Corn, Cattle, and Catholicism

I went to Kansas.

I thought about it for a while beforehand.

I told myself I didn't need to go, that there was nothing to do in Kansas, and that I had seen it already (while passing through on a road trip to Yellowstone). But the pull of Kansas was just too strong, so last week, I packed my bags and flew into Wichita, where I surprised some friends. 

And let me tell you, Kansas is fabulous. (With that sentence, I have given my sisters license to make fun of me for the next sixteen years, approximately.) I'll start by saying that yes, there are a lot of cornfields. And cattle. 

I remembered only corn from my last trip through Kansas. "There's nothing but corn in Kansas," I insisted. My friends tried to convince me otherwise. "We have sunflowers! And wheat!" Well, I do not believe them. Here is a helpful chart from my trip (numbers are approximate):

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SUNFLOWER FIELD COUNT: 0

WHEAT FIELD COUNT: 0

CORNFIELD COUNT: 16,293

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My friends claimed that sunflowers and wheat were "out of season." Sure, guys. 

Anyway, once I got past the corn, I realized that Kansas actually has a lot to offer. There are more stars in the sky than I've ever seen. The sunsets are stunning, free from obstruction. 

And Kansas boasts incredible lightning storms. 

I thought I might be killed by the lightning, but it was still fun to watch.

But I think what I love most about Kansas is the Catholic community. 

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Wichita, KS

It is vibrant, young, and alive! 

Spiritual Life Center, Bel Aire, KS

While I was in Wichita, I attended the Midwest Catholic Family Conference, which you can read about here. I met many Catholics from the area, heard talks, went to Mass, and visited with religious sisters. As a part of the conference, Matt Maher put on a concert, which was incredible.

So close!

In addition to the conference, I attended a Wichita Adore event. Basically, I went to Eucharistic Adoration with hundreds of other Catholics. Wichita Adore Ministries puts on events throughout the Wichita area, bringing people together for adoration and fellowship. After the event I attended, there was a dance in the parish hall. 

There were plenty of opportunities to attend adoration. The greater Wichita area contains more Perpetual Adoration chapels than the entire state of Connecticut, so I was just giddy. 

St. Michael's, Mulvane, KS

The availability of the Eucharist is probably one of the reasons that the Wichita Diocese has dozens of seminarians, and plenty of young men and women discerning a call to the religious life. Even the daily Masses were extremely well-attended. I rejoiced in the fact that I was not one of the few Mass-goers under twenty-five. 

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Wichita, KS

Two Hearts Chapel, Wichita, KS 

All in all, Kansas was great. Yes, Wichita has a lot of cowboys and pickup trucks. Yes, I saw belt buckles as big as my head. Yes, there's a lot of corn. I like Kansas anyway. I almost didn't want to leave.

But after a long, exhausting, wonderful week, I headed home. Though my connecting flight was delayed, I watched an incredible sunset (in Chicago, not Kansas). 

Kansas is lovely. But it's good to be home.