Holy Rosary
Catholic Church
Served by the Scalabrinian
missionaries since 1890
911 E. Missouri Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri
News from the Parish
Christmas 2007
An Experience of Advent
My Advent season began early this year. In the church burglary
of mid November, the wireless microphone was stolen. The company
that installed our sound system did not have any in stock. A
rental company charges $50.00 for the weekend, but was it compatible
with our system? For the weekend, I managed to use a small microphone on the altar. I had to speak loud and was exhausted
at the end of each mass. I depend on the cordless microphone
as I do on my pacemaker.
Week 2: Early Monday morning I contacted the
sound company again and I left a message and
information of what I needed. No one returned
my call. I tried again on Tuesday with the same
result. There was a change of personnel in the
company and so I gave up.
I contacted the largest company in the city and I
left a message on the voice mail but no one returned
my call. On Tuesday I drove to their office
and after a long wait a salesman took my
information and went to his office to consult
with the Telex company. He returned half hour
later with the news that the stolen model (3
years old) is obsolete. The Telex company will
try to find a model compatible. He referred me
to another salesman for further development.
On Wednesday after a few vain attempts, I was
able to talk with the salesman who told me to
email him the information. I did so, and I never heard from him.
The
next day I phoned the office and I complained to the manager for
the poor service. He assured me that he will take care of me. It
was now too late to get a microphone for Sunday. More waiting.
In the meantime I checked on the internet and found several
models, but all sales are final and cannot be returned.
Week 3: On Monday I called a third company, and the receptionist
told me that someone will contact me soon. In the meantime, I
received a phone call from Scott, from company #2, who had
some options. I chose a wireless microphone from Telex hoping
that I would be able to use the head set that survived the burglary.
Scott said that delivery time was 7 to 10 days. I
requested a two-day delivery and I offered to pay for the additional
shipping cost. He called me and asked me to fill out an
email credit application. He also needed a tax exempt copy
before he can place the order. By now I was getting anxious, impatient
and frustrated.
I emailed the application and a copy of tax exempt form. He contacted me again and told me that he
needed a credit card number. In case the bill will not paid in
30 days, they charge my credit card for the purchase. He called me yet again
asking me to email him a note stating that I will accept to pay the
additional shipping cost. I could not believe all this red tape
business, and I said, “You guys are really professional”. He said
they had trouble with people refusing to pay
and denying that they had accepted the extra
charge. Now finally the order is in…and I am
waiting anxiously for its arrival.
I woke up at 3 am Wednesday morning and
my mind began reviewing what has been
happening the last couple of weeks. Calling
and waiting and waiting… with no control of
the situation. I thought, “This is a perfect example
of what the historical Advent is all
about…people waiting and praying and
pleading for the Messiah for 2 thousand
years. God spoke through his “salesmen”, the
prophets, but 
communication with an extra
terrestrial Being was difficult… people were
frustrated, many lost faith and hope in their
God. Even God must have been frustrated
because He decided to send a bilingual “prophet” Jesus, who could translate God’s
message in human terms.
I thought of the many Advents of my life… my waiting and
prayer and more waiting for liberation from my "captivities”, for
healing, for guidance. But I now realize that in his own time, God
provided me whatever I needed. And here I am! How time flies!
My package arrived Wednesday afternoon and I was able to
use my head set on Sunday.
I believe that all people in their lifetimes live through different
Advent seasons of waiting and praying for a “Savior” to liberate
them, to heal them and to help them make the right choices, to
be their companion and mentor.
Advent and Christmas is the remembrance and the celebration of
waiting and welcoming of Jesus in our world and in our life.
Each year we celebrate a new phase of Jesus’ growth in our
world and in each one of us. I hope your “package” arrived, or
will arrive for Christmas.
Happy Advent!
Church bells silent for a while
By now, everyone has heard the news that Holy Rosary Church was burglarized in the early hours of Friday, November 16. I returned on Thursday from a three days retreat with the Benedictine Monks in Atchison, Kansas, and I felt rested and blessed. Early Friday morning, in my routine visit to the church, I noticed some furniture had been moved in the sacristy and an electrical box open with wires cut inside. I became suspicious.
I turned and saw that the cordless microphone that I had seen the night before on the counter was missing. I opened a cabinet where the chalices are kept and it was empty. And so was the second cabinet. The only chalices left were two new ones that we just bought and my personal one that was gold plated. I checked the front door of the church and the doors was locked open. I called the police and reported the theft, and in the meantime, began accounting for the missing items.
Before the morning mass, I went out on Missouri Avenue to see if the police had arrived and on the sidewalk, I saw a cabinet with four amplifiers. My first thought was that somebody else was robbed. When I got close to the cabinet and I saw the writing,“Holy Rosary Church,” I recognized the cabinet holding four components of our chimes system. I could not believe my eyes. Joe Privitera, owner of Mark One Electric, and a parishioner, arrived. KCPD officer Carpenter arrived at 8:00 a.m. and told her to return after the mass.
She returned
at 9:00 a.m., checked the church thoroughly
and completed the police report. Detectives arrived and also
the crime scene investigators.
In the meantime, Wabash Iron &
Metal Company was informed by Joe Privitera
and a detective to be on the lookout for
church vessels to be sold as used brass. At
10:30 a.m., KCPD officer Carpenter informed
me that a bag with chalices and
other church vessels was found and that I
should go to verify that they belong to
Holy Rosary.
I drove there quickly and I recognized our chalices and vessels. Another police report was completed and the church vessels were on the way back to Holy Rosary before noon. Before leaving, I asked the woman in charge of the shop how she was able to get the vessels. She told me after she was warned by the detectives, two young white men came to the shop with a black bag. She opened the door and they showed her the bag. As soon as she opened the bag and saw the vessels, she snapped the bag inside the office and locked the door. The two men ran away and they were caught by the police at the end of the block. I was so excited! I complimented the woman’s courage and I told her she was brave.
I returned to the church with the precious vessels and there were TV stations 5 and 9 waiting for me with questions. They took several pictures of the recovered vessels. I told the reporters that, besides the monetary value, these vessels have a great religious and emotional significance for the families who donated them in memory of a loved one and for the whole parish community. During the morning mass, we had prayed for the recovery of the stolen vessels, for the capture of the suspects, and for their rehabilitation. Apparently our prayer was answered. Eighteen stolen vessels, one microphone from the choir loft and the damaged chimes system were recovered.
The only items missing are the cordless microphone and three other mini microphones. The only mystery unsolved is how the two men got into the church. One possibility is that one of the men remained hidden in church after the funeral on Wednesday afternoon.
I was very impressed by the collaboration of the three branches of KCPD and Holy Rosary's “private detective”, Joseph Privitera. This was my first experience with the KCPD in such an investigation. I was overwhelmed by their excellent work and successful result. I am very grateful to them for a job well done and I compliment their work.
I consider it a “miraculous catch” and a shocking story with a happy ending. TV stations 5 and 9 also deserve kudos for very well-done coverage and for bringing the attention of the community to the good work of our police department.
Fr. Joseph Vicentini, cs, November 25, 2007