When a St. Francis parishioner noticed an ad on a Southeast Kansas sales site she saw potential for a church improvement project. Our Lady of Lourdes was doing a complete interior renovation and some items were being discarded — among those items were pew cushions. A Stewardship Project Gets Underway. St. Francis has looked at pew cushions in the past, but the $25,000 cost kept the project on a back burner. Curious about the advertisement, Terri Morrow made a call and then drove to Pittsburg to investigate. The cushions appeared to be in good condition, but Lourdes had included new cushions in their renovation plan. ![]() After checking with Father David and Altar Society President Elaine VanLeeuwen, she got a “GO” and called to make arrangements to pick them up. There was a catch. Lourdes had a contractor and a group of parishioners ready to gut the interior of the church on Monday, May 15, and the cushions had to be picked up by 9:00 that morning or they would be hauled away. Terri rounded up a pickup truck, and some help, to go get what we thought would be “about fifty cushions.” That should be enough to fill the front pews-bay of St. Francis. ![]() We showed up at Lourdes on the 15th to discover that “about fifty” was closer to "one-hundred.” But with the help of a Lourdes volunteer we were able to get most of the cushions in the bed and cab of the pickup; then we stuffed every part of Terri’s car but the driver’s seat. If there had been an accident, she was well-protected. The cushions were taken to the PSR Building in St. Paul for inspection and some planning. A few issues had to be addressed:
Project Cost. So what will this stewardship project cost? When completed, the cost will include lots of driving, coordination, phone calls, planning, lifting, cleaning, sweating, moving and a few cuts and scrapes. But the total cost, to be paid by the St. Francis Altar Society, should not exceed $700! Instead of filling only the front bay of pews, there will be enough cushions to fill nearly the entire church. (There has been some discussion about loaves, fishes and cushions!) A Project Overview Slide-Show: Don’t Move The Cushions. Existing spaces in center pews should be filled by September. However, since the first set of cushions entered the church, several have been slid to an opposite end of pews. This can damage the expensive foam underlay and is creating more work for the team. Also, moving a pew cushion to your end of the pew means someone else sits on wood. That is not stewardship. Notes:
[1] So Far, Terri's Team consists of herself, Rosie Brogan, Jean Diskin, the St. Francis Altar Society and Ron Brogan. [2] When completed, pews on all of the two center rows will be fully covered with the exception of about 15” on the outside ends of the column pews. There will be a similar end gap on all of the outside (window) pews. ![]() Mark your calendar now for the events of August, 12, 13 and 14, 2017. The Diocese of Wichita is "bringing the Spiritual Life Center to Saint Paul". The Center Director, Father Ken VanHaverbeke, will conduct a three-night Parish Mission Retreat on Saturday/Sunday/Monday. Those who know Father Ken also know this will be a rewarding and enjoyable experience! ![]() Mission Theme: Encountering Christ With Joy! "The Joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness." Pope Francis The three-night Parish Mission will allow parishioners to reflect upon the good news of Jesus Christ, The Joy of the Gospel The Mission will give parishioners the opportunity to experience the good news through preaching on the scriptures, experiencing reconciliation through the sacraments, the company of fellow parishioners, prayer and music. Topics Will Include:
Format for the Mission: August 12, 13, 14
![]() Father Ken VanHaverbeke. Father Ken VanHaverbeke is a diocesan priest of the Diocese of Wichita. After graduating from Kansas State University he attended Mount St. Mary's Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio, and was ordained in 1991. He has served as assistant-pastor or pastor of: Church of the Magdalen, Wichita; St. Mary's, Newton; St. Joseph, Wichita; Christ the King, Wichita and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Wichita. Between 1999 and present he also worked on several Chancery assignments including: Continuing Education for Clergy, Chaplain of the Guadalupe Clinic, Vicar for Priests, Director of the Office of Stewardship and is currently the Director of the Spiritual Life Center, Wichita. As the pastor of several parishes, he gained experience in shepherding souls and cultivating the gifts of preaching, teaching and healing. He understands the day-to-day relationship of a pastor with parishioners. Father VanHaverbeke is an accomplished speaker and writer. Using either microphone or keyboard, his presentation is spirited, articulate and always punctuated with some delightful "Father Ken" humor. We think you will enjoy his Saint Paul Mission Retreat! They Do More Than Fry Eggs and Sausage: Folks get accustomed to seeing Knights at the serving line at benefit breakfasts, or handing out Tootsie Rolls in the back of church. These events are intended to raise money for local families in need or to support special church or civic projects. But they do more than that — a lot more. Over the past few years they have repaired some local homes, supported our altar servers and ran local youth sports events. For those who have been up in the church tower, the metal stairways between the choir-loft and bells levels were lifted in place and installed by a team of KofC members. In the photos above, Grand Knight Matt O'Hara is repairing one of the Lords Prayer signs a mile east of Beechwood Hill. Nobody told him to do it. He was just doing what Knights do! ![]() This year's May Crowning was during 7:00 Mass on Wednesday, May 3. Cold, windy weather and a very wet church garden kept the services inside; but did not dampen the enthusiasm of the our PSR students. The 2017 class of second and third grade First Communicants teamed with older PSR students to do the crowning ceremony. Following Mass, celebrated by Father David, the PSR students formed in a Living Rosary that encircled the front pews of the church. The 2017 First Communion Photo is Here.
Congratulations: to students from both parishes for receiving their 1st Holy Communion on Sunday, April 30, at St. Francis Church: Jackson Beachner, Caroline Bradshaw, Khloe Brown, Ava Dent, Alejandro Dominguez, Joselin Dominguez, Perla Dominguez, Josey Garten, Lillyanne Gonsalves, Alexis Hernandez, Juan Hernandez, Nancy Hernandez, Omar Hernandez, Emmy Madl, Taylor Madl, Kaydra Mathis, Callie McKinzie, Aubrie Norris, Brec Norris, Kinley Pecha, Ashley Richenburg, Leslie Rodriguez, Tristan Seme, Becca Simpson, Devyn Taylor, Ava Treiber, Cassie Vitt & Devin Vogel. Special Thanks to: our Pastor-Fr. David, PSR Director-Suzie Diskin and Instructors Keisha Richenburg, Heather Vogel and Amanda Dent (shown in back row) for their hours of work this year preparing the students for this very special day! Father Joseph Van Leeuwen C.P. was laid to rest in the St. Francis de Hieronymo Catholic Church Garden Cemetery on Saturday, April 1. Father Joe was the first Passionist Priest to be buried in our garden cemetery since Father Ferdinand Madl's death in June of 1972. During his priesthood he served as Provincial Secretary, Associate Pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Chicago, Illinois; Pastor at Holy Cross Immaculata Parish in Cincinnati, Ohio; Newman Center Chaplain at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL.; and Pastor of the African American Parish in Birmingham, Alabama. He spent the past 20 years at the Passionist Mission in Southern, Kochi, India where he died unexpectedly on February 28. He was 81 years old. Father Joe's funeral Mass was concelebrated by eight priests, including seven Passionist Priests who traveled to St. Paul from locations in the United States and India:
After the funeral the Altar Society hosted a community luncheon at St. Francis Parish Hall. Photos: Slide-show may be paused by clicking on a photo; stepped through one at a time with the side arrows; or resumed by clicking "Play." ![]() Father Joseph Van Leeuwen's funeral service on Saturday, April 1, will be a solemn, historic moment for St. Paul. Father Joe is the first Passionist priest to be buried in the church garden cemetery in nearly 45 years[1]. His will also be the first burial since the Passionist Monastery closed in 1983. The Passionists recognize St. Francis Catholic Church as an important part of their history. Osage Mission was among their earliest western locations as they began their expansion west of Missouri in the late 19th century. In keeping with the importance of Father's funeral and burial, we expect at least seven Passionist priests including their Provincial. With the Passionist presence in St. Paul gone for thirty-four years, the local memory of their ninety-three year presence here has faded. Those who do remember the Passionist era know it was a glorious religious experience. We became accustomed to having many priests, brothers, and students; and Mass schedules that accommodated any possible need. And there was the Passionist choir--Oh My Goodness those young men could sing! We had our own small slice of Rome here in St. Paul and we didn't realize it until it was gone. The Passionist Presence: During this week before Father Joe's funeral our "News" page is featuring two articles about the Passionist presence here in St. Paul. Follow these two links: Part 1 — The Passionist Era Begins Amidst Promise, Doubt and Turmoil. A brief look at a tumultuous period when the Jesuit and Loretto Missionaries were departing, leaving our parish and town in uncertainty. The article also discusses the work of an early Passionist Historian who was sent to Osage Mission to record the work of their predecessors and take stock of local facilities. Part 2 — The Passionist Influence is Expanded. An overview of the substantial commitment the Passionists made to St. Paul in terms of capital investment and in saving our church building. It also describes our community life in a monastery setting. ![]() Some Reference Information: [1] The last Passionist funeral and burial here was also a St. Paul man. George Ferdinand Madl was born in Eudora, Kansas in 1900 and moved to St. Paul with his family in 1906. He professed to the Passionists in 1918 and was ordained on February 1, 1925. Father "Ferd" celebrated his golden Jubilee on April 1, 1968 and passed away on June 5, 1972. His grave is on the south end of our garden's Passionist cemetery field. [2] The two articles above are from the A Catholic Mission website (www.acatholicmission.org). ![]() Parishioners from St. Francis, St. Ambrose and surrounding parishes are invited to attend two evenings of religious talks and confession services at St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul. This mini-retreat will include:
Please take this opportunity to step away from your day-to-day routine for a moment and reconnect with God in prayer and absolution. ![]() Father Joe Van Leeuwen, C.P., 81, passed away on February 28, at his home, the Passionist community in Kochi, India. Norman Eugene Van Leeuwen was born on January 28, 1936 to Anthony "Tony" and Eugenia Van Leeuwen, St. Paul. On July 9, 1957 he professed to the Passionist Order. On May 23, 1964 he was ordained as Father Joseph Van Leeuwen in honor of the beloved Father Joseph Garland, a long-time pastor at St. Francis Parish. Father Joseph served various states-side parish ministries during his career. In 1991 he offered to be among some Passionists, on a six month visa to work at a recently formed Passionist Mission in Southern India. In 1996 he was asked to return to India for about five years. He initially thought two years would be enough, but his missionary service to India became his life's work. Funeral, Burial Services and Community Reception. Father Joe's funeral will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 1st at St. Francis Catholic Church, St. Paul, Kansas. Burial will be in the Passionist Cemetery in the church gardens. Father's funeral services will be honored by a large number of visiting Passionist priests and a Knights of Columbus honor guard. All St. Francis and St. Ambrose parishioners are encouraged to attend both the funeral services and the community reception-luncheon at the St. Francis Parish Hall. The reception will begin immediately after the services. Some More Information:
In May of 1952 the Most Reverend Mark K. Carroll, Bishop of the of the Diocese of Wichita, made a trip to St. Paul on behalf of the Pope. He was here to convey one of the Catholic Church’s highest honors to a St. Paul resident and St. Francis parishioner. ![]() William Whites Graves was born near Manton, Kentucky, on October 26, 1871. His birthplace was in an area similar to St. Paul, a settling spot for eastern Catholics during the 19th century [1]. In 1881, his parents moved young Will and his siblings to a new Kansas community known for its strong Catholic roots and excellent educational opportunities—Osage Mission. During the next ten years Graves mingled with the original Jesuit and Loretto missionaries, watched the completion of a large stone church and was educated in the Osage Mission schools. The Graves family was not affluent, and when the superior of the local Jesuit finishing college noticed the boy's intellect and spirit he offered free tuition. Graves seized the opportunity. He graduated from St. Francis Institute for Boys, with honors, in 1891. The experiences of his first ten years at Osage Mission likely played a defining role in the remainder of his life. More Opportunities. Graves described his success in life as a series of opportunities, and how he reacted to them. After completing his education, he had opportunities to work in his father’s store and to teach. He tried both, and then moved on. He wanted to be a printer or journalist. He entered journalism with a short stay at the Fort Scott Lantern; and then a two year assignment with the Pittsburg/Girard World newspapers. While working for the World he became a valued employee of it's editor Abe Steinberger. More importantly, he met Abe’s office manager, Emma Hopkins, and he married her on April 30, 1895. After the World folded in late 1895, opportunity knocked again. With assistance from a local friend W. W. Graves bought the Osage Mission newspaper, then known as the Neosho County Journal. In 1902, another ‘knock’--and this was a large opportunity! He was asked to bid on starting and publishing a weekly newspaper for a well-respected national vigilance organization. In spite of woefully inadequate printing capacity he put together a compelling proposal and won. Revenue from the Anti-Horse Thief Association Weekly contract helped Graves build the most modern publishing operation in southeast Kansas. In addition to the A.H.T.A. Weekly, he printed the Kansas Knights of Columbus newspaper and periodicals for other state and local customers. New contracts brought additional revenue and better capabilities. Improved capacity fed his other passions. Graves loved history and he was a writer. He wrote countless publications and brochures for the A.H.T.A., our church and other organizations. But the work that propelled him to prominence was a series of books he published, or co-published, about the history of southern Kansas, prominent area Catholics and the role the Osage, Jesuits and Loretto’s played in the settlement of Kansas. Many were centered on the Catholic Osage Mission and its staff. In addition to his books, he submitted numerous papers to the Kansas State Historical Society; and he was a founding officer for both the Kansas Catholic Historical Society and an early Neosho County Historical Society. ![]() Our Most Esteemed Citizen. It was Graves’ life-long dedication to the Church and our history that brought Bishop Carroll to St. Paul on May 31, 1952. At an honors banquet in the school gymnasium, the Bishop was joined by the president of the Kansas State Historical Society, college presidents, local and state press executives, the Chief of the Osage Nation and a group of local friends, farmers and businessmen. Graves was showered with awards and accolades that evening, but one honor stands out: The Bishop, on behalf of Pope Pius XII, presented W. W Graves with a scroll notifying him he had received the Vatican Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory the Great [2]. This special honor is bestowed upon Roman Catholic men and women in recognition of their personal service to the Holy See and the Roman Catholic Church, It is the highest honor possible for a Catholic layperson. In Graves’ case the knighthood recognized his literary contributions to the Church. On July 22, 1952, William Whites Graves collapsed and died of a heart attack at his home. The obituary on the front page of the St. Paul Journal started: “Death took this community’s most esteemed and honored citizen Tuesday evening.” There is no doubt that he was! Some Reference Information: [1] The Graves ancestors were among many Catholics who fled Maryland to Kentucky during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in search of religious freedom. By today’s travel standards, Manton is minutes from Nerinx, Kentucky, home of the Loretto Motherhouse. It is hard to imagine that Graves did not compare his birthplace with his new home of Osage Mission. [2] The scroll and other Vatican documents are on file in the Osage Mission – Neosho County Museum (Graves – Hopkins Collection). The archive also contains the photo of Graves and the newspaper clipping used above. [3] W. W. Graves' first wife Emma passed away on July 30, 1936. In October of 1941 he married Suzie Gibbons Graves. [4] More information about W. W. Graves is available at: http://www.acatholicmission.org/w-w-graves.html A Partial List of Graves' Books:
![]() ..... And adult leaders for sponsoring another absolutely wonderful Valentine's Dinner for our community seniors and disabled. As always, the food was great; and the companionship with our Catholic Youth Ministry team was an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Many of the guests won door prizes including plants and Valentine's candy. Several carry-out dinners were taken to parishioners who were unable to attend. As the saying goes: "A Good Time Was Had by All!" St. Ambrose hosted two Valentine's events on Sunday, February 12:
Following 8:00 mass cake, coffee and refreshments were served in the parish hall. Couples who have been married 25 years or more, in five year increments, were recognized. Those couples are shown in the photo above—from left:
Sunday evening the St. Ambrose Altar Society held a Valentine's Dinner at the parish hall. We have a couple of pretty creative and talented garden caretakers. Last summer they turned a tree removal and trimming project into a work of art.
The St. John Bosco celebration is becoming an annual tradition and the 2017 party was very successful. The feast of St. John falls on Tuesday, January 31, but we celebrated a couple of days early to accommodate parishioners and especially our youth. As with recent years, Fathers David and Crager joined forces to provide a great party; and to showcase the work the Salesian Missions do in Florida and other areas. The celebration started with 10:00 Sunday Mass at St. Francis and then members of both parishes moved to the Parish Hall. At the hall, our youth group and Knights of Columbus served pizza, drinks and then .... ICE CREAM! Our older youth assisted with getting ice cream into the bowls—and then everyone created their own artistic delight by adding syrups, sprinkles, peanuts and whipped cream. Several colorful, small faces were testament to how good that stuff was!!! ![]() The feast of St. John Bosco will be celebrated on Sunday, January 29 (Parish Youth Day). The celebration begins with 10:00 Mass at St. Francis, followed by pizza and ice cream at the parish hall. All youth from both parishes are expected to attend, along with their parents. All parishioners from both parishes are invited. Founder of the Salesian Society, John Bosco was born to poor parents near Castelnuovo, Piedmont, Italy, in August of 1815. His father died when he was two, and much of his education came from his mother and a parish priest. At age nine he dreamed of a life dedicated to the education of young people. On becoming a priest in 1841, he chose as his life's work: "Da mihi animas cetera tolle" ("Give me souls, take all the rest" Gen. 14: 21). He began his apostolate among poor young people with the founding of the Oratory, which he placed under the patronage of St. Francis of Sales. He led young people to Christ through his educational style, pastoral practices and a strong determination in the face of many hardships. When he passed away on January 31, 1888, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him Father and Teacher of Youth. He was canonized on Easter Sunday of 1934. The 2017 Council 760 Free Throw Contest was held on Sunday, January 22. In spite of cold, wet, windy weather we had a good turnout of youth. Eight local, first-place contestants are eligible to compete in the K of C District Contest on February 5th:
The weekend before Christmas a group of parish volunteers gathered to carry out our annual labor of love. The Nativity Scene was set up along with garlands, the large wreath and trees. Then an array of beautiful poinsettias completed a scene that greeted us and our visitors at Christmas morning Mass.
St. Ambrose Parishioners got together on the evening of December 11 for food, fellowship and fun. Father David brought his guitar and led us in Christmas Carols. He also brought a sample of his famous "Juice." |
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This is the community website for the St. Francis de Hieronymo and St. Ambrose Catholic Churches in Neosho County, Kansas. Both churches are located in the center of the historic nine-county southeast Kansas area. We share one of the richest Catholic Heritages in Southern Kansas and the Four-State Region. For more information about our churches, history, organizations or programs browse our site including its links.
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