JULY 7, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG LOCAL NEWS 3 Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl [email protected]Managing Editor Anita McSorley [email protected]Production Manager Todd Habiger [email protected]Senior Reporter Joe Bollig [email protected]Reporter Moira Cullings [email protected]Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship [email protected]Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: [email protected]. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Sub- scriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109. Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) President: Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann By Susan Fotovich McCabe Special to The Leaven L ENEXA — Teaching about the life of Christ is one thing. Experiencing it — by tracing the steps of the historical Jesus through the Holy Land — is quite another. This past spring, a group of area Catholic school administrators trav- eled to the Holy Land specifically for that purpose. The pilgrimage is an annual event hosted by the archdiocesan Holy Family School of Faith Institute and coordinated by Holy Trinity parish- ioners Trudy and Rich Boynton of Lenexa. Trudy is the founder of Trin- ity Travel in Lenexa, which specializ- es in religious pilgrimages. “I went to the Holy Land in 1997 when I was invited by the Israeli Tourist Board. However, it was very unsatisfying because I saw it the way they wanted me to see it,” Trudy said. “Catholics need to see it in a par- ticular way,” she continued, “walking in the footsteps of Jesus and person- alizing it. That enhances their faith. “My belief is that if we can get the teachers catechized, then the kids will be catechized and we’ll have a future church.” The School of Faith was estab- lished by Archbishop Joseph F. Nau- mann to spiritually enrich Catholic school teachers, catechists and the faithful of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Each year, the School of Faith raises money to take approximately 35 area Catholic school teachers on the pil- grimage. This last trip was comprised of 51 area Catholic school principals and vice principals. Typically, one or both of the Boyn- tons escort travelers, along with a Catholic theologian who provides meaningful instruction on the Holy Land and one or two priests who offer daily Mass and celebrate other sacra- ments during the trip. Other individu- als — Catholic and non-Catholic — are welcome to join at their own cost. It is the School of Faith’s 14th pilgrimage, and one that never ceases to inspire, according to School of Faith execu- tive director Mike Scher- schligt. “When you go to the Holy Land and walk in the footsteps of Jesus, when you walk the Sta- tions of the Cross, stand on Calvary and touch the rock where the Cross stood, when you kiss the stone slab in the tomb from where Jesus rose from the dead, when you drink from the well in which Jesus met the woman from Samaria, or when you put your head under the waterfall on the Sea of Gal- ilee where Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John, you realize this is not just another story,” Scherschligt said. “Jesus is real.” Trudy, who has volunteered as a catechist for both high school stu- dents and the Rite of Christian Initi- ation of Adults program for 38 years, echoes Scherschligt sentiment. “The point of the pilgrimage, for me, is that our faith be presented in an easy-to-understand manner,” she said, “that it be experiential, and that it be accurate. “I want people to be inspired.” Like Trudy, Rich said that no one who has ever taken the trip comes home unchanged. In fact, he said the inspiration is contagious. He pointed to examples of individuals and cou- ples who have repeated the trip, often bringing their children and even both sets of in-laws in one instance. One family even remortgaged their home, Rich said, because they felt it was that important to their family’s spiritual growth. Some travelers who were not Catholic were even inspired to join the church upon returning home, he said. Inspiring is an understatement, according to Kansas City, Kansas’ Bishop Ward High School president Father Thomas Schrader, O.Carm. He attended the last pilgrimage. “Having the opportunity to visit the Holy Land and be in the places where Jesus lived and taught and worked his miracles opens up the word of God to a another reality of perceiving the gifts of Our Lord to us,” Father Schrader said. “This makes the sharing of the good news more vital and real in proclaiming Christ’s paschal mystery to our stu- dents and staff.” “As a priest and president serving in the high school setting,” he contin- ued, “I know this first trip to the Holy Land will help to explain Christ’s life in even deeper ways during school Masses and faculty meetings and in- teractions.” The Boyntons, who have been members of Holy Trinity for 21 years, said the pilgrimage changes the way you experience Mass as well. They estimate they’ve escorted approxi- mately 1,000 faith educators and in- dividuals to the Holy Land since 2011. “We can’t pinpoint with GPS accuracy that Jesus stood on that TRACING JESUS’ LIFE School of Faith and Trinity Travel host area Catholic school administrators on trip though the Holy Land LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE MCSORLEY Above, Trudy Boynton is the founder of Trinity Travel in Lenexa, which specializes in religious pilgrimages. She was inspired to start Trinity Travel after an unsatisfactory trip to the Holy Land. >> See “PILGRIMAGES” on page 6
Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: [email protected]. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Sub-scriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)
President: Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
By Susan Fotovich McCabeSpecial to The Leaven
LENEXA — Teaching about the life of Christ is one thing. Experiencing it — by tracing the steps of the historical Jesus through the
Holy Land — is quite another.This past spring, a group of area
Catholic school administrators trav-eled to the Holy Land specifically for that purpose.
The pilgrimage is an annual event hosted by the archdiocesan Holy Family School of Faith Institute and coordinated by Holy Trinity parish-ioners Trudy and Rich Boynton of Lenexa. Trudy is the founder of Trin-ity Travel in Lenexa, which specializ-es in religious pilgrimages.
“I went to the Holy Land in 1997 when I was invited by the Israeli Tourist Board. However, it was very unsatisfying because I saw it the way they wanted me to see it,” Trudy said.
“Catholics need to see it in a par-ticular way,” she continued, “walking in the footsteps of Jesus and person-alizing it. That enhances their faith.
“My belief is that if we can get the teachers catechized, then the kids will be catechized and we’ll have a future church.”
The School of Faith was estab-lished by Archbishop Joseph F. Nau-mann to spiritually enrich Catholic school teachers, catechists and the faithful of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.
Each year, the School of Faith raises money to take approximately 35 area Catholic school teachers on the pil-grimage. This last trip was comprised of 51 area Catholic school principals and vice principals.
Typically, one or both of the Boyn-
tons escort travelers, along with a Catholic theologian who provides meaningful instruction on the Holy Land and one or two priests who offer daily Mass and celebrate other sacra-ments during the trip. Other individu-als — Catholic and non-Catholic — are welcome to join at their own cost. It is the School of Faith’s 14th pilgrimage, and one that never ceases to inspire, according to School of Faith execu-
tive director Mike Scher-schligt.
“When you go to the Holy Land and walk in the footsteps of Jesus, when you walk the Sta-tions of the Cross, stand on Calvary and touch the rock where the Cross stood, when you kiss the
stone slab in
the tomb from where Jesus rose from the dead, when you drink from the well in which Jesus met the woman from Samaria, or when you put your head under the waterfall on the Sea of Gal-ilee where Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John, you realize this is not just another story,” Scherschligt said. “Jesus is real.”
Trudy, who has volunteered as a catechist for both high school stu-dents and the Rite of Christian Initi-ation of Adults program for 38 years, echoes Scherschligt sentiment.
“The point of the pilgrimage, for me, is that our faith be presented in an easy-to-understand manner,” she said, “that it be experiential, and that it be accurate.
“I want people to be inspired.” Like Trudy, Rich said that no one
who has ever taken the trip comes
home unchanged. In fact, he said the inspiration is contagious. He pointed to examples of individuals and cou-ples who have repeated the trip, often bringing their children and even both sets of in-laws in one instance.
One family even remortgaged their home, Rich said, because they felt it was that important to their family’s spiritual growth. Some travelers who were not Catholic were even inspired to join the church upon returning home, he said.
Inspiring is an understatement, according to Kansas City, Kansas’ Bishop Ward High School president Father Thomas Schrader, O.Carm. He attended the last pilgrimage.
“Having the opportunity to visit the Holy Land and be in the places where Jesus lived and taught and worked his miracles opens up the word of God to a another reality of perceiving the gifts of Our Lord to us,” Father Schrader said. “This makes the sharing of the good news more vital and real in proclaiming Christ’s paschal mystery to our stu-dents and staff.”
“As a priest and president serving in the high school setting,” he contin-ued, “I know this first trip to the Holy Land will help to explain Christ’s life in even deeper ways during school Masses and faculty meetings and in-teractions.”
The Boyntons, who have been members of Holy Trinity for 21 years, said the pilgrimage changes the way you experience Mass as well. They estimate they’ve escorted approxi-mately 1,000 faith educators and in-dividuals to the Holy Land since 2011.
“We can’t pinpoint with GPS accuracy that Jesus stood on that
TRACING JESUS’ LIFESchool of Faith and Trinity Travel host area Catholic school administrators on trip though the Holy Land
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE MCSORLEY
Above, Trudy Boynton is the founder of Trinity Travel in Lenexa, which specializes in religious pilgrimages. She was inspired to start Trinity Travel after an unsatisfactory trip to the Holy Land.
>> See “PILGRIMAGES” on page 6
JULY 7, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORGLOCAL NEWS 6
TOOLS FOR FAMILIES Growing as Disciples of Jesus
Family fun on summer Sundays Sunday is a day of rest to take time to thank God
for all his gifts, especially your family. If you don’t take time to enjoy this gift, how can you be thankful? Set aside Sunday afternoons to:
• Have a cookout for a family picnic, and include the children in its prepara-tion.
• After prayer and the meal, have fun with a family walk, a Frisbee toss, a game of catch or a water balloon fight.
• Then, give thanks to God with a family prayer.
— Deacon Tony Zimmerman,lead consultant for the
office of marriage and family life
ARTWORK BY NEILSON CARLIN, 2015
Call or stop by to learn about the options of advanced planning, and pick up your FREE Personal Arrangement guide.
KANSAS CITY, Kansas — Evangelization benchmarks and the two phases of the archdiocesan Parish
Evangelization Initiative were a major part of discussions during the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council meeting held on May 15 at Savior Pastoral Center here.
All 22 members of the council were present, representing five of the eight archdiocesan pastoral re-gions and certain constituencies. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann did not offer opening remarks in order to allow more time for speakers to address the four major topics of the meeting.
The first of those speakers and lead consultant for evangelization Emily Lopez spoke to evangeliza-tion benchmarks.
In Lopez’s remarks, she identi-fied the four benchmarks for mea-suring the effectiveness of parish evangelization efforts: prayer, planning, hospitality and culture.
The archdiocese began its Parish Evangelization Initiative in September 2016 by inviting pas-tors to offer their parishes as “pilot parishes.” Although the goal was to have at least one parish in each of the eight pastoral regions serve as a pilot, interest was expressed by 17 pastors serving 24 parishes, representing all but the Lawrence Region.
The pilot program consists of two phases. Phase 1, from 2016-2017, included 11 parishes. Phase 2, from 2017 to 2018, involves 13 par-ishes. Pilot program parishes hold meetings and receive special train-ing and support.
Lopez ended her presentation by offering to work with pastors and parishes not part of the pilot program to develop their own evangelization initiatives.
Father Gary Pennings, vicar general of the archdiocese, pre-sented next on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Convocation of Catholic Leaders in Orlando July 1-4. Father Pennings discussed the purpose of the convocation (evangelization and discipleship)
and some of the discussion topics. The archdiocese sent 23 people to the convocation.
Deacon Dana Nearmyer, secre-tary of the evangelization division, spoke briefly about the upcoming 2018 Synod of Bishops on youth in Rome and the responses given by youth to three questions posed at archdiocesan-sponsored listening sessions.
Finally, Steve Ehart, consul-tant for mission strategy, ex-plained the pastoral planning process and laid out a five-step “high return-on-energy” plan for pastors to guide the implementa-tion of goals.
When the five steps are com-plete, pastors and parishioners will be clear, organized and able to work on the most important goals of their parish utilizing small groups with specific objectives. Nearly 12 parishes have already participated in the parish planning process and two more will start this year.
After discussion, the meet-ing was adjourned with a closing prayer by the archbishop.
Evangelization program discussed
spot, like on the Mount of the Beat-itudes. But we know he was there,” Rich said. “Today, there are 1,000 people listening to the Gospel and thinking, ‘I saw that.’ It changes the dynamics of how they [participate in] Mass.”
The pilgrimages are so popular that the January 2018 trip is already sold out. The School of Faith helps teachers find funding for the trip by asking benefactors to contrib-ute toward the overall costs. The $3,999 price tag for the last trip in-cluded airfare, meals, hotel, tours and tips for the 12-day journey.
The Boyntons said safety is rarely a concern, with the excep-tion of the January 2016 pilgrimage. Because of some unrest in Jerusa-lem at the time, Trudy canceled the trip. Otherwise, Rich said he feels safer walking in Jerusalem at night than he does in parts of Kansas City.
In planning the trip and schedul-ing tours, Trudy and Rich work ex-clusively with Christian suppliers and operators, and only patronize Christian shops and restaurants.
And while the pilgrimage typi-cally strikes a reverent tone, there are some lighthearted moments at times, Rich said. During the 2012 pilgrimage, which included Archbishop Naumann, one of the group’s flights was canceled.
When Trudy went to the airline to try and work it out, the rest of the group huddled around Arch-bishop Naumann, hoping for divine intervention.
“We all whipped out our rosa-ries and began praying,” Rich said.
They were not disappointed.“Shortly thereafter,” Rich said,
“they ended up finding a crew and reinstating the flight. The pilot told us that he had never seen a flight get reinstated after it had been can-celed.”
Ann Connor, associate superintendent of archdiocesan schools, touches the West-ern, or Wailing, Wall in Jerusalem.
>> Continued from page 3
Pilgrimages prove popular
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