by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — “If we truly believe that God loves each one of us,” said Denise Ogilvie, “then our call and our response is to love one another.
“We are called to be a witness to the love of God to all of the people that we encounter.”
Ogilvie, chief mission integration officer at Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, said Catholic Charities fulfills that call every day by serving the 1.4 million people living in the 21 counties of northeast Kansas.
Her message was part of a daylong Mercy & Justice Summit held at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, on Sept. 28.
“We wanted to promote awareness of all the ways that the church is doing works of mercy and justice already,” said Deacon Bill Scholl, consultant for the archdiocesan office of social justice.
Organizers also wanted to equip the delegates who participated with new ways to minister to their communities.
The archdiocesan justice, life and advocacy team, which planned the event, hopes to replicate it at deaneries around the archdiocese and in Spanish.
“We didn’t want this event to be a one and done,” said Deacon Scholl, “but rather to be the beginning of a movement.”
Agents of mercy
Franchiel Nyakatura, emcee, summed up the summit’s purpose, which was to invite the delegates to bring God’s love to the world.
“If we are going to be people who accept Jesus’ invitation to be agents of his mercy and his justice,” she said, “we have to go outside.”
Deacon Dana Nearmyer, director of the archdiocesan office of evangelization, said the need is great.
“Across both sides of State Line and all around our archdiocese, our neighbors have pain points,” he said. “They have wounds.
“And what are we doing to create a net of caring around them?”
Debra Niesen, lead consultant for the archdiocesan pro-life office, added that some people’s wounds prevent them from coming back to church.
“People falsely believe because of something like a divorce, perhaps a past abortion, perhaps a terrible addiction, that they are no longer welcome in the church,” she said.
She encouraged delegates to reach out to the wider community within their parish boundaries.
“Are we an aging community? Maybe if that’s the case, the pain point might be loneliness,” she said. “Maybe we have a lot of young families, [and] we have pregnancy support needs out there.”
Ready to serve
To create an open dialogue, delegates discussed church ministries that already exist and gaps that need to be filled during small group “campfire” sessions.
They also participated in a ministry fair immersion activity.
Hands of Hope explained how a group of parishioners at Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Topeka delivers hot meals to those in need.
ReHope shared how it’s serving survivors of human trafficking.
The work of deaf, foster care, pro-life and special-needs ministries was also on display, among many others.
Throughout the day, delegates heard from speakers on how they can accompany those struggling with various issues.
Father Luke Doyle, chaplain and director of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas, said loving others is about playing offense.
“The nature of love is that it pours itself out for the good of another,” he said. “Love seeks to see and care for and to serve those who are outside of you.”
He also explained the summit’s connection to the National Eucharistic Revival, which, during this Year of Mission, is calling on Catholics to “Walk with One.”
His talk resonated with Jim Merwald, a parishioner at St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee, who was excited to “learn how I can better equip myself to serve my fellow man.”
“It reinforced some things that I think about how we have to really be open and ready to receive the grace that God wants to give us,” said Merwald.
Dr. John Rziha, moral theologian at Benedictine College in Atchison, told delegates that Mother Teresa is a prime example of God’s mercy in action.
“She put herself in a position to become friends with those who really needed the Gospel, over and over and over every single day,” he said.
Psychologists Dr. Jacqueline Pfeifer- Moffitt and Deacon Mike Moffitt rounded out the day by informing delegates of Fully Alive, an integrated wellness program that focuses on mental, physical and spiritual health.
The couple expressed the importance of seeking help during times of distress.
“In the Bible, we know that Jesus offered his wound to Thomas,” said Jacqueline. “He let him feel his wound. And we know that that’s how we are healed.”
Hope ahead
The summit culminated with eucharistic adoration led by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and witness talks.
Josh Ruoff, lead consultant of the archdiocesan special-needs ministry, left feeling encouraged.
“I am hopeful that the summit empowers more individuals to get involved in the many wonderful ministries that exist all across the archdiocese,” said Ruoff, “and that everyone realizes the importance of serving Christ in the least of these.
“And that by increasing involvement, the church will become more equipped to help all of our communities — Catholics and non-Catholics — so that the church becomes the first place someone thinks to turn to when they are in need.”
For more information on the Mercy & Justice Summit, visit the website at: archkck.org/mercy-justice-summit. To view more photos from the summit, follow us on Facebook.
