1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

Nativity of Mary Church and School
10017 E 36th Terrace Independence, MO 64052
Parish: (816) 353-2184 School: (816) 353-0284 Web: www.nativityofmary.org
“My attitude must be Christ’s.” - Philippians 2:5
Parish Staff
Rev. Robert Stone, Pastor
Dr. Elizabeth Baker, Principal
Donna Arnone, Business Manager
New Parishioners
If you are new to our parish and would like more
information please contact the Parish Office.
Pastoral Care
Sacraments for the Sick and Homebound and Pastoral
visits to the Homebound and Hospitals.
Fr. Bob Stone
816-353-2184
Emergency Assistance
Contact St. Mary’s Food Pantry and
Clothes Closet - 816-252-8649
Youth Ministry
Debbie Page, Parish Office
School
School, Early Childhood and Extended Care
Carmen Wolfgeher, school office
Sacrament Preparation
Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist,
Confirmation, Adult Initiation (RCIA),
and Matrimony
Contact the parish office for information
Music Ministry
Dr. Helena Vasconcellos, parish office
Parish Ministry Council
Sam Locascio - Chair
Diocesan Victim’s Advocate
Mary Bultmann
816-714-2387 - [email protected]
Ombudsman
Jenifer Valenti,
816-812-2500
Mass Schedule
Monday:
Weekday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Holy Day:
8:30 a.m. Communion Service
8:30 a.m. Tuesday - Friday
4:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Confessions
Saturday:
3:00 p.m. or by Appointment
MARCH 8, 2015 - THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
MASS INTENTIONS
Sat., March 7 -Vigil of the 3rd Sunday of Lent
4:00PM
+ Leonard Goebel & Ruth Duvall
READINGS FOR THE WEEK - MARCH 16 - 22, 2015
Monday:
Tuesday:
Sunday, March 8 - The 3rd Sunday of Lent
8:00AM
+ Velma Pott & Henry & Johanna Dekat
10:30AM
+ Thelma Bruehl & Nancy Rude
+ Kenny Johnson
Monday, March 9 - St. Frances of Rome
8:30AM
Communion Service
Tuesday, March 10
8:30AM
+ Mike Butner
Wednesday, March 11
8:30AM
Intentions of Charlotte Santangelo
Thursday, March 12
8;30AM
Intentions of Tony Collins
Sat., Mar. 14 - Vigil of 4th Sunday of Lent
4:00PM
+ Al/Mary Flowers, John Meade, Catherine Niles
Sun., March 15 - The 4th Sunday of Lent
8:00AM
Intentions of Nikki & Drew Wills Family
10:30AM
+ Ruth Kennedy Addington & Lacy Faherty
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
Tom/Melody Alewine Kathy Dunbar
Vern/Margaret Ault Barb/John Eimer
Kyle Baker
Aidan Gonzalez
Rex Bartley
Bernadette Greufe
Dick Baylie
Margaret Heckman
Catrina Bellis
Cynthia/Dennis Jones
Jimmy Butler
Debbie Layden
Bernie Cassity
Mike Ludwick
Melissa Costello
Marty Mosbauer
Bill Crystal
Mary Perez
Leann Dandorff
Carlos/Eva Pinon
Willie DeJesus
Mike Rooney
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
DEANERY PENANCE SERVICES
DATE CORRECTIONS!
Nativity of Mary
Nativity School
St. Mark’s
St. Ann’s
+ Al Schrader
Friday, March 13
8:30AM
Wednesday:
2 Kgs 5:1-15b; Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4;
Lk 4:24-30
Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25:4-5ab, 6-7bc, 8-9;
Mt. 18:21-35
Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20;
Mt 5:17-19
Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; Lk 11:14-23
Hos 14:2-10; Ps 81:6c-11ab, 14, 17;
Mk 12:28-34
Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51:3-4, 18-21ab; Lk 18:9-14
2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23; Ps 137:1-6;
Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21
Alternate readings (Year A):
1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ps 23:1-6;
Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41[1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38]
Betty Rynish
Chris Salas
Grace DeSchepper
Millie Schmitt
Sylvia Simone
Bernice/Norm Steffen
Virginia Stone
Anthony Trakas
Elizabeth VanBuskirk
Paul Varsalona
Bud Vitt
Teri Willett
Ayden Wright
March 8th
March 25th
March 22th
March 25th
3:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION
Participating in Lent, we are engaging in patterns that have
endured across the centuries. From very early times, we
have the sense of accompanying the elect on their journey
to the font. From as long ago as the fourth century, we receive Lent as forty days to shake the dust from our spirituality and reorder our conduct. Then, fasting was not seen
as a strict duty, yet it seems it was widely observed. Think
of the rules of politeness and courtesy that everyone
agrees on. Fasting was also seen as a social duty, since
food was in short supply as winter wore on, and the weak
and the sick had the first claim on what remained on hand.
As a boost to the fasting of the body, the church developed
a richer spiritual fare, including celebration of the Eucharist
every day. This practice began in Rome by the sixth century. Weekday Mass was only at designated "stations." The
pope would arrive on horseback at the stational church. In
those days, although the catechumenate was already in
eclipse, there were pre-baptismal activities at the stational
Masses: the giving of the Lord's Prayer, prayers for the
godparents, and constant references to baptism.
MARCH 8, 2015 - PARISH NEWS
DID YOU KNOW…
We need Ushers and Servers. If you
would like to be an usher please contact
Mark Bishop at [email protected] or
373-2823 for more information.
If you would like to be a server please contact the parish
office for more information.
We would like to thank each of you
who donated to the 2015 Calendar Project.
Calendars were delivered to those facilities serving low
income residents and those with Alzheimer Care units.
The response this year yielded 700 calendars! That
meant each resident was able to receive a calendar for
their room. While wall calendars seem to be the most
popular donation we received, calendars of all shapes &
sizes. Each and everyone were appreciated.
Lacy Faherty crossed over on February 18,
2015. She was 52 years of age. The
Faherty family is having a memorial service
on Sunday, March 15, 2015, at the Junior Service
League, 32nd and Crysler Ave., from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
to celebrate her life.
Please pray for the repose of the soul
of Mary Catherine Van de Vyvere Reutter, mother of Martha Phillips. We offer
our prayers and sympathy to Martha and all the Phillips
family. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
March 28th and 29th
5:30 p.m.
Simple Supper in the
Parish Hall
Calendars were delivered to the following facilities:
6:30 p.m.
The Mission will begin
in the Church
Saint Mary’s Manor (where our very own parishioner
Elvera Hemsley enjoys seeing that they are delivered to
everyone on her floor. They were a big hit!)
Villages Carroll Park /Grandview, MO
Paseo, Summit and Meyer High Residential Care
all in KCMO
Carmel Hills/Independence, MO
The Pocket calendars were delivered
to the following agencies
for use in their work training programs.
Bishop Sullivan Center in KCMO
Yellow Bridge Foundation in KCKS
The Keeler Women’s Center in KCKS Sister
Carol Ann Petersen OSB/Director
Many of you included note pads in your donations &
they were distributed with the calendars.
The new greeting cards donated were sent to St Jude’s
Ranch for use in their fundraising project.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU! HAVE A BLESSED 2015!
Gluten-free hosts are available. Talk to Fr. Bob before Mass.
We have 2 wheelchairs and hearing assist devices
available for your use during mass.
Please contact an usher.
Reflections of Italy Trip with Fr. Bob Stone
Informational Meeting-March 16th at 7:00p.m.
If you are planning on going or even think you might be
interested, please come to the meeting. You will get additional information and be able to ask any questions you
might have.
NATIVITY OF MARY CONTRIBUTION REPORT
FEBRUARY 28 & MARCH 1, 2015
Envelopes
Plate
Worship Space
Pisces Fund
Credit Card
TOTAL
$ 6,632.00
$ 1,702.00
$ 472.00
$ 50.00
$ 355.00
$ 9,211.00
Catholic Relief Services
$
Tuition Deposit
$17,474.72
School Subsidy from
St. Joseph the Worker
$ 3,000/.00
20.00
Thank you for your commitment to
Catholic education and our faith community!
CALENDAR 2015
8
8:00AM Mass
10:30AM Mass
3:00PM - Lenten
Penance Service
9
8:30AM
Communion Serv.
10
11
8:30AM Mass
8:30AM Mass
9AM - Quilters
2PM - Stations
7PM - RCIA
3PM - Youth Choir
13
8:30AM Mass
7PM - Parish
Ministry Council
7PM - Choir
14
3:00PM
Confession
4:00PM Mass
No School
Noon - 2:00PM
St. Joseph Table
12
8:30AM Mass
5PM
Fish
Fry
PTO Trash Bag
Sale
Pinewood Derby
Bread Friday & Saturday
15
8:00AM Mass
2nd Scrutiny
10:30AM Mass
16
8:30AM
Communion Serv.
7:00PM
Reflections of Italy
Trip with Fr. Bob
Information Mtg.
PTO Trash Bag
Sale
17
8:30AM Mass
9AM - Quilters
18
8:30AM Mass
3PM - Youth Choir
2PM - Stations
8:30AM Mass
Nativity of Mary
PTO Auction at
O’Hara High
School - Doors
Open at 5:00PM
7PM - Choir
7PM - Finance
Council Meeting
5PM - Fish Fry
No School
22
23
8:30AM
Communion Serv.
Denim & Dogs
21
3:00PM
Confession
4:00PM Mass
7PM - RCIA
12:15PM - Youth
Choir Practice
8:00AM Mass
10:30AM Mass
3rd Scrutiny
20
19
8:30AM Mass
24
25
27
26
8:30AM Mass
8:30AM Mass
8:30AM Mass
9AM - Quilters
3PM - Youth Choir
7PM - RCIA
7PM - Choir
1:45PM
8th grade
Living Stations
8:30AM Mass
28
3:00PM
Confession
4:00PM Mass
Parish Mission
5:30PM - Simple
Supper
6:30PM - Mission
Begins
12:30PM
Youth Group
5PM - Fish Fry
The Community Blood Bank and Pat and I would like to thank all the volunteers and
donors who supported our Blood Drive in February. We collected 27 units of blood.
Volunteers
Collin Murphy, Truman DeBold, Luke Morris, Mia Sapernero, John Paul Kimbrough, John Alexander, Tyler Ward, Marah
Bolton, Zach Mace, Adrianna Cook, Loretta Krawczyk, Lea Kanies, Liz Baker, Carmen Wolfgeher, Mary Jo Nafus, and
Paula Cassity.
Donors
Susan Addison
Susan Kenney
Beverly Araujo
Mary Aycock
Pat Baker
Michael Bergman
Kathleen Bishop
Donald Borts
Megan Carnes
Teresa Carroll
Pat Clark
Mary Clarke
Krista Daniels*
Janet Susan Duffy#
Donald Duffy#
Roger Hughes
Mary Kieff
Ashley Kimbrell
Lily Jo Lelete
Karen Love
* Denotes a First Time giver
Keith Ludwid
James McNemy*
Mary Jane Rockley
Laura Schnoeblen
Mary Seller
Laurie L. Spease
Daryl Stine
Toni Thornton
Teresa Walter
# Denotes a 2RBC giver
Gratefully, Beverly Baker
MARCH 8, 2015 - SCHOOL
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!
PTO AUCTION: **BUILDING COMMUNITY”
SATURDAY, MARCH 21ST
This is Nativity of Mary’s main fundraiser and we need your help to make
it a success. Any donations are
greatly appreciated and accepted in
the school office. Themed baskets, gift cards to local
businesses, even donating time or a service is encouraged. You may also purchase ad space in our auction
program and, of course, cash donations are always welcome! If you have any questions on how you can help
please email Lisa Dec at [email protected].
The 14th Annual Auction will be held in the O’Hara High
School Gymnasium, 9005 James A. Reed Rod, Kansas
City, MO, 64138.
Join us for happy hour cocktails between 5:00 and
6:00pm. Silent auction tables also open at 5:00pm.
Come to indulge in a delicious meal and enjoy a funfilled evening. Invite your family and friends to join you
as we raise money to benefit our school and all of the
students of Nativity of Mary.
Tickets are available through the school. The cost is
$35 per person or $60 a couple if purchased in advance
or $40 each at the door. Buy in advance and save!
Each ticket includes admission, dinner, dessert, beverages and your auction-bid booklet. There will be great
items to bid on and a raffle for a chance to win $1,000,
$500, or $100.
PASSANTINO’S SUNFRESH TAPES
PLEASE TURN IN YOUR TAPES NOW!!!
Passantino Cash Register Tapes collection is
over. Send your tapes dated between September 1, 2014 and February 28, 2015 to the
school office or put them in the Hospitality Room in
Church. We will be able to redeem the tapes for educational equipment for our school. We only have a short
time to turn in the tapes and make our purchases, so
please get your tapes to us as soon as possible.
Thanks for your support of this program.
A NEW IDEA
Everybody thinks of changing humanity;
nobody thinks of changing themselves.
--Leo Tolstoy
There are many rituals that students and teachers
perform to help a Snow Day become a reality. One
of our teachers wears a special snowflake necklace. Some students wear their pajamas inside out
to bed hoping that they will see the school name
scroll across the newscast in the morning. Most
give me forecasts several days before a snow event
is supposed to occur. The accuracy of their forecasts vary with each student or teacher-always
much more than predicted or actual. A Snow Day
is special because it is an unplanned time of relaxation, play and comfort. Kids can sled ride,
make snowmen or snow forts and the warmth of
hot cocoa is sure to help the day be a great one. On
the other hand, our Lenten preparation is planned
with our heart. We sacrifice in Lent, do penance,
and give alms in anticipation of the Easter Season.
We await Easter with anticipation knowing that the
Resurrection of the Lord will foreshadow the celebration of our entrance into our heavenly home.
May your Lenten sacrifices and rituals lead you
into an anticipation of the graces of encountering
Jesus at Easter.
DCCW SHOEBOX SHOWER
Our Middle School Students will be participating, again this year, in the annual
DCCW Lenten Project, formerly referred
to as their “Shoebox Shower”. We will be
collecting personal hygiene items for women and children, i.e. shampoo, lotions, toothpaste, tooth brushes,
hair brushes, deodorant, socks, lip balm, etc., which will
be given to several Women’s Shelters. We will also be
collecting crayons, coloring books, and cards games for
the children. The shelters have requested that we put
the items in large closeable plastic bags or unwrapped,
but tied, shoe boxes. Please bring the filled shoeboxes/
bags to church or the Ministry Center by, Monday,
March 30th. Your generosity is appreciated!
MARCH 8, 2015 - THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
Third Sunday of Lent
There's no better way to deepen our Lenten practice than to review the Ten Commandments (not the movie, the book.) The first
three, having to do with our right relationship to God, get the most ink. The one we busy people probably have the most problem
with is keeping holy the Sabbath.
If we take this commandment literally, babies will go undiapered and dishes will stay on the table, or perhaps meals will not be
served. The sick will go unattended and nothing that has anything to do with physical labor will be done. Is mental labor really
work? How about changing that dirty diaper (poor baby!)?
We need to depend on God to discern how to observe real Sabbath time in our lives. The point of this commandment is that God
has given us a great gift: one whole day per week when we are free to rest, worship God, sing, feast, love, and rejoice. As Psalm
19 proclaims: "The law of the LORD is perfect, / refreshing the soul" (19:8). Our Sabbath rest is a great gift, to be received from
God with joy, not with nitpicking.
GOD'S WAYS
In one of the tersest and most poetic passages in the letter to the Corinthians, Paul announces that "we proclaim Christ crucified . .
. [for] to those who are called . . . Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23, 24). God's ways seem
unreasonable to those who want a false god of worldly values. But Christ, in his crucifixion, confounds the reasoning of the powerhungry and the know-it-alls alike.
In a stunning denunciation of their denseness, today Jesus upsets their applecarts both literally and figuratively. In his reverence for
God's house, he lets them know in no uncertain terms that what they are doing is vulgar and insulting to God. Then he tries to open
their feeble minds with the insight into God's power and wisdom that is the cross. To them it looks like weakness and foolishness.
But Jesus' self-giving sacrifice is exactly what completes the covenant for which the temple stands. The new Temple is Christ's own
body and blood.
WISER THAN OUR WISDOM
Today, it is easy to read this story literally and condemn the foolishness of those depicted. But when we are in fear, do we react
with the love of God for those whom we fear, or do we succumb to the temptation of violence and power? When confronted with
those with whom we disagree, do we label them as "bad guys" to justify any evil we find it expedient to wreak on them in the name
of our "rights"? To be honest, we must admit that we all have trouble seeing God's truth in this story as it applies to our own lives.
If we only see literally, we will never understand what God is saying to us. We need to listen with different ears to the wisdom of
God and to see with new eyes the power of God, which will seem to us, even in our day, to be foolishness and weakness. We still
wrestle with the same desire for worldly power and wisdom as our forebears. Can we sit still this Sabbath day and let Christ fill us
with God's power and wisdom?
BEGINNING EXPERIENCE
A Weekend Away for a Lifetime of Change
Serving the Widowed, Separated and Divorced; who are
suffering the loss of a love relationship and may feel left
out by their church, uneasy around married friends, unsure of themselves and uncertain about their futures.
Helps grieving persons focus on their experience, deal
with the natural grief process and offers an opportunity
to turn the pain of loss into an experience of positive
growth emerging from the darkness of grief into the light
of a new beginning.
The next Beginning Experience Weekend is MARCH 27
-29, 2015 at Precious Blood, Liberty, MO. For more
information visit: www.beginningexperience.org,
email: [email protected], or contact Lynne
816 457-0391, or Jerry 785-843-2079.
Celebrating the Sacred Triduum
at the Abbey
Wednesday evening - Easter Sunday morning,
April 1 – 5, 2015
Join the monks and seminarians for the holiest
days of the church year, celebrating Christ’s Paschal Mystery in community. Moving liturgies in
the Abbey Basilica, inspiring conferences, the opportunity for celebrating Reconciliation, and times
for silence and personal prayer mark these holy
days at Conception Abbey and Seminary College.
(Suggested offering for lodging, meals and conferences: $300 single room, $240 each for double
accommodations). For reservations contact the
Abbey Guest Center: phone 660-944-2809 or
email [email protected].
MARCH 8, 2015 - NEWS AROUND THE DIOCESE
ST. JOSEPH’S TABLE
ST. MARK’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
MARCH 8, 2015 - 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
In the Parish Hall
You will be able to dine on spaghetti with Milanesa or
plain sauce, bread, salad and a variety of Italian cookies. Adults: $7.00; Children: $3:00. Eat in or Carry
Out. You may purchase an array of cookies and baked
goods as well as participate in a raffle of numerous
items. Proceeds will be given to the St. Vincent de Paul
Society for supporting the needy in our community.
St. Mark’s Catholic Church is located at 3736 S. Lee’s
Summit Road in Independence, MO 64055. For information contact St. Mark’s at 373-2600.
Knights of Columbus Council # 4962
St. Patrick's Day
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE DINNER
Tuesday , March 17th - Noon to 7:30 p.m.
5101 Blue Ridge cut-off, KCMO
Hot dogs available
for those who don't like corned beef.
Cost is $10.00 for adults 13 and up
Senior citizens 65 + $8.00
Ages 6 - 12 $5.00, under 5 is free
All net proceeds goes to support our many charities.
Please wear your green and join in the festivities. For
more info call Gerald Sharkey at 358-8715 or 686-9477.
The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is committed to combating sexual abuse in the Church. If you are a victim of sexual
abuse, or if you observe or suspect sexual abuse:
1. Call the Missouri Child Abuse Hotline at 1.800.392.3738 (if the victim is currently under the age of 18), and
2. Contact your local law enforcement agency or call 911, and
3. After reporting to these civil and law enforcement authorities, report
suspected sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult to the Diocesan Ombudsman, Jenifer Valenti, at 816.812.2500
or [email protected], if the abuse involves a priest, deacon, employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
The Diocese has a sincere commitment to providing care and healing
resources to victims of sexual abuse and their families. Please contact Victim Advocate Bonnie Kane at 816.392.0011 or
[email protected] for more information.
DIOCESAN WORKSHOP FOR
LECTORS & EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
The Diocese will be hosting a liturgical workshop on Saturday, March 21st at the Catholic Center, 20 W. 9th St.
Kansas City, MO 64105.
Here is the link to register:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/litwork
the password is hailmaryjmj
The cost of the training is $20 dollars for Lector training
or Eucharistic Ministers. If you choose to do both trainings the cost is $30. This amount, as usual, will be
billed to the parishes. We will work promptly to get certificates to the parishes after the training.
Custodian for
Blue Ridge Boulevard Christian Church
3625 Blue Ridge Blvd., Indep., MO
Hours: 10 hours/week (to be accomplished during daytime hours, Monday – Thursday sometime between the
hours of 9am and 2pm, with occasional Friday and/or
Saturday hours when requested.
Salary: starting at $13.00/hour
For a more detailed job description or to inquire about
the position, please email Pastor Sherry McGlaughlin @
[email protected] or call the church office at 816353-1632.
Dining to Donate in KC with
the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Jasper’s Restaurant is sponsoring this event for the
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. It will be held
Wednesday, March 25. Jasper’s will donate twenty percent of all lunch & dinner sales to benefit the good works
of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Enjoy a delicious meal at Jasper’s with your friends and family, and
help the Sisters at the same time.
If you would like to make reservations for Dining, contact
Jasper’s at 941-6600, or jasperskc.com.
THE ART OF LISTENING
If you want God to listen to you when you pray,
shouldn't you listen to God when God speaks to you?
--Anonymous