THE V E R N A C U L A R

FEBRUARY 2019 WICHITA, KANSAS

Financial Peace class starts in MarchParishioners are invited to

attend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, a proven financial planning class that teaches a strategy for managing money, this spring at St. Francis. Presenters will host the introductory session on March 7. Future sessions will cover saving strategies, paying down debt, insurance, real estate and mortgages, and tuition costs.

“This class can be life changing,” said Kirby Demel. “My wife and I took the class last summer at St. Francis… it surprised us how much money we had left over at the end of a month after following a written budget. We are working on paying off our house early and being debt free. Our 24-year-old daughter is going to take the class this spring. It’s a class for all ages.”

Another attendee agrees. “FPU has helped me to become

financially independent, stable and responsible as I start my career,” said Molly Bogner. “It has also helped me to be prepared for all the financial twists and turns that life brings. I am looking forward to a future with no debt and wealth to share!”

Master your money, master your life

Life happens. If we don’t have a financial plan, debt can creep into our lives. Debt limits our options and can make us feel trapped. In 2018, news services reported that the average American had $38,000 in personal debt. This does not include mortgages.

Many of us were raised without a solid understanding of how to manage our money and our finances. Perhaps we were too young or too distracted for our parents’ and teachers’ lessons to stay with us. Or, perhaps we were

determined to have some of the things our parents never had. Some of us wanted to skip the lean, just-starting-out years and jump right into the good life. Isn’t that what credit cards are for?

Parishioners are urged to take advantage of this opportunity to educate themselves about how to better handle their finances. Watch upcoming issues of the parish bulletin for more details.

– Melanie Ternes

UPCOMING EVENTS

2 ................Mardi Gras Dinner & Dance6 ...................................Ash Wednesday5 – April 16 ............. Men’s Virtue Series

(Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m.)6 - April 20 ............................God Squad8 ......... 41st Anniversary of Dedication

of St. Francis Parish13 .......................CYM Retreat (8-noon)14 ..................... Healing Mass (11 a.m.)11-15 .............. Spring Break (no school)19 ..................................... Confirmation21 .............. Parish All-Councils Meeting31 ...............................First Communion

PSR Students (11:30 a.m.)SFA School Students (1 p.m.)

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“We had been loosely following Mr. Ramsey’s principles for a few years before we decided to take the Financial Peace class. We thought we knew quite a bit about budgeting when the class started, but we learned a lot more! We also figured out how to save a bundle on insurance. Thanks to what we have learned and applied in his classes, we are on target to be completely debt-free (house and all!) within the next two to three years and are on track to someday retire with dignity. Taking this class was the best investment we’ve made in a long time. It’s worth every penny. If you’re on the fence about taking the class, just do it!” – FPU class participant

February 2019 THE VERNACULAR2 Layout by Michael McClure

Virtue Series

What does it take to be a man in the world today? How can I make a difference to those around me? The Kapaun’s Men Virtue Series tackles these questions and presents an authentic version of

manhood that is accessible to men of every walk of life.

Highlighting the example of Servant of God Father Emil Kapaun, a courageous Catholic Priest, Army Chaplain and Leader of Men, this series examines what a life of virtue looks like for men today. Presented by men like yourself as well as two of Father Kapaun’s fellow Prisoners of War, the videos will inspire you with the virtues of a man who has influenced men all over the world. Lively discussion with other men will give you the tools to answer God’s call to authentic manhood and to make a difference in the world today.

Dates and Times: Location:Tuesdays 7:30 pm St. Clare HallMarch 5 - April 16

More Information:

Scott Carter, carters@catholicdioceseofwichita.org

An Inspiring 7-Part StudyFeaturing the Life of Servant of God Emil Kapaun

Virtue Series

What does it take to be a man in the world today? How can I make a difference to those around me? The Kapaun’s Men Virtue Series tackles these questions and presents an authentic version of

manhood that is accessible to men of every walk of life.

Highlighting the example of Servant of God Father Emil Kapaun, a courageous Catholic Priest, Army Chaplain and Leader of Men, this series examines what a life of virtue looks like for men today. Presented by men like yourself as well as two of Father Kapaun’s fellow Prisoners of War, the videos will inspire you with the virtues of a man who has influenced men all over the world. Lively discussion with other men will give you the tools to answer God’s call to authentic manhood and to make a difference in the world today.

Dates and Times: Location:Tuesdays 7:30 pm St. Clare HallMarch 5 - April 16

More Information:

Scott Carter, carters@catholicdioceseofwichita.org

An Inspiring 7-Part StudyFeaturing the Life of Servant of God Emil Kapaun

Who’s ready for another season of God Squad?God Squad is a group of men

and women who strive to develop their spiritual life during Lent with the same intensity as some youth strive in sports, band or theater.

It has eight objectives: spiritual discipline, growth in love, spiritual

friendship, dying-to-self/rising-to Christ, spiritual consciousness, liturgical formation, sacrifice, and living an indulgenced life.

God Squad occurs all 40 days of Lent. We will have an opening session on Ash Wednesday, March 6,

at 8 p.m., and it will run through April 20. It begins at 8 p.m. every Monday through Saturday in the Church. We will not train on Sundays. Sunday is “Game Day.”

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I’m trying to decide if I should be offended or not. Fr. Isaac started it and now Fr. Labenz has joined in. They have given me a nickname, Stewardship Guy. I have known both of them since they were in seminary, and it truly is an honor to work with them each day. I guess I am lucky in that they have known me for a while, so I could have a much worse nickname. I am pretty sure they mean it as a compliment or at least that is what I tell myself.

I could certainly tell that I do see life through the lens of stewardship (OK, as Stewardship Guy) when Fr. Jarrod gave us a theme and a bible quote for this month. The passage from Acts says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings, fellowship, Breaking of the Bread, and prayer.” The first thing that came to my mind was how the early church was committed to the four

‘Stewardship guy’: SFA is like early Churchpillars of stewardship!

We often say that we coined the phrase “Stewardship as a Way of Life” here at St. Francis over the past 50 years. Clearly in the first century of our church, they were seeing the

four pillars of stewardship as they practiced Formation, Hospitality, Service and Prayer. The passage from Acts shows that the church was devoted to fellowship or hospitality.

Developing true, authentic friendships, welcoming others, and inviting everyone to participate in parish life is a cornerstone of our parish family. In studying the apostles’ teachings, we are formed as Christian disciples and learn what it means to serve others. The early church prayed together as we often do in small and large groups at St. Francis. In the Breaking of the Bread, just as the early Christians did, we come together every Sunday

and each day to celebrate this way of life. The Mass is a prayer that we seek to perfect each and every time we come together.

We are called to devote ourselves to this way of life we call stewardship. No one has arrived. We all still have work to do to be that good steward. The example of the early church should inspire us to continue to work and struggle and persevere. Our parish family today is here along with the four pillars (Formation, Hospitality, Service and Prayer) to guide us on this journey toward heaven.

I guess being your Stewardship Guy is not so bad after all. If it was good enough for the early Christians, it should be good enough for me. May the upcoming Lenten Season be filled with many blessings for our parish family.

– Pat Burns Director of Stewardship & Finance

Members of the SFA school Viking Singers choir directed by Donna Mally perform the National Anthem at the Harlem Globe Trotters game.

The St. Therese Girls Club would like to thank St. Francis parishioners for their support at their annual Spaghetti Dinner. The event provides a learning opportunity for the girls to sew aprons, bake pies and serve others while raising funds for various group activities.

Viking Singers Spaghetti Dinner

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Expectations for parish, priests, parishionersSt. Francis of Assisi Parish is a

Catholic Christian community of disciples of the Lord Jesus. We believe that everyone is called to be on a spiritual journey and what matters is not where a person is on that journey, but that they are on the journey itself.

Therefore, we seek to welcome all people regardless of the stage of their spiritual life. We are a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints. To be a member of this parish is to enter a relationship with the other members of the parish who are also on this spiritual journey.

Clear expectations are at the heart of every healthy relationship.

YOU CAN EXPECT this parish to:• Celebrate dynamic and uplifting

liturgies. • Offer a wide range of educational

opportunities so that you can know the Lord more completely to love him more ardently.

• Foster a sense of community through social opportunities that allow parishioners to meet and to enjoy one another’s company.

• Provide experiences that help transform you to become holy.

• Value your unique gifts and talents in the service of God and others.

• Offer opportunities for you to put your God given talents to the service of others.

• Love and support you in your spiritual journey regardless of the messiness and struggles of your life.

• Listen to your needs to and help address them to the best of our ability.

• Value your input and expect your courageous communication of hopes and dreams, difficulties and challenges for and within the parish.

• Honor your financial contributions and put them to work for the building up of the Kingdom of God with transparency and accountability.

YOU CAN EXPECT your pastor and associate priests to:

• Be obedient to the bishop.• Preach and teach the Gospel in an

orthodox manner.

• Offer and celebrate the Eucharist and Confession faithfully and reverently.

• Implore God’s mercy for themselves and the members of this parish.

• Pray without ceasing beginning with the Liturgy of the Hours.

• Grow closer every day to Christ the High Priest.

• Prioritize the salvation of souls over all other activities.

This parish can EXPECT YOU to:• Make a commitment to be a

disciple of Jesus Christ. The Church is a community of believers. Every parishioner should see themselves as an integral part of the life of this parish and should reach out and connect with fellow disciples.

• Participate in Mass on Sundays and Holy Days and refrain from unnecessary work on Sundays. We expect all members of the parish to gather for Sunday worship primarily at this parish. At Sunday Mass we worship the God who created us and express gratitude for all his blessings. We are given the grace we need to continue to love God – through prayer – and one another – through hospitality.

• Support and cooperate with the religious education programs of the parish. Learning is a lifelong task. We expect every member of our parish to commit to at least one program of faith formation each year such as adult faith formation, PSR or Catholic schools, sacramental preparation, RCIA, FORMED, and parish retreats.

• Practice faith in the workplace, the home, the classroom, in civic life. We are called not just to practice faith in our parish, but also in every avenue of our life. The essence of the Christian life is to serve God and one another. We expect every member to be “Catholic Out Loud”

in every area life and to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.

• Participate in parish ministries, activities, work days and organizations through your contribution of time and talent. Everything we have received is a gift from God; therefore, we are called to develop and share our gifts. We expect every parishioner to serve the parish by being involved in at least one ministry.

• Support the ministry of the Gospel by pledging and tithing generously, proportionally and sacrificially of our first fruits. We give out of gratitude to God. We expect all parishioners to give generously of their financial resources in proportion to what they have received (with a goal of 8 percent of gross family income to the parish and 2 percent to other charities of your choice). No one is excluded from this.

• Observe days of prayer, abstinence and fasting. We are spiritual people. Grace is to the soul what blood is to the body. We participate in God’s life of grace through daily prayer and frequent adoration. We bring our physical and emotional desires under control through fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstaining from meat (or other things) every Friday. We expect all members to intercede to God to obtain favor, make reparation for personal sin, overcome scandal in the Church, and protect the innocent from harm and temptation.

• Confess your sins to a priest in the sacrament of confession at least once a year to receive God’s mercy. Jesus first public words were, “Repent and believe in the Good News (Mk 1:15).” Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins and reconcile us to the Father.

• To ensure that one’s marriage is blessed in the eyes of God through the Sacrament of Matrimony in the Catholic Church. Marriage is a public reality because the Family is the basic cell of society. Just as the health of a body is determined by the health of every cell in that body, so too, the health of a society is determined by the health of every family in that society. A sacramental marriage is a powerhouse of grace for the family and the

Message From

THE PASTOR

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community. We expect every married couple to have your marriage blessed in the Church.

• Support the joy and integrity of the family. Single and married persons are a source of great joy and life in our parish and are an invaluable part of our parish family. All parishioners, whether parents, young children, siblings, adult single persons, or elderly are called to foster the health of their family by praying, playing, working and

eating together as a family. We expect all parishioners to generously offer support and aid to families that are struggling in any way. We also expect parents to be the first teachers in the ways of the faith and every household to be a “Domestic Church” where Christ is praised and glorified.

• Participate in the Church’s mission of evangelization of souls in the parish, in the diocese and in the universal Church. Sharing our faith is

not optional for a disciple. Speaking of Jesus Christ and living in accord with his teachings are the way in which we spread the message of the Gospel. We expect all parishioners to courageously and boldly proclaim Jesus’ name and invite others to join his Church.

– Much of this language was borrowed from “Divine Renovation: From a Maintenance to a Missional

Parish” by Fr. James Mallon.

SFA hosts 4 weekend retreats for formationof Catechesis of Good Shepherd catechists

Over the past year, almost 400 children have come to Nazareth, home to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at St. Francis, on a weekly basis to develop their relationship with Jesus, and to nurture their sense of wonder.

Catechists guide the children’s time in the atria at Nazareth, with an understanding that Jesus is the only teacher.

Beginning in June, St. Francis will be hosting a Level I formation for those interested in learning how to help in the atrium, with the added benefit of personal spiritual growth and renewal.

This formation course is open to any adult or teenager and takes place in the form of a

retreat. Participants experience the meditations as children and learn the rich theological underpinnings of the presentations.

They also gain an appreciation for the child as theologian. It promises to transform and deepen the adult’s relationship with Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

Formation dates are:• June 27-30 (Thursday evening,

all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday)• Aug. 8-11 (Thursday evening, all

day Friday, Saturday, Sunday)• Nov. 1-3 (Friday evening, all day

Saturday and 1-4:30 Sunday)• Feb. 7-9, 2020 (Friday evening,

all day Saturday and 1-4:30 Sunday)Attendance is required for all

dates, unless alternate arrangements

are made ahead of time.The cost for the course is $250

for St. Francis parishioners, and $500 for non-parishioners. This includes meals and all materials needed to complete the course. It will fulfill requirements to receive a Level I certificate and will qualify participants to lead sessions for 3- to 6-year-olds at Nazareth or any other atrium. Babysitting may be provided, depending on the need.

If you have questions or would like to register for formation, look for brochures in the walkway, search for the course at https://cgsusa.org/course.aspx, or contact me at 558-8171 or cmarierundle@yahoo.com.

– Cheryl Rundle

FUNERALS

Florence Whetstone, mother of Theresa Howard, Renae Whetstone, Patti Paul, Mary Sumner, and Diana Whetstone, Jan. 11

Anne Giroux, mother of Robert, Thomas, John, Edmund, Martin, Raymond, David and Daniel Giroux; Angela Scheide; and Anne Jasinski, Jan. 18

Alice Hunt, mother of Diane and Michelle Hunt, Jan. 21

Lelan Kirk, husband of Joyce and father of Ryley, Jan. 30

The Padres won the 31st Annual Basketball Classic for Vocations between the Blue Knights of Knights of Columbus Council #4118 and the Padres (priests of the Wichita Diocese). Proceeds from this game are used to support the Council’s religious vocations programs and primarily provide direct financial support to seminarians.

BC students and SFA parishioners Hope and Heidi Lubbers display the sign they made to cheer on Fr. Labenz.

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Man Fully Alive

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 8AM-4PM AT KAPAUN MT. CARMEL CHS

WITH HECTOR MOLINA AND FR. DWIGHT LONGENECKER

Event information and registration at CatholicMensConference.com

2019

Fr. Dwight Longenecker: Catholic priest, author and speaker will give two presentations titled: “Jesus Christ: Victim and Victor”

and “The Way of the Warrior Priest.” https://dwightlongenecker.com

Bishop Carl A. Kemme: Will celebrate Mass to begin the conference.

Hector Molina: Professional lay Catholic speaker and motivangelist will give two presentations titled: “Man Fully Alive: Lessons from Lazarus” and “Fishers of Men or Keepers of the Aquarium: Evangelization Beyond the Parish Walls.” www.hectormolina.com

k n i g h t sof columbus

COUNCIL # 4118

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3•COFFEE AND ROLLS•9:30 A.M. - NOON•WALKWAY

6•ASH WEDNESDAY•8:00 – 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

13•FULLY ALIVE•CYM RETREAT•NOON - 8:00•CHURCH/CANA HALL

17•CONFIRMATION PRACTICE/CONFESSION•6:30 - 8:00 P.M.•CHURCH

19•CONFIRMATION MASS•6:30 P.M.•CHURCH

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

23-24•DCYC•DOUBLE TREE HILTON

27•FUN AND GAMES•8:00 – 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

SPRINGS E S S I O N

March

May1•BREAKOUT SESSIONS•8:00 - 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

5•COFFEE AND ROLLS•9:30 A.M. - NOON•WALKWAY

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

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

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

29•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!

April3•FR. LABENZ•THE TRIDUUM EXPLAINED•8:00 - 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

7•COFFEE AND ROLLS•9:30 A.M. - NOON•WALKWAY

10•NIGHT PRAYER AND MASS WITH GOD SQAUD•8:00 - 9:30 P.M.•CYM ROOM

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

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

17•CYM•8:00 - 9:30P.M.•CYM ROOM

18•MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER•7:00 P.M.•CHURCH

19•GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS•NOON.•CHURCH

19•GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE•7:00 P.M.•CHURCH

20•EASTER VIGIL•8:30 P.M.•CHURCH

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

BAPTISMS

Taelyn Rae, daughter of Tony and Danielle Nguyen, Jan. 26

Justin Hien, son of Chanh and Kien Nguyen, Jan 26

Azaria Louise, daughter of Jeffrey and Jenon Watts, Jan. 26

NEW PARISHIONERS

Jeremy & Michelle BirketNicholas CerreJeremy & Ann Holt, 4 kidsTheodore and Mina JochemsManuel Ultrerus Joseph & Ashley Wescott, 2 kids

Stewardship ThoughtFORMATION is a continuous

activity including education of the mind and conversion of the heart. The meaning of faithful stewardship and how to live this way of life is at the core of the disciple’s response to the gift of faith given to us by God.

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE PAID

WICHITA, KSPERMIT #152

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