Volunteers are needed to assist with our parish clean up day.  Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 27, beginning at 9 AM and concluding around 1 PM.  Plans are to gather in the Gathering Space.  There is plenty that needs to be cared for throughout the Church area and Gathering Space.  Please know you are welcome to come and go as needed.  Any time you have to offer is welcomed. 

If questions, please contact Maria in the Church Office - 721-1686

Father Ken’s Homily Notes for the Third Sunday of Lent

Cycle C

February 28^th, 2010

The Transfiguration according to the Gospel of Saint Luke

 Today, as I was walking around the neighborhood, I noticed a transformation…shorts and short sleeved shirts!  I, in my overcoat, hat and gloves probably look as strange to them as they looked to me!  Spring is in the air here in Wichita .  A transformation is beginning. 

In today’s Gospel, we see another transformation.  We call it the Transfiguration. 

Eight days before this Gospel scene, Peter in a dramatic fashion proclaimed Jesus to be the messiah, the Christ!  Immediately after the confession, Peter in his characteristic way, put his foot into his mouth and was reprimanded by Jesus for not accepting the full message that the Messiah that Peter recognized would also have to suffer and die!

 In today’s scene, eight days after Peter’s confession, for a moment, Jesus discloses his divine glory! 

 Let’s look at a few key concepts and see if we can apply them to our lives:

 What was Jesus, Peter, James and John doing on that mountain?  Skiing?  No, Praying!  “He took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray…and while he was praying….”

1.  
   1. So often I hear and experience myself doubts, fears, and bewilderment as to where is God in my life.  It is then I have to ask the question:  what is happening to my prayer life.
   2. Am I praying?  No, I mean really, on my knees, from the heart, praying?

Who appeared?  Moses and Elijah.  Why?

1.  
   1. Moses represented the Law
   2. Elijah represented the Prophets
   3. Why or to whom do they appear?  Were they there for James, John, and Peter?

  i.      I don’t think so.  They were there for Jesus.  “Behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem .”

  ii.      They were there to give Jesus strength

  iii.      Last week some of the 7^th graders asked me if I believed in ghosts.  I am sure they were talking about the “Sixth Sense” ghosts, scary, but when I said “yes, absolutely, I believe in Ghosts”, they were surprised.

  iv.      Many, many times, while assisting someone in dying, I ask:  “has anyone appeared to you…..”

1. Finally, where were they?  Yes, on a mountain, but what was the scene?
   1. Dark!
   2. “A cloud come and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.”
   3. Then a voice came from where????
   4. The cloud

1. Yes, often we think of God as being the God of light!  But in this scene, and in many scenes of our lives, our God is found in darkness. 
   1. It is in the darkness that we must rely upon God
   2. It is in the darkness that we can see the light.
   3. It is in the darkness that Saint John of the Cross wrote that we find our beloved, God

 Perhaps you have heard of this poem, it is written by Saint John of the Cross, who lived in the 16^th century Spain as a Carmelite.  (see http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08480a.htm )

 Here it is.  As I read it to you, place yourself in whatever darkness you are now experiencing:  disease, unemployment, questions, whatever darkness you are experiencing, and know that it is out of our darkness that our God speaks:

1.One dark night,
fired with love's urgent longings
- ah, the sheer grace! -
I went out unseen,
my house being now all stilled.
 
2. In darkness, and secure,
by the secret ladder, disguised,
- ah, the sheer grace! -
in darkness and concealment,
my house being now all stilled.
 
3. On that glad night,
in secret, for no one saw me,
nor did I look at anything,
with no other light or guide
than the one that burned in my heart.
 
4. This guided me
more surely than the light of noon
to where he was awaiting me
- him I knew so well -
there in a place where no one appeared. 

5. O guiding night!
O night more lovely than the dawn!
O night that has united
the Lover with his beloved,
transforming the beloved in her Lover.
 
6. Upon my flowering breast
which I kept wholly for him alone,
there he lay sleeping,
and I caressing him
there in a breeze from the fanning cedars.
 
7. When the breeze blew from the turret,
as I parted his hair,
it wounded my neck
with its gentle hand,
suspending all my senses.
 
8. I abandoned and forgot myself,
laying my face on my Beloved;
all things ceased; I went out from myself,
leaving my cares
forgotten among the lilies.

 Further Notes:

 To read Pope John Paul II thoughts on John of the Cross:  http://catholicmessagesusa.com/DARKNIGHTSOUL.html

 To read Pope Benedict’s thoughts on the Transfiguration:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/the_transfiguration_shows_that_jesus_alone_guides_us_pope_benedict_teaches/

"Patience and submission are the only way

to gain the blessings of Heaven." 

Mother Seton

Do you need quality time with your spouse or fiance?  Mark your calendars for March 26 & 27 for an in depth seminar presented by Fr. Matt Marney on "God's Plan for a Joy Filled Marriage".  We will meet Friday night at 6 PM and Saturday morning after the 8:00 AM Mass in the Bishop Gilmore Rooms A & B.  Please call the parish office at 721-1686 to reserve your place.

Rescheduled Date

Have you ever witnessed family, friends, co-workers or staff make what you consider very poor choices that make no sense?  The Peace & Social Justice committee is bringing a 2 hr. presentation on the book, "Bridges out of Poverty" by Dr. Ruby Payne to SEAS.  Danny Johnson, Staff Development Supervisor for SRS, the presenter will give us insite into the motivation & decision making of the 3 cultures in America (Generational Poverty, Middle Class & Generational Wealth) and help us all understand where the other is coming from.  The presentation will be @6:30 on Sunday, March 28 in Bishop Gilmore Rm.  Pre-registration is not required but if possible please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you plan to attend so we can have some idea of the attendance.

Please join us for on March 11th at 7:00 p.m. in Bishop Gilmore for our monthly Ladies Club meeting. Father Ken VanHaverbeke will be joining us to give us a tour of the church.  Come learn something new and share fellowship.  Refreshments will be served. Hope to see you there!

Our upcoming serving dates are:
                      March 24 & 28
                      April 25 & 28
If you can serve one of these dates, please call Kathy Tucker
at 721-1245 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Thank You.

Lent;  From the Anglo- Saxon Lencten which means "Spring"  The 40 days leading up the Feast of Easter.  The most obvious ritual during Lent is the receiving of Ashes marking the first day of the Lenten season.  Another practice is giving up something as a sacraficial offering.  Others may reveal they have not only given up something but have added something to their normal Catholic practice.  The Stations of the Cross are offered here every Friday of Lent.  Penance, Fasting and Almsgiving are all part of the Liturgical Season

Lent is more than a time of penance and the practice of doing good acts.  The Church calls us to metanoia.  Which is Greek for "a change of mind and heart".  Thus marking a whole new way of thinking and acting.  The Church asks us to pray that the Lord's power will come upon us,. 

How does this affect our music?  Music in worship adds delight to prayer and fosters unity of minds.  It functions in opening up a space and freedom for the heart of a believer.   Music has the ability to celebrate the richness and diversity and communicates to all, the rhythm of the Church year.  The rich texts  bring to life the scriptures each Sunday in a clear and powerful way.  Christ is here and actice in our lives,  being well prepared, spiritually enguaged with the Lenten season and active in our own prayer ilife is critical.

During Lent there is no Gloria sung and all music containg Alleluia's should be avoided.  This includes the Gospel Acclamation which "Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ" is substituted.  This practice is done so that we may experience the full Glory of Christ's resurrection on Easter.  Instrumental music should be done sparingly to accompany the music only.  No instrumental solo's.  Chant and Acapella music is encouraged.  Do not feel the need to fill the Mass and those built in silent times with extra music.   The restraint  for musicians to use simple melodies, less accompaniment is challenging for all musicians.  Following the Church guidelines allow us and all the assembly to experience the rich flavor of each Liturgical seasonl

 After the Communion Rite during the cleaning of vessels, silence is golden!  If a Prelude is done it shoulg be appropriate, with a lenten text and again, a limited accompaniment.  The opening and sending forth songs should convey the season of Lent.   Hymns which emphasuze the passion and death of Christ should be used, only in the last week of the Lenten season.

May God fill you with His love and grace this season!

Eight Grade Parents:

As part of our eighth grade diocesan program, your child will be participating in an Abstinence Education Program titled Pure & Simple.  The purpose of this program is to provide education about, and promote the value of an abstinence until marriage lifestyle.  We will hold a parent meeting at 6:30 p.m. on December 16 for all parents.  If you have not signed the consent forms, they will be available at this time.  Students may not participate until the forms have been completed.  Student sessions will be at 6:30 p.m. on the following Wednesdays:  January 6, 13, 20, 27, February 3 and 10.  I look forward to meeting all of you on December 16. 

 Second Grade Parents:

Preparing for First Communion is a very important time in the lives our second grade students.  I know they are in great anticipation of when they will be able to receive the Lord in the Eucharist.  To help the students prepare, please keep the following dates on your calendar:

 January 13 and 14- 6:30 p.m.    Parent Meeting- Reconciliation (Daily Mass Chapel); attend one evening

February 11 and 18- 6:30 p.m.   First Confession (Church)/Reception (Mother Seton Hall); attend one

Aprill 14 and 15- 6:30 p.m.        Parent Meeting- First Communion (Daily Mass Chapel); attend one evening

April 29- 6:30 p.m.                   First Communion Practice (Church)/Ice Cream Social (Fr. Kocour Hall)

May 1- 11:00 a.m.                     First Communion Mass

If I may be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at the Parish office. 

servants are a vibrant group os men and women who perform twice a month at the 5:30 Mass on Saturdays.  We sing the first and fourth Saturdays of each month.  Practices are the Tuesdays of each week we sing.  The grouop also sing for RCIA retreats and various other events here at SEAS.  Servants are a contemporary ensemble consisting of guitars, percussion, and a piano accompanist.  Chuck Simon of the parish is the leader of the group.  If interested in joining please contact David in the Church office or Chuck Simon.

This Choir is open to any 8th grader-High School Senior.  We rehearse on Thursday before the first Sunday of each month, singing both contemporary and traditional music.  The choir usually sings the first Sunday of the month at the 11:00 Mass.  The ensemble consists of guitars, percussion, and a piano accompanist, Karen Weber.   If you are passionate about music and worshiping God, we need your gift of music.  Please consider joining us.  Contact David in the Church office.

The Seasons Choiri is an adult choir of men and women.  We generally sing in 4 parts, styles of music include traditional, contemporary, Latin, Chant, and music of various ethnic styles.  The Seasons Choir sing the second and fourth Sunday's of each month and rehearse on Wednesday evenings at 7:45 pm.  Reading music is preferred but not manditory.  If you are in High School or older you are  certainly eliigible to join the choir. 

The Seasons Choir sing major Feasts like Christmas and Easter and various special occasions, helping out the other ministries here at SEAS.  We also participate closely with the RCIA program.  We aim to aid and lead the assembly in worship on Sunday's and encourage them to actively participate more fully in the Mass.  By doing so we ourselves become more aware of the Paschal Mystery we proclaim and strive to grow in Holiness.

If you are interested in joining us, contact David Downing in the Church office.  Thank you and may God bless you!

Let me introduce myself, my name is David Downing, director of music here at St. Elizabeth.  I would like to invite you to come and sing with us.  We have many members involved in performing with us.  If you enjoy music and are in the 2nd through 7th grade we would love to have you join the Exalt Choir.

The core of this group was formed in 2008, we call ourselves "Exalt", singing the 4th weekend of each month and practicing the two Wednesday's prior to the Sunday's Mass we are scheduled.  Our goal is simple, to encounter Christ through music and be a vessel to feed and nourish others in our parish by allowing and encouraging them to participate more fully in the Mass. 

This year we are around 80 strong and growing.  Having said that we need each individual to contribute by being present at rehearsals and give their earnest time and effort in participating.  We can do some incedible things with the gift of music.  Each person is vital to the success of this ministry.  It takes each of you and your individual talents to make this choir unique and reach it's objectives of serving the parish.

About the second week of eaach month a schedule will be posted on the SEAS website.  Our practices are on Wednesday evenings, twice a month at 6:00 pm.  If you happen to be enrolled in religious Ed, you may leave choir early to get to your class on time. 

I look foward to making music with you, May God bless you always!