by Joe Bollig
joe.bollig@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The 150th anniversary celebration of St. Patrick Parish here is so big that organizers couldn’t limit it to just one day.
That’s why the parish, founded in September 1873, scheduled multiple events between Sept. 2023 and Sept. 2024.
The most recent events were a Stations of the Cross dedication on Feb. 9, a parish Trivia Night on April 26 and an anniversary Mass with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann on April 28.
It’s in keeping with their mission statement: “Appreciate our Catholic roots, unite our future in Christ.”
“The process of celebrating our Catholic roots and uniting our future in Christ is way more than an event,” said Father Mark Mertes, pastor since 2019.
The reason for a yearlong celebration is to create a sense of common parish history. In recent years, longtime parishioners have seen new communities welcomed into the parish but might know little about them. This summer, the images in the church’s photo directory will be complemented by historic information.
“One of my goals is that [we create] a narrative of the parish history that people can read,” he said. “Most people don’t know very much of it. Some know everything, but that’s just a few.”
The year’s celebration will end with the celebration of another parish milestone: the 75th anniversary of the opening of St. Patrick School in 1949. This will coincide with a 33-day consecration of the parish and school on Sept. 8.
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