FEBRUARY 2018

Wichita, Kansas

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC CHURCH

THE V E R N A C U L A R

Summer RCIA program begins April 4 at SFAMark your calendars for

Wednesday, April 4, when we start our next RCIA program at St. Francis. RCIA – the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults – is the process whereby those who perceive the promptings of the Holy Spirit to become Catholic can become Catholic.

Before beginning the RCIA process, one typically comes to some knowledge of Jesus Christ, and considers his or her relationship with Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. This attraction to Christ and His Church often ensues through someone who has witnessed well. This “before” period is known as the Period of Evangelization.

This evangelization period is what motivates this article. I want to educate you about the RCIA process at St. Francis in case you, or someone you know, is considering becoming Catholic. Our summer RCIA program is a six-month process, running from April to October. Those who go through the program and choose to become Catholic will be received into the Church on Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.

RCIA takes place in St. Clare Hall from 6:30 to 8 p.m. most Wednesdays for a total of 25 classes. The reason for the number of classes is that upon entering the Church, one should assent in faith to that which the Church proclaims and teaches; one’s head and heart ideally

ought to take ownership in their newborn faith – and that takes time.

The RCIA process is transformative, with spiritual development that involves great conversion. Prayer, study and repentance are all necessary for proper conversion. It is through this ever-deepening conversion that one builds a more profound relationship with Jesus.

We distribute reading materials to all RCIA participants to aid in the learning process, including a Catholic Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and a notebook containing the 25 lessons covered during the program. A priest or catechist teaches each Wednesday on the lessons, which are also covered in the notebook. We start with the basics of learning about who Jesus is, and work our way to the Catholic Church that Jesus Christ founded.

There is no commitment necessary to attend RCIA (you do not have to become a convert) and there is no cost. All distributed materials are free from charge. Food is provided for each class, so you can come hungry with the expectation of getting something to eat.

Many people who do end up converting to Catholicism start with just wanting to know more about the faith, and therefore began attending RCIA just to learn to more, and were afterward moved by the Spirit to become Catholic; it is a

UPCOMING EVENTS

Medjugorje Talks with Fr. PereiraMarch 5, 7 p.m., ChurchMarch 6, 8:30 a.m., St. Clare Hall (with Potluck Breakfast)

First CommunionPSR: March 10, 5 p.m., ChurchSFA: March 11, 1 p.m., Church

41st Anniversary of Dedication of SFA ChurchSolemnity! High FeastMarch 13, celebrated during all Masses

Living StationsMarch 16, 7 p.m., Church

Parish Penance ServiceMarch 22, 7 p.m., Church

discernment process. If you or someone you know is

open to learning about the Catholic Church, consider this invitation and join us on April 4. For more information, please contact Jeremy and Melissa Lezniak, RCIA coordinators, at jm.lezniak@gmail.com, or you can contact the parish office.

– By Jeremy Lezniak

In the past five years (2012 through 2017), we have had 159 converts go through our RCIA program at St. Francis.

Did You Know?

February 2018 THE VERNACULAR2 Layout by Jean Hein

For New Year, Vietnamese parishioners enjoy fellowship, dedicate statue of Mary

I have witnessed the Vietnamese prayer group come together over the past year to grow and prosper. That is coming together and meeting Father’s challenge to make this a great Lenten season. Whether it is Kapaun’s Men, God Squad or a small prayer group in your

home using the parish’s FORMED subscription, every prayer group this Lent is a step in the right direction.

One of the most moving parts of our evening with the Vietnamese community was visiting our newest statue in the church. We gathered on the north side in the back of church and had a blessing from Fr. Labenz.

The blessing was for the group gathered, for the New Year, and also in appreciation for the new statue dedicated to Our Lady of La Vang. The statue commemorates the appearance of our Blessed Mother in Vietnam more than 200 years ago.

Jackie and I left the prayer service

Jackie and I got invited to dinner the other night. The food was amazing! There was music, singing and dancing. We started the evening in church with a beautiful prayer service. The whole assembly of nearly 100 people prayed with one voice.

And we didn’t understand a single word.

It was our first time to attend a prayer service with the Vietnamese Parishioners of St. Francis. This group has grown over the past year and meets the third Sunday of each month in the church for prayer and fellowship. We were honored and blessed to be invited and to participate.

This was a special night to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year. Traditional dancers and music filled Stewardship Hall during our dinner. It was the prayer service that touched our hearts.

Father Jarrod has encouraged us to make this the “best Lent ever.” We can do this by coming together, in small groups or large ones like this group and praying.

with a much deeper appreciation of the universality of our church. We are one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. We are more than one billion people, all over the planet, celebrating Jesus and his blessed mother as one family.

Our parish family here at St. Francis continues to grow more diverse. Our Hispanic, Vietnamese and Filipino families grow in number each year. We are one church,

one parish family, and we welcome all nationalities. Prayer in all forms, whether we understand the words or not, is welcome at St Francis.

Clearly the Vietnamese parishioners of St Francis understand the old stewardship adage: When we meet, we eat! The roast duck, fried rice and egg rolls (I could go on and on)

were a special treat. Thanks go out to all our prayer

groups striving for holiness this Lenten season.

– Pat Burns, Director of Stewardship & Finance

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February 2018THE VERNACULAR

muster the courage to ask, “What shall I do, Lord?” There could be no more important question for us. Nor could there be a more difficult question.

Openness in asking this question entails openness to responding, as St. Paul did, to the answer from the Lord. It is, therefore, a generous act of love. “What shall I do, Lord?”

Not long ago I read a profound book titled “Night’s Bright Darkness” by Sally Read. In it she recounts her rapid conversion to the Catholic faith from atheism. In the space of nine months Read journeyed through difficulties, doubts and objections to arrive at her spiritual home – the Catholic Church.

Her story is an encounter with Jesus Christ and His love. A love, she

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Swiftly and dramatically the life of St. Paul changed one day on the road to Damascus. Traveling as a persecutor of Christians, Paul encountered the Lord Jesus along the way. The Risen Christ appeared in a brilliant light and spoke to him.

Paul, dazed and trembling, asked the only sensible question, “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10)

At that moment he didn’t learn the complete plan, only the next step “Rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” Paul did as he was told and ever after his life would take on a completely new dimension and a decisive direction. The encounter with Jesus Christ changed him and made him revaluate everything that came before.

Later Paul would say, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Phil 3:8)

Frequently in our life we should

Ask yourself this Lent: ‘What shall I do?’knew, which called for a response. Throughout this time Read asked again and again, “What shall I do, Lord?” It was like a refrain for her life, in which she questioned the Lord what her next step should be and waited for the answer. In the quiet of her heart, the Lord gradually revealed His

plan for her life. During this Lenten season I invite

you to ask in your life, “What shall I do, Lord?”

Perhaps He is calling you to a deeper relationship as His intentional disciple, or to embracing the cross in your life, or to leading others closer to Him. Or perhaps He is calling you to consider taking another step closer to the Catholic Church.

In this case I might suggest you come to the beginning of our new RCIA class. There, I hope, you will find fellowship and guidance to discern the Lord’s will one step at a time. Following His will is always an exciting adventure, and ultimately it is in His will where we find peace.

— Fr. Andy Walsh

If you’re on any of these social sites, please take a few minutes to follow or like us:

• www.facebook.com/kssfachurch • www.instagram.com/kssfachurch •www.twitter.com/kssfachurch Youth Ministry • www.facebook.com/sfacym •www.twitter.com/sfacym Fr. Jarrod Lies is online! •Followhimattwitter.com/FrJLies •Visitwww.stfranciswichita.com andclickon“Fr.Jarrod’s homilies” to listen to any of his past sermons. Spread the word!

SFA SOCIAL SITES

Knights vs. Padres

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Fathers Walsh and Labenz play in the 30th Annual Basketball Classic for Vocations at Bishop Carroll.Father Labenz was the leading scorer of the game which featured the priests of the Diocese playing the Blue Knights of Knight of Columbus Council #4118.

February 2018 THE VERNACULAR4

Catholic Schools Week

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Students of St. Francis of Assisi School participate in an annual Eucharistic Procession, followed by Adoration in the gym, as part of their Catholic Schools Week celebration.

February 2018THE VERNACULAR 5

Miss Peter’s kindergarteners learn about vocations during Catholic Schools Week

them stories so that they could get to know them a bit. The children gave her ideas for each of their letters. Each letter was different, and they worked on it during handwriting throughout the week.

Peter recruited Mrs. Susan McCown

This past January St. Francis celebrated Catholic Schools week. This is a week where many events are scheduled to celebrate the beauty of a Catholic Education as well as thank the parish for their financial and prayerful support. Walking through the halls of the school, there was much evidence of our catholicity on display.

One such example was Miss Mary Jo Peter’s kindergarten class, which had a project on display in the primary hallway that particularly caught my eye. In character form, we saw the Holy Father Pope Francis next to Bishop Kemme. Various priests and sisters were represented, including Fr. Jarrod, Fr. Andy and Fr. Labenz. On each of these characters was a letter written to them by a kindergartener.

I was so taken by this project that I asked Miss Peter what her inspiration was.

“When I was thinking of a project for Catholic Schools Week, I really wanted to include vocations,” Peter said. “Throughout my time in Catholic schools (SFA, Carroll, Benedictine), I have had some amazing relationships with different priests and religious from all over. My college roommate entered religious life after our sophomore year at Benedictine.

“Through watching her experience and getting to know many different sisters through Fiat Ministries (a ministry for young women started by Emily Savage), I realized how special it is for them to receive a handwritten letter.”

She knew that in kindergarten it is easier to talk about vocations with a visual aid. She assigned each student a religious prayer partner. The children started by learning their religious prayer partner’s name and praying for them in the chapel.

If the students did not know their religious prayer partner, she told

they will send the letters and their “characters” to their prayer partners in the hopes of getting some letters back.

This project was such a perfect way to share the beauty of religious

vocations with the students. When she worked with the girls two at a time on the sisters’ character artwork, she heard them talk about how happy and beautiful they each looked. She had conversations with them about the habit the sisters wear and how they are each married to Jesus.

One girl was in awe when she found out they wear their “wedding dress” every single day! (Some orders

of sisters think of their habit as their wedding dress.) They liked pointing out the differences in the habits and veils and how they matched the pictures of their prayer partner.

We are so blessed to have teachers like Peter here at St. Francis and other Catholic schools, sharing the beauty of religious vocations with our children. She is correct when she said, “It is important that the priests and religious know how much their “yes” impacts our Catholic schools.”

– Kathleen Timmermeyer

teacher’s aide, to help with the final product. She showed the students pic-tures of their prayer partner, and then the students created the face and hair. The student who did Fr. Ben Green’s hair had a lot of fun! He even com-mented that “Fr. Ben is so hairy!”

The students were so excited about their project they even convinced Miss Peter to let them write to the pope! They took plenty of pictures and after Catholic Schools Week,

See p. 11 for more Vocation Project photos.

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February 2018 THE VERNACULAR6

SFA’s St. Therese Girls Club host their annual Spaghetti Dinner, for which they did nearly all of the work, including picking cherries for pies; making aprons; making pies; making and serving the meal.

‘Gratzi a Tutti’ for supporting St. Therese Girls Club

The girls serve the meal, drinks and dessert as well as bus tables, clean spills and wash dishes. From start to finish, life lessons are interwoven into the event to ensure the girls work hard for the donations they earn.

The Spaghetti Dinner would not be possible without in-kind donations from our community sponsors: Ray’s

The St. Therese Girls Club would like to thank the parishioners of St. Francis for your continued support of our annual Spaghetti Dinner. The funds raised from this event help offset the cost of activities like summer camp and Totus Tuus Camp.

The Spaghetti Dinner also provides many valuable lessons for the girls. Preparations for this year’s dinner started last spring. The sixth grade group spent an afternoon picking and pitting cherries to freeze for pies. In the fall, the fifth grade group got creative making aprons to wear for serving the dinner. The seventh grade group perfected the Italian Soda recipe that was a new addition to this year’s event.

Each year on the Saturday before the dinner, all members of the STGC gather in St. Clare Hall to make the pies for dessert. The girls prepare the filling from scratch, measuring the ingredients and cooking them on the stove. This included the hand-picked cherries from the spring, as well as peeling and slicing fresh apples.

Father Labenz was a welcome surprise to lend a helping hand to the pie prep. Father came equipped with his own apron that was a Christmas gift from the parish office staff. This year the girls prepared more than six dozen pies.

The most valuable lesson the girls learn is serving others at the dinner itself. While we do have parent supervision, the girls do most of the work to provide a warm, delicious meal to the families of St. Francis.

& Lowry Electric, Dillons at 13th and Rock Road, Fazoli’s, Walmart Neighborhood Market at Central and Tyler, Walmart at Kellogg and Greenwich, Tanya’s Soup Kitchen, and Neighbors Restaurant & Bar.

Thank you again to SFA parishioners for your support!

– Lanette BeltonP

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St. Therese Girls Club ... cont. on p. 7

February 2018THE VERNACULAR 7

‘Gratzi a Tutti’ for supporting St. Therese Girls Club St. Therese Girls Club... cont. from p. 6

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February 2018 THE VERNACULAR8

Reminder: We are all our brothers’ keeperOne day in June 1999, God used

me to save a man from serious harm. I was working for the Postal Service, and my route was around 21st and Arkansas, near St. Patrick Church.

Done with my one-block delivery swing, I was returning to my vehicle when I saw him. I didn’t know his name, but he was a fixture on the street. I had seen him many times over the years.

I never knew anyone who could say they knew where he stayed. He always walked; he couldn’t drive. I always saw him talking to his “partner” beside him, but I never saw the partner.

Sometimes he and his invisible companion would get into some serious arguments. They were having one that day.

I heard three voices confront the old man. They mistook his mannerisms for aggression. When I turned and looked, I recognized them to be faces I had seen before, one of the gangs that were in that area.

At that second, a voice deep in my head surprised me by saying, “Disarm their anger.” It didn’t scare me; I trusted the voice.

I told the young men what I knew of him.

“You have nothing to fear from him. He’s harmless. But do something for me. Take a look at him. Take a good long look and remember what you see. This is what I know about

couldn’t see, oblivious to how close he came to being assaulted.

When Chris Riggs at the Diocese office sent me the photo accompanying this article, I looked at the face under the hat and thought, “That could be Preacher man, plus about 20 years.” Back then he still had his teeth.

I wondered why I was there that day, at just that specific time; and why he was there. I believe it was so I could do what I did, when I did it. He needed help that day. To fill that need, God sent me.

The God that I know does not create trash or make mistakes. All people have worth and value in His eyes.

We are our brothers’ keeper, because we are ALL One Body in Christ.

– Michael Pearson

“Our daily challenge as Christian is to see the Face of Jesus in our neighbors.”

NEW PARISHIONERSNabir & Michelle Abdul-Kader,

1 childJeff & Detia DayJohnny & Elizabeth Roths

“IinviteChristians,everywhere,at this very moment, to a renewed personalencounterwithJesusChrist,oratleastanopennesstolettinghimencounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one shouldthinkthatthisinvitationisnotmeant for him or her, since ‘no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.’”–PopeFrancis,TheJoyoftheGospel, Evangelii Gaudium #3

Stewardship ThoughtBAPTISMSCaden Anthony, son of Robert

andMonicaBills,onJan.14Addison Rose,daughterofJason

andJenniferSpurgeon,onJan.20 Charlotte Jo,daughterofLogan

andKaylaWilson,onJan.21 Sophie Anne,daughterofScott

andLauraPlank,onJan.28 Charlie Ryan,daughterofJeffrey

andJenniferWhite,onJan.28

him. He’s in his 50s now. When he was your age, he was doing drugs.

“He got tangled up with some bad stuff that scrambled his brain so badly, that he’s been like this ever since. That was more than 30 years ago. What you’re seeing is him on his

best day. He’ll never be any better. If you want to feel something, then try pity. Pity for a life so terribly wasted, because he had the potential for so much more.

“I only know him by his street name. They call him ‘Preacher man.’”

They left Preacher man alone that day to walk down the street in peace. He was still arguing with someone we

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February 2018THE VERNACULAR 9

Medjugorje chaplain to speak twice at SFAtremendous grace that we are granted the opportunity to have Fr. Leon travel to see us and speak.”

Have you heard about Medjugorje? It is a village where daily apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary have reportedly been taking place for nearly 37 years. Because the reported apparitions are ongoing, the Church has not made an official ruling yet, but “devotion of Medjugorje is allowed. It’s not prohibited, and need not be done in secret,” confirmed Archbishop Henryk Hoser.

Archbishop Hoser was sent by Pope Francis to study Medjugorje, and he attests that it is a “phenomenon,” a “movement [that] will not stop and should not be stopped,” “one of the most living places of prayer and conversion.”

While in Medjugorje this summer, my family and I met Fr. Leon. He has an incredible testimony, was a medical doctor before becoming a priest, and is incredibly witty and insightful – so much so that he can

Mark your calendars for March 5 and 6, when St. Francis of Assisi Parish is blessed to host Fr. Leon Pereira, OP, the chaplain to English-speaking pilgrims in Medjugorje. Father will share his experiences and Our Lady’s messages at 7 p.m. on Monday in the Church, and again on Tuesday morning at 8:30 in St. Clare Hall. The Tuesday talk features a potluck breakfast.

If you miss him on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, he’ll speak again at St. Peter’s in Schulte on Tuesday evening at 7.

Aaron Crisler, an SFA parishioner who has been to Medjugorje three times, encourages all to take advantage of this opportunity to hear Fr. Leon speak.

“Being able to listen to Father Leon’s testimony of his experiences and the knowledge he brings with him is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Crisler said. “Many people simply cannot afford to travel 7,000 miles to the other side of the planet. It is a

make you roll with laughter while sharing profound truths.

My 17-year-old daughter explains him in this way, “Listening to him, you’ll never be bored – because he’s so entertaining and funny!”

“Just as those who make it to Medjugorje are called by Our Lady to go, so will it be for those called to listen to Fr. Leon,” Crisler said. “Please don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to experience Medjugorje right at St. Francis. I personally guarantee you will not be disappointed when you leave after listening to him.”

Perhaps Our Lady is calling you to come and see about this place of such grace that St. John Paul II called it, “the spiritual heart of the world”? If Our Lady is visiting Medjugorje every day and has been for nearly 40 years, it must be very important. What if she is asking you to listen to her plea for conversion? What if she is calling you?

– Janet Moore

February 2018 THE VERNACULAR10

SFA Scouts attend annual Trappers Rendezvouskind of thing you learn in Boy Scouts!

The boys learned how to survive and thrive in any situation, making the best with what they are given, and how teamwork benefits one and all – skills for life!

This year marked the 39th Trappers Rendezvous that SFA’s Ray Frangenberg has attended as both a scout and a leader. He has

Boy Scouts from SFA’s Troop 762 braved freezing temperatures each night and enjoyed a great time at Harvey County West Park for the annual Trappers Rendezvous campout in January.

You might wonder how anyone could sleep in a tent when the temperature is so cold and there’s fresh snow on the ground. That’s the

only missed two as Troop 762 didn’t start going until the third year it was offered.

Ray has also been one of the re-enactment volunteers many times, and this year he again portrayed mountain man “Stephan Meek.” A great time was had by all!

– Sandy Rongish

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The VernacularThis monthly newsletter is published by and for the parishioners of St. Francis of

Assisi Parish. It is mailed to each registered parish household by the end of each month. To submit articles, photos or story ideas, send them via email to sfavernacular@

gmail.com. Photos must be high-resolution print quality images. Contacts for the Vernacular are news editor Lanette Belton, 722-3952, and copy

editor Ann Walden, 249-2430. Deadlines for submitting information are the beginning of each month. New volunteers – especially reporters, photographers and layout editors – are always

welcome.

FUNERALSDr. Alan Albarracin, father of Kristy

(Aaron)Adamsofourparish,onJan.5Cecilia Jimenez,sisterofLaurie

Tasset,onJan.9John Hoeller, brother of Ed Hoeller,

onJan.11Theresa Keiser,onJan.12Aurora Biden, mother of Maria

Wood,onJan.27

February 2018THE VERNACULAR 11

7•CYM GYM GAMES•8:00 – 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

10-11•DCYC•DOUBLE TREE HILTON

14•NIGHT PRAYER AND MASS WITH THE GOD SQUAD•8:00 - 9:30•CYM ROOM

21•CYM RETREAT•8:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.•CANA HALL

25•COFFEE AND ROLLS•9:30-NOON•WALKWAY

28•WARMING SOULS SERVICE PROJECT•8:00 – 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

30•GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS•NOON•CHURCH

SPRINGS E S S I O N

March

May2•THE MASS EXPLAINED•8:00 - 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

9•HOLY HOUR AND BENEDICTION•8:00 - 9:30P.M.•CYM ROOM

16•THE ROAD TO ORDINATION•8:00 – 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

23•STUDY NIGHT•8:00 - 9:30P.M.•CYM ROOM

30•COOK OUT AT THE RECTORY•7:00 – 9:00 P.M.•RECTORY

YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN THE HIGH SCHOOL CATHOLIC YOUTH MINISTRY (CYM) AS WE MEET EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 8:00-9:30PM IN ASSISI HALL. THERE IS A CHECK

IN/WELCOMING TABLE IN THE WALKWAY OF THE CHURCH. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

April4•CYM EASTER PARTY•8:00 - 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

7•CLAY RETREAT•9:00 A.M. - 8:30 P.M.•ALL SAINTS PARISH

8•COFFEE AND ROLLS•9:30 - NOON•WALKWAY

11•HOLY HOUR AND BENEDICTION•8:00 - 9:30P.M.•CYM ROOM

14•PARISH WORKDAY•9:00 - 2:00 P.M.•SFA

15•COFFEE AND ROLLS•9:30 - NOON•WALKWAY

18•ULTIMATE SPOONS TOURNAMENT•8:00 – 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

22•COFFEE AND ROLLS•9:30 - NOON.•WALKWAY

25•BREAKOUT SESSIONS•8:00 - 9:30P.M.•CYM

29•COFFEE AND ROLLS•9:30 - NOON•WALKWAY

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Vocation Project ... cont. from p. 5

February 2018 THE VERNACULAR

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE PAID

WICHITA, KSPERMIT #152

Catholic Diocese of WichitaSt. Francis of Assisi861 N. SocoraWichita, KS 67212-3237