All the local clergy were able to attend the Knights of Columbus Clergy Appreciation Dinner held Monday evening at Knights Hall in Sedalia. From left, Deacon Bob Watson and wife, Marge, Jo Ann and Deacon Turf Martin, Fr. Brendan Griffey, Patsy and Deacon Chris Wickern, Sister Carol Gerke, Fr. Mark Miller, C.PP.S., Jayne and Deacon Jerry Connery, and Deacon Arvol Bartok and his wife, Janet. 85 faithful from all three parishes attended the potluck and fried chicken dinner. At right, the chow line.

be able to stay in the Pettis County Catholic Community, where she does home health work. Her answer is simply that only God knows, but she hopes for at least another year. Fr. Mark related a story of his early years in the priesthood at a church in downtown Kansas City on Troost Avenue, where he literally ran down a man who had taken a handheld phone from the rectory moments before. In fact, the man was leaving the rectory as Father was entering. They passed each other in the doorway, Father said. He said the man finally stopped after a two-block foot race, to turn to argue with Father that he didn’t take the phone. Father wasn’t buying, but he also wasn’t relenting, so he told the man that he hoped he would remember this moment when someday someone takes something from him. To which the man replied: “Are you putting a hex on me?!” The story had a happy ending, Father said. He said the man returned the phone to the church secretary later that day and asked to be forgiven. The larger point of the story being that a priest’s life and relationships extend well beyond baptismal and marriage preparation, the celebration of the Mass and First Communion and Confirmation. They place the Man of God in the center of his entire civic community and not only members of the Faith. Deacon Jerry Connery was having a tough time at his first Mass as a deacon. He wasn’t at his regular 11:30 a.m. Mass, so hardly anyone knew who he was. His stole was about to fall off his shoulder as he distributed the Host during Communion, when suddenly there in front of him stood his wife, Jayne. She lovingly smoothed his collar, returned his stole to its proper place on his shoulder, then kissed his cheek. Only then did she extend her hand to receive the Host. Jerry said that as Jayne gave him the peck on his cheek, he looked past her and saw a look of total shock on the face of the lady waiting behind Jayne, who had no idea the two were married. “She must have been thinking: ‘Boy, Communion sure has changed!’ ”

Excellent Food And Stories Shared At Clergy Appreciation Dinner

THE FRIED CHICKEN was late in arriving, but worth the wait. As with everything under the sun, all things work together for the glory of God. The Annual Knights

of Columbus Clergy Appreciation Dinner held Monday at Knights Hall was no exception. There was not a little anxiety when it was learned that the fried chicken that had been ordered the Wednesday before had been forgotten by the cooks at Woods Supermarket. Fortunately, Dave and Cheryl Brown, who had handled the ordering, learned of the mistake in time to submit the order a second time. The bird arrived only about 10 minutes late from the announced 6:30 p.m. start. Council Chaplain Fr. Mark led the invocation and meal blessing, Council Warden Craig Eufinger led the Pledge of Allegiance, and soon plates were full of chicken and the finest side dishes and casseroles in the county. Circle 310 of the Daughters of Isabella provided a sheet cake for dessert, along with other desserts brought along by the ladies just in case the cake wasn’t enough. A total of 72 faithful paid their respects to the 13 clergy gath-ered for the meal, which represented a 100 percent turnout of clergy. The Daughters did a wonderful job of getting the word out and getting the attendance up. They also presented each member of the clergy with a mug and a card signed by many of those in attendance. There was also a lot of work behind the scenes by Past Grand Knight Kent Korthas and Warden Craig and his family to prepare and clean the hall and put out table coverings the night before. The highlight of the evening had to be the stories shared by the priests, Sr. Carol Gerke and the deacons. Sr. Carol had spoken at the last clergy dinner that had been held when it was still a Fourth Degree Assembly event some 20 years ago. She told of her sister house in Kansas that now has five different orders of nuns. She said she has been asked on numerous occasions how long she will

Weekend Mass ScheduleSaturday - April 21 - 4th Sunday of Easter 8 a.m. - St. Patrick Rectory -- Men’s Bible Study4 p.m. - St. Patrick -- Fr. Brendan Griffey Mass Intention: Bernie Newton5:30 p.m. - Sacred Heart -- Fr. Mark Miller, C.PP.S. Mass Intention: Shirley Newell 7 p.m. - St. John the Evangelist -- Prayers of the Rosary7:15 p.m. - St. John the Evangelist -- Reconciliation7:30 p.m. - St. John the Evangelist -- Fr. Brendan Griffey Mass Intention: People of the Parish

Sunday - April 22 - 4th Sunday of Easter 8 a.m. - Sacred Heart -- Fr. Mark Miller, C.PP.S. Mass Intention: Rosemary McKinzie9 a.m. - St. Patrick -- Fr. Brendan Griffey Mass Intention: Larry Haecherl10 a.m. - Sacred Heart -- Fr. Mark Miller, C.PP.S. Mass Intention: Rudy & Mary Rouchka11:30 a.m. - St. Patrick -- Fr. Brendan Griffey Spanish Mass - Intention: People of the ParishTotus Tuus registration after all masses today (story last week)6 p.m. - Sacred Heart School -- Mandatory Parent Meeting

Monday - April 236 p.m. - Sacred Heart Parish Center - Bereavement Committee6:30 p.m. - Knights Hall -- 4th Degree Business Meeting

Wednesday - April 257:30 p.m. - St. John the Evangelist -- Adoration Holy Hour

Saturday - April 28 - 5th Sunday of Easter8 a.m. - St. Patrick Rectory -- Men’s Bible Study 4 p.m. - St. Patrick -- Fr. Mark Miller, C.PP.S. Mass Intention: Louise Mittenburg5:30 p.m. - Sacred Heart -- Fr. Brendan Griffey Mass Intention: Carl W. & Bettie Yates7 p.m. - St. John the Evangelist -- Prayers of the Rosary7:15 p.m. - St. John the Evangelist -- Reconciliation7:30 p.m. - St. John the Evangelist -- Fr. Mark Miller, C.PP.S. Mass Intention: People of the Parish8:30 p.m. - St. John Center -- Movie Night After Mass Catholicism Series I By Bishop Robert Barron/ Show Time: 8:40St. John welcomes to Mass and to Movie Night our newly baptized and confirmed Catholics from the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Sunday - April 29 - 5th Sunday of Easter8 a.m. - Sacred Heart -- Fr. Brendan Griffey Mass Intention: Mildred Kraus9 a.m. - St. Patrick -- Fr. Mark Miller, C.PP.S. Mass Intention: Living & Deceased of the John Benner Family Knights of Columbus Fifth Sunday Mass10 a.m. - Sacred Heart -- Fr. Brendan Griffey Mass Intention: Teachers & Staff of Sacred Heart School11:30 a.m. - St. Patrick -- Fr. Mark Miller, C.PP.S. Spanish Mass - Intention: People of the Parish Wednesday - May 2 7:30 p.m. - St. John the Evangelist -- Adoration Holy Hour

St. John Ministry ScheduleTonight, April 21, 4th Sunday of Easter Lector and Greeter: Dan (traded with Jo Ann)Servers: Michael & MaryUshers and Gathering the Gifts: Dan & Justin Eucharistic Ministers: Jean & LucyBearing Gifts to the Altar: John & Amy Close Family

Next Saturday, April 28, 5th Sunday of Easter Lector and Greeter: Jo AnnServers: Michael & MaryUshers and Gathering the Gifts: Tyler & Ashley Eucharistic Ministers: Tom & Jo AnnBearing Gifts to the Altar: Tom & Charity Dey Family

Community Center Movie Nights April 24 - TuesdayShow Time: 7 p.m.Therese - GThe story of St. Therese of the Little Flower, 2004Film Time: 1hr. 36 min. FREE POPCORN

April 28 - SaturdayShow Time: 8:40 p.m.Catholicism Part 1-G“Amazed And Afraid: The Revelation of God Become Man.”Film Time: 50 min. FREE POPCORN

May 8 - ThursdayShow Time: 6:30 p.m.The Bell’s Of St. Mary’sShow Time: 7 p.m.Film Time: 2 hr. 6 min. FREE POPCORN

NOBODY GOT SHOT, the dogs didn’t bite, everyone was appreciative of Mary Bahner’s cookies, and the St. John mission team was

actually complimented by one St. John parishioner, who likened the team to the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Yes. All in all, the door-to-door evangelical outreach to the south county last Sunday was a success. There were a few uncomfortable moments, of course, like the time the big Pyrenees-Shepherd mix watch dog bared his teeth at us. And it was cold. Standing on porches waiting for an answer to the door chime seemed like an eternity with the northwest wind bearing down at 30 mph and a wind chill in the low 20s. But it turns out the big dog was just smiling, and when the door finally opened, there was another living human being to warm us with their greeting. The Lutherans, especially, were very cordial if not downright friendly. Perhaps it wasn’t supposed to be this way. Catholics going door-to-door, for all appearances trying to drum up business. As team member and St. John the Evangelist Parish Council President Doug Benitz observed: “Now everybody thinks we must be hurting for members.” But there was an equal amount of satisfaction, knowing that we were putting our feet to the pavement, and making the effort to fulfill the Lord’s Great Commission. We heard stories from our neighbors, who did as much talking as we did, maybe more. Linda Oelrichs is a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cole Camp. She said her husband is currently president of the church’s board of directors. They have a vibrant new pastor, and their youth are responding to him in a positive way, she said. Linda knew Justin Tinney and his family. Justin, another St. Paul Church member, was one of the first farm houses Team 2 visited. He too was favorable to the outreach effort, and wished us well. We asked him to feel welcome to attend our Annual Ice Cream Social June 24. He said he was pretty sure that his church also has its ice cream social on that date, being the last Sunday in June. Good information to file away for future. In all, Team 2 (Tom Dey and Dan Lowe) made 12 stops, talked to seven residents of which two were Catholic, one we forgot to ask, one was formerly Lutheran, but now attended a Methodist church with his wife, and the rest were members of St. Paul’s Lutheran. Team 1 made an equal number of contacts. The affirming take-away was that everyone we visited had some manner of faith life. Team 1, comprised of Doug and Craig and Michael Eufinger, revisited several residents along Walnut School Road, about two miles west of St. John. Most of these folks had received a visit two years ago. The family of Jimmie and Carmen Goss are no strangers to St. John, and Carmen and her daughters

join us for Mass frequently. Their oldest daughter, Callie, received First Communion at St. John on April 29 last year, administered by Fr. Mark. The Goss family normally attends Mass at Clifton City with the Summers’ family, they said, but they still do and will attend St. John when they can. Another family revisited was Larry and Sherry Young, who are regular attendees at Sacred Heart, Doug said. There is a bit of nervousness associated with doing the Lord’s work, bare-faced, in public and with people you might not even know. But give Tom credit for adaptability. About two houses into the day’s mission, Tom started greeting people this way: “Hi! I’m your neighbor!” That did two things. First, it put us at ease with what we were doing, because Tom was, in fact, just visiting with his neighbors. It also put the neighbors at ease, because from that point on they were dealing with a neighbor and not a stranger. And that brings us to Mr. Balke, who, once he figured out who Tom was, said: “I worked on your ‘Vette.’ ” (As in Tom’s blue Corvette that he brings out on special occasions). Standing on the sweeping wood porch of his rustic, ranch-style home, Mr. Balke, proceeded to tell us of some of his 45 years of service for W-K Chevrolet, first in Cole Camp and still ongoing today in Sedalia. He is a knowledgeable mechanic as would befit the man assigned to tend to the most prestigious line of sports cars in the Chevy stable. He currently is working on a Corvette for another owner that he said dyno’s at 909 horsepower. Mr. Balke opened up about other things as well, like his knee surgery, and his faith life, which has changed over the years. He was, after all, just visiting with his neighbors. After we returned to the church, we said a prayer of thanksgiving. Then we ate all we could hold of Mary’s cookies, and put the rest in the freezer for next time.

Sharing The Gospel Puts Fresh Face On Our Caring Church Family

Two evangelical teams went forth last Sunday to share the Gospel and to invite area neighbors to church at St. John the Evangelist. From left Craig Eufinger, Michael Eufinger, Tom Dey, Dan Lowe and Doug Benitz. Team 1, comprised of Craig, Michael and Doug, journeyed on Walnut School Road, while Team 2 took to the south along Renken and Pacific School roads. Tom took the photo below with his cell phone in front of the iconic Lake Creek Fire Department building.