Welcome to Easter! We are grateful that many of our friends and loved ones were able to overcome the recent ice storm that hit the Midwest. We ask the Risen Jesus to restore all who have been affected by this storm. Thanks to all who helped each other during this time. You are truly witnesses of Jesus’ new life and love. As St. Luke says in the Acts of the Apostles for Easter Sunday: "Jesus went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil for God was with Him." (Acts 10:34-37).

Our thanks to Jeff Seib and Kelly Ashton, who have made another major commitment to the Mission of Sanctuary of Hope. Jeff gave up his full time job to become our Business Manager full time and Kelly, his wife, has taken on infant massage as a way to help the family income and to touch people with the healing of Jesus as they share positive ways of touching each other in their own families. We ask that you keep them in prayer as they adjust to their new roles and ministries of service here and in the larger community of Kansas City. Jeff’s boss said to him when he was leaving: "How can I argue with God?" Wow, both Jeff and Kelly see this as a call from the Lord to move forward!

Our deepest thanks to Stephen Sullivan, our editor and our cook at SOH. Stephen, too, has given so generously of his time and talents to improve the cooking and the physical arrangement of the kitchen at SOH. His cookies are becoming world renowned and haven’t lost their local flavor as well. It’s so good to see people coming and really enjoying the meals and fellowship at SOH. We thank you for your compliments and your input that helps us all improve as we advance in wisdom and understanding with God and each other.

Bernadine Asher had a wonderful visit with her family and friends on a much deserved sabbatical. As Jesus tells His disciples and us today how important it is for all of us to get away to rest. Bernadine and I hope to have more time to visit groups and individuals in our community in order to bring home the message and mission of retreat and prayer that SOH is all about.

Our youngest live-in, Steven Seib, turned 11 years old last month and is taking Hebrew. Wow, what a stretch for such a young one! Steven keeps us young too and we are glad to have him aboard.

Now there is a seventh member of our live-ins...O, yes, I have saved the best for last. If you come to visit, you will usually find her in the chapel or helping in the kitchen. Sometimes I catch her resting in the Lord. Her sparkle in her eyes says it all. Where would Flush, Kansas be and ole Sanctuary of Hope without Sister Mary Eugenia Floersch, SCL. It’s a real joy to go forward "doing good and healing all those oppressed," When you have a saint of 82 years pulling for you and the whole family of SOH.

Happy and a Blest Easter Season from all of us, with Donna Cermak, Shirline Moore, Willie Etta Jennings, Gary Schumann, Bill Loechler (Ole Billy Bobcat) Marilyn Connolly and Laurie Oswald too.

Con mi amor y mis oraciones, with my love and my prayers,

Padre Dennis Wait, Fr. Dennis

Run the Good Race, a 5K run/walk, will be held at Sanctuary of Hope on Saturday, April 6, 2002 at 8AM. The program is similar to what was done last year. Race materials can be picked up at SOH either Friday afternoon from 4-8PM or Saturday morning beginning at 6:30AM. The race itself begins at 8AM and breakfast will be available as soon as the first runners finish. The awards and prizes program will begin on the front lawn of SOH at 9:30AM. The cost of the event is $15.00 prior to race day and $20.00 on race day. Entrance forms are available on the SOH web page. Breakfast is free for anyone who has paid the entrance fee and to all volunteers. Others are welcome as well and there will be a basket available for donations.

We had about 50% more participants last year as opposed to 2000. The event again has the special SOH atmosphere. Julia Frailey, the overall female winner in 2001 emailed us the following message after the race: "I was so impressed with Sanctuary of Hope. What a BEAUTIFUL location and building. I loved the tranquility that permeated it. I met many nice people, too. You can bet that I’ll tell lots of my friends and relatives about this race so they’ll come out and run next year-and I’ll be back too!" Recently Julia informed me that she will indeed be back this year if she does not participate in the Boston Marathon!

Despite this year’s more difficult economic atmosphere, our sponsors, listed below, have been very good to us and we are grateful to them for their support.

To Register for this great event, visit our [Current Events] page on this website and check out the April 6 date!

Race Sponsors

 
119th & Metcalf, Overland Park, KS

 A. C. Printing Co., Inc
1475 N. Winchester, Olathe, KS 66061

9201 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS 66212

Deffenbaugh Industries, Inc.
^{P.O. Box 3220, Shawnee, KS}

Madden-McFarland Interiors
1903 W. 135th St Leawood, KS 66224

Catholic Cemeteries Association of Wyandotte & Johnson Counties Kansas
1150 N 38th, Kansas City, KS 66102

Stueve & Enna Financial Group
7500 College Blvd., #500, Overland Park, KS 66210

American Valet Parking, Inc.
10790 Nall Ave.,  Overland Park, KS 66211

5235 West 95th St., Overland Park, KS 66207

 YMCA of Greater Kansas City
3100 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111

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Meditation in Music and Movement

Our annual MMM pre-Lent concert this year included another M—Medieval. Gerald Trimble played three thirteenth Century Cantigas de Santa Maria. from his CD recording Celtic Cantigas. These songs were written in Spain during a time of relative harmony between Moors, Christians and Jews. Gerald played the Medieval Vielle and the Viola de Gamba, a Renaissance instrument.

Jim McGinnis portrayed the life of the twelfth century St. Francis of Assisi using slides, narrative, music, acting and interacting with the audience. He highlighted Francis’ early life experience and goals, his conflict with his father who wanted him to help run the family clothing store, his conversion experience and his struggle to understand what Jesus meant by the call to marry Lady Poverty and to rebuild His church. As Francis the clown, he enacted Francis growing love for nature and his struggle to explain his idea of the importance of peace to the Pope and the Sultan. Mostly Francis was successful in bringing his idea of peace to Assisi and its environs and drawing men and women to follow his "Little Way." He even invited all of us to wear a red dot on our nose as a sign of our willingness to be a fool for Christ. Dr. Jim McGinnis is founder and Co-Director with his wife Kathy of the institute for Peace and Justice in St. Louis, MO.

Jessamine Guislain then played new arrangements of Here I Am Lord and Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus on the piano to complete the showcase of talent and worship. Tours of the facility and refreshments and conviviality followed. We were especially happy that the sun came out and that many people that had never been to Sanctuary of Hope attended.

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By Shirley Sulit

It was a weekend in March "97, when I volunteered to drive a friend, now deceased, to a LIFE IN THE SPIRIT seminar, in Blue Springs, Missouri. None of the invited candidates came; nevertheless the seminar went on for my benefit. By Sunday, baptism of the Spirit took place and a life changed.

About the last quarter of 1997, I started to smell flowers in and outside of church settings. At first it was hardly discernible like a whiff of a single scent. With time, the church would be filled with a scent I called "potpourri" because it seemed like a mixture of different flowers.

On February 19, 2000, my husband and I and a friend remained after Mass to say the rosary. As we were praying I "heard" a "voice." Not in the literal sense mind you (not in my ears) but deep within my mind. This "voice" clearly said to me "KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME!" Again, a second time it said, "KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME!" After the second call, I looked up at the Cross and the most divine happening took place. The church was still filled with the potpourri scent, but when I looked up a concentrated, centralized Form was coming from the Cross in a pulsating movement like a heartbeat. As long as I was looking up, the "heartbeat" continued but when I lowered my eyes to the level of the altar, it would stop.

I thought that this was the ultimate gift. However, as I walked into church the following day, Sunday, the church was already flooded with the "purest" of all the scents I have ever smelled in all my life. It was like walking into a mist of the most soothing and light fragrance! if one could smell heaven, this was it!!! WOW!!!

My miracle of beautiful potpourri scent and pulsating Form continued on Thursday, February 24th. This was my night for Perpetual Adoration at church from 6:00-7:00PM. When I arrived, a friend of mine from Sanctuary of Hope was already there. We were going to a concert after Adoration. At 6:50 I was seized with an unexplained uncontrollable fear. I asked my friend to proceed without me. As soon as I turned back to face the Blessed Sacrament, the "potpourri heartbeat" was on again, continuing while I covered the monstrance and drove home. The most profound lesson I learned from all this is that I will never ever doubt again the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist,. May all of us experience the blessed assurance that God loves us all unconditionally!

My parish is Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa, Kansas.

Pieta now housed in a six-sided structure built by Tom Messner

for his eagle scout project.  (We have had more than 30 Eagle Scout

Projects to date at SOH!!)

Donna Cermak helping out in the Kitchen

as one of her many volunteer hours

Our Dining Room set up to serve 60 Guests for lunch

with new silverware, glasses and dishes

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Sister Darlyne Kern, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth, has labored in a remote corner of the building at Sanctuary of Hope on Wednesdays for about the last two years. Sister Darlyne, a librarian for over 20 years, also works at the Lansing Correctional Institute medium security Prison Library. Sister has cataloged and organized over 2,000 books donated by many people. The books are carefully chosen to be of inspiration to retreatants and include Bibles in several translations. Sister is currently working on typing 6,000 cards according to subject, author, and title.

The shelves in in the Library were donated and built by Connie and Gene Pemberton of Shawnee, in memory of their daughter Cynthia. A memorial plaque hangs on the wall near the South exit. The Library is located in the day room on the lower level.

Mary Patterson and her daughter Hannah also come on Wednesdays to volunteer at SOH for the past two years. Mary collects the recyclables, vacuums when asked, tends the house plants and has spend hours in the sun with Hannah watering roses and shrubs on hot days. If you have seen the Autumn pumpkin wagon decorated in October, that’s Mary & Hannah handiwork. One Wednesday both these volunteers "Turned green" after painting 12 metal park benches. Hannah usually leaves artwork with the love and creativity of a three year old.

Another former volunteer on Wednesday (not pictured here) is Nicole Nicholl, Mary Patterson’s mother and Hannah’s grandmother. Nicole spend countless Wednesday hours stripping woodwork in the living room, office and N.E. bedrooms. Eight hours and a gallon of stripper and a bushel of rags would produce one window or door in a beautiful light oak finish, , showing off the 100 year old woodwork underneath. Nicole also is a craftsman and photographer. Our Christmas centerpieces of natural pine were also made by her.