally last Friday to protest the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate which would force religious insurers to violate their beliefs.
The prayer protest was held over the noon hour at the U.S. Courthouse in Wichita.
“I mentioned to the other bishops of Kansas that we are having these mini-rallies every fourth Friday to keep the issue live and local and they were very impressed with all of you,” he told the crowd, urging them to continue their efforts.
The fight for religious freedom affects everyone, he said using a bullhorn.

Thursday, 03 May 2012 10:07

By Doug Weller, The Register
SALINA — In front of more than 1,200 people, and countless others watching live on television and the Internet, Bishop Edward Weisenburger was ordained Tuesday, May 1, as the 11th shepherd of the Diocese of Salina.
The overflow crowd at Sacred Heart Cathedral watched a lengthy procession of more than two dozen archbishops and bishops and more than 150 priests, permanent deacons, and seminarians as the rite of ordination began.
Afterward, the new bishop offered his gratitude to the papal nuncio, his fellow bishops and priests, and his family, then spoke to his new flock at large.
“The truth is I owe you, and most especially the people of the Diocese of Salina, more than just the emotion of gratitude,” he said. “I actually owe you a life well-lived, poured out in service as your brother in Christ, your spiritual father, your shepherd, your bishop — a life lived out in such a way that it points to Christ, reflects Christ and calls us all to an ever deeper union with Christ.
“It is a huge task, and I tremble before it,” he acknowledged. “I know my limitations and weaknesses all too well. Were it not for my trust and hope in the divine assistance of the Holy Spirit, I would be too shaken to even try.”
Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kan., ordained the new bishop and was joined by co-consecrators from Bishop Weisenburger’s home Archdiocese of Oklahoma City — Archbishop Paul Coakley, the most recent bishop of Salina, and Archbishop Emeritus Eusebius Beltran.

Thursday, 03 May 2012 09:47

WICHITA – Pam Stanberry, a registered nurse who holds a master’s degree in business administration, has been hired as the executive director of the Guadalupe Clinic, a ministry of the Diocese of Wichita, effective May 21.
Stanberry, who is currently the CEO of Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital in Wichita, is particularly qualified to lead the ministry because she comes with experience – she has volunteered at the clinic and is a former member of its board.
She succeeds Marlene Dreiling who passed away unexpectedly after directing the clinic for 13 years.
In addition to her current role managing the day-to-day operations of the Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, Stanberry has 25 years of hospital management experience, an MBA from City University, Spokane, Wash; a bachelor of arts in business marketing from Eastern Washington University in Spokane, Wash; and registered nurse degree from University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio. She was a Guadalupe Clinic board member and nursing volunteer from 1995 to 2011.
Guadalupe Clinic board president Dan Loughman said Stanberry brings a unique combination of health care education, experience, and long-term proven administrative skills in addition to her service as a volunteer and former member and officer of the Clinic board of directors.
“As such she will serve us well as we seek to carry on and continue our 27-year history of providing much needed health care service, in the spirit of dignity and compassion, to the uninsured and underserved of the Wichita metro community, following the loss of our beloved former director, Marlene Dreiling.”

Thursday, 03 May 2012 09:46

WICHITA – The keys to a Nissan Sentra, loaded with basic life necessities, was presented to a local woman who has been a victim of domestic violence Friday, April 20, at Collision Specialists CARSTAR, 8923 W. Kellogg Drive.
The event, sponsored by Catholic Charities, a diocesan agency, was a collaborative effort designed to help a survivor of domestic violence, and a very deserving woman, improve her life.
Sharla Elmore lives in Haysville and has a school-age child, but city buses do not stop near her area. Catholic Charities chose Elmore to receive the vehicle so she can drive her child to school and get to and from her work in north Wichita.
The 2001 Nissan Sentra was refurbished and repaired by Collision Specialists CARSTAR Auto Body Repair and donated by Farmers Insurance Group to be used in the Recycled Rides program. Recycled Rides is a national awareness program, sponsored by the National Auto Body Council, in which body shops repair and donate used vehicles to families in need.
A recent study completed by the Ways to Work program indicates that having a dependable car can increase income up to 41 percent and can improve quality of life up to 89 percent.
“When CARSTAR Body Shops approached us about the Recycled Rides project, we were very pleased,” said Cynthia Colbert, executive director of Catholic Charities. “Providing reliable transportation to a hard-working woman so she can better her life fits our mission of building strong families.”
Steven Fielding, general manager for Collision Specialists, said each year body shops see cars that are written-off or totaled by either the owner or the insurance company.
“Many times all these vehicles need is some TLC or mechanical or body work to get them road ready and safe to drive,” Fielding said. “We decided to join the Recycled Rides project, and Farmers Insurance Group generously donated an economical salvage car.”
The vehicle had been in a minor collision and was in a local salvage yard. The staff at the west location of Collision Specialists CARSTAR volunteered their time to repair the car.
“This has been a labor of love, and our staff worked hard to make the donation a reality,” Fielding said.
He said his company was excited to partner with Catholic Charities in the effort.

Thursday, 03 May 2012 09:29

Newman University’s second master’s of theology class to graduate on May 12
By Christopher M. Riggs
Newman University will graduate 20 members of its second master’s of theology program Saturday, May 12, at Central Community Church in Wichita.
Father Joseph Gile, director of Newman’s Graduate Program in Theology, said last year’s cohort of master’s degree students helped make the going a little easier for this year’s graduating class.
“Things went smoothly with the technology this year,” he said in an interview between meetings last week at the Chancery.
Fr. Gile said two of last year’s class offerings were combined into one and with the growth of the program, Newman University is planning to hire an Old Testament professor who would begin teaching in the fall 2013 semester.
“Newman University is also working with Bishop Michael O. Jackels on a course that is more specifically geared to catechists,” he added. “That will be introduced next spring.”

Thursday, 03 May 2012 09:23

Unveiling Vatican II: A document study for the Year of Faith this summer at SLC
Father Jarrod Lies, director of the diocesan Office of Faith Formation, will lead “Unveiling Vatican II: A Document Study for the Year of Faith,” studies on the four primary documents of Vatican II, beginning May 30 at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita.
The seeds of Vatican II were planted almost 50 years ago. On Oct. 11, 1962, Pope John XXIII, opened the Second Vatican Council which lasted until Dec. 8, 1965. Following the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1959, he called the council in order to help the church adapt to the rapid global changes at every level of society. According to Pope John XXIII the council was called to apply that unchanging doctrine of the faith to the present needs and circumstances of contemporary society.
As he said in his opening address: “What is needed at the present time is a new enthusiasm, a new joy and serenity of mind in the unreserved acceptance by all of the entire Christian faith, without forfeiting that accuracy and precision… What is needed … is that this doctrine shall be more widely known, more deeply understood, and more penetrating in its effects on men’s moral lives. What is needed is that this certain and immutable doctrine, to which the faithful owe obedience, be studied afresh and reformulated in contemporary terms.”

Thursday, 03 May 2012 09:15

Sojourn helps young adults build community and relationships with Jesus
A Sojourn weekend can help single, young adults sort out and put all of the challenges of life in perspective, according to the co-directors of the next retreat.
Jim DeBroeck and Jessica Schinstock will co-direct the next Sojourn Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, June 8-10, at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita.
A Sojourn is designed to deepen one’s relationship with Christ, DeBroeck says in the interview. “It provides an opportunity for single, young adults to come to the Spiritual Life Center and take a break from life, pray, partake of the sacraments, and form some community with other single, young adults.”

Thursday, 03 May 2012 08:56

Father Nolan to receive D.Min. in St. Louis May 11
Fr. Michael Nolan is going to have to make more room on his office wall.
The pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Goddard will be in St. Louis, Mo., May 11 to receive a doctor of ministry degree that he’s been working on since 2004.
Father Nolan, a judge in the diocesan Tribunal Office, completed his studies in December, but will participate in the spring graduation ceremonies at the Aquinas Institute of Theology, next to St. Louis University.
His final project, “Hearers of the Word,” involved preparing podcasts for his parishioners for the upcoming weekend Masses.
In addition to his D.Min, he has a licentiate of canon law, and several master’s degrees.
Father Nolan said he is going to reward himself with a trip to Rome.