KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Archbishop Shawn McKnight has announced organizational changes within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas designed to strengthen the Church’s ability to serve its parishes, schools, and ministries. Following consultation with outside experts and listening sessions with staff, clergy, and key stakeholders, it became clear that the current structure must evolve to enable the Archdiocese to effectively advance the mission of the Church in northeast Kansas.
“Our goal is to ensure that every parish in our Archdiocese is a place that the wider community can see as home, as an oasis in their journey of life, and as a sanctuary of mercy and a center of charity for all who seek the Lord.” Archbishop Shawn McKnight said. “To serve that mission well, we must ensure that our Chancery is structured as a source of support to strengthen and sustain the work of our parishes and ministries. Through prayer and thoughtful discernment, we came to recognize that adjustments are needed to better serve the needs and life of our local Church.”
This comprehensive review of the Chancery’s structure and operations found that a revitalized model could better support the growing pastoral and administrative needs of parishes, schools, and ministries across the Archdiocese. Reviews of this kind are a normal part of leadership transition in the life of the Church, as the bishop discerns how to best structure the ministries and services of the Chancery.
As part of Archbishop McKnight’s commitment to stronger support and collaboration with the parishes, several ministries that were previously organized as separate offices will now be brought together into a new team called Parish Evangelization Services. This team will provide expertise and consultation to support parishes in areas including faith formation and catechesis, Gospel of Life, charity and mercy, human dignity and social justice, marriage and family life, and the liturgy and sacraments. By integrating these ministries more closely with parish life, the Archdiocese seeks to offer more effective support and collaboration in service of the Church’s mission.
This renewed approach will also ensure that ministry is more fully integrated across the life of the Archdiocese. Rather than operating through separate offices, outreach will increasingly be embedded across ministries, including expanded multilingual support and greater attention to those on the margins. This includes serving Spanish-speaking Catholics more intentionally across archdiocesan ministries, as well as continuing outreach to individuals with disabilities, the underserved, and those who are imprisoned.
Several dynamic initiatives will be launched in the coming months, including the establishment of liturgical and building commissions, an in-depth review of archdiocesan policies and procedures, and deeper collaboration between clergy and laity.
In addition, after several months of deliberate evaluation and prayerful discernment, it was determined that the organization and positions within the structure of the Chancery should evolve to better facilitate how the Archdiocese carries out the mission of the Church. Regretfully, as part of this reorganization, not every Chancery position will fit into the new model. In recognition of the service of those employees impacted, the Archdiocese is providing transition support, including outplacement services, counseling, and generous notice and severance packages.
While these changes are not financially driven, they reflect the Archdiocese’s responsibility to steward wisely the resources entrusted to the Church and ensure they are effectively directed towards the mission of serving God’s people.
“These changes are difficult, and they affect people who have given much to the Church,” Archbishop McKnight said. “I am deeply grateful to those whose positions are affected and thank them for their meaningful contributions to the Archdiocese. I am also thankful for the staff who continue this important work and accompany me in this next chapter.”
The Archdiocese will continue to implement these changes in the months ahead as part of its ongoing commitment to renew and strengthen the Church’s mission of evangelization, charity, and pastoral care.
About the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, under the pastoral leadership of Archbishop Shawn McKnight, encompasses 12,500 square miles in the northeast quarter of Kansas, serving more than 180,000 Catholics in 21 counties. The Archdiocese was established in 1850 as the Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains. It became the Diocese of Leavenworth in 1877, was transferred to Kansas City in Kansas, in 1947, and elevated to an Archdiocese in 1952.
