by Marc and Julie Anderson
mjanderson@theleaven.org
TOPEKA — “Rome Sweet Home,” a fundraiser of Christ the King Parish, was held here Sept. 27, but with some added attractions.
The annual event draws between 3,000 and 4,000 visitors and generates around $80,000 for the parish. Activities include a 5K run, the praying of the rosary, Mass, an Italian buffet, food trucks, live music, a beer and wine tent, children’s games and a raffle with numerous prizes. The celebration ends with a fireworks display.
This year’s festival, called the 40-30, celebrated not one but two anniversaries: the 40th anniversary of the dedication of the church and the 30th anniversary of the parish grade school and early education center. It also featured not one but two local rock bands.
Moreover, this year’s event showcased the talents of not one, but two priests just recently assigned to the parish.
Near the end of the night, Father Anthony Ouellette, appointed pastor on July 1, surprised those in attendance by joining the band on stage and singing a rousing rendition of “Johnny B. Goode,” to much applause.
And earlier in the day, Father Will Carey, ordained this past May and named the parish’s associate pastor, claimed third place overall in the 5K, competing in a field of 90 runners and walkers ranging in age from 6 to 78.
Finishing with a time of 23:06, Father Carey admitted he almost didn’t get to claim those laurels because he only beat his nearest competitor — a 10-year-old named Bobby Calcutt — by nine seconds! (Calcutt has competed not only in 5K runs, but also marathons.)
“He kept me honest throughout the race,” admitted Father Carey of the young runner.
The 33-year-old priest said he enjoys running and had been a member of his high school’s cross-country team. Then, while attending community college, he kept up with the sport by participating in 5K races, half-marathons and one marathon. When he headed to Emporia State University to further his studies, he was a walk-on member of the cross-country team.
“I just always loved running,” he said, but admitted, “I don’t run as fast as I used to.”
Still, Father Carey said running gives him time to think, reflect and pray.
One Scripture passage he often meditates on is: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tm 4:7).
Another is found in St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians: “Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win” (9:24).
Father Carey had been looking forward to the event as his first best opportunity for “just getting to know the people” and “getting plugged into the community and becoming a part of Christ the King.”
At the close of the evening, he said the event’s theme, drawn from the 1993 book called “Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism” by Scott and Kimberly Hahn, really resonated with him.
“Being a convert and having read the Hahns’ book ‘Rome Sweet Home,’” he said, “I think there’s something to inviting the community — and perhaps a lot of people who are fallen-away Catholics — back to the church.”
“I had a great conversation tonight with a guy and his wife who are fallen-away Catholics,” he added. “They’re going to start coming back to church. So, it was good to have just one conversation that seems to be fruitful and is in the spirit of coming home to Mother Church, Rome Sweet Home.”
