“Yes, and joy was just a thing that he was raised on,
love was just a way to live and die.
Gold was just a windy Kansas wheat field,
blue was just the Kansas summer sky.”
“Matthew” by John Denver, 1974
Quoting a John Denver song is probably going to hurt my credibility just a smidge, but his music was a huge part of my growing up in Kansas. Even though most of his songs featured the glorious Rocky Mountains, this one, which came out the year I turned 13, was about his uncle who was “born just south of Colby, Kansas.” It felt great to hear a song on the radio that was about us, about Kansas, and one that celebrated a faith-filled life on the farm in the Great Plains.
It makes me think about what it means to be a Kansas Catholic. It reminds me about what Bishop Vincke means when he says “be disciples who make disciples…” Part of being a disciple, I think, is cultivating joy and hope and faith in your life, even when things are tough, and by living and wearing that joy, hope and faith – what a powerful example you can create for the people around you.
Bishop Vincke is our shepherd. He leads us with joy and faith, and creates a fire for faith throughout our community by sharing his passion about what it means to be a disciple.
I went to the TMP-Marian charity auction in Hays on Saturday night, and I swear I think the Bishop met or tried to meet every single person in the room. Nothing is more important to him than helping people have a personal encounter with Jesus. And although he travels constantly (this weekend alone he went to Hays, Ellis, and Topeka before returning to Salina on Sunday night), he relies on our diocesan communications efforts – ‘faith’ magazine, the Register, Facebook, Instagram, podcasts, and his email Letters to the Faithful – to help him share messages of our great faith and the Good News.
If you are not receiving his email communications or our free, diocesan publications (or know someone else who isn’t), please be sure to send me their email and mailing address.
Your generous support for our Bishop’s Annual Appeal – Call to Share makes it possible for us to continue to communicate the Good News and aid Bishop Vincke in our diocesan mission to make disciples and help others encounter Jesus. Please visit join.salinadiocese.org to make your gift, today.
Blessings,
Katie Platten
