by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org
TOPEKA — “In my prayer for my professional life, I told God that if he opened the door and it was good, then I would walk through it,” said Paul Malley.
“And this door opened, and it was good, and here we are.”
After working in Tallahassee, Florida, for 25 years, Malley took a leap of faith and moved to Kansas with his family to take on the role of executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.
“I see that there is a tremendous opportunity exactly in this time and in this place — in the heartland and in the midst of the political division that has existed,” said Malley.
“There is an opportunity to call out unity as we work together to [promote] the good of all,” he continued. “And I think this time and place is unique.”
Formed in faith
The Kansas Catholic Conference is the public policy office of the Catholic Church in Kansas and serves as the voice of the four Kansas bishops at the state Capitol.
“One part is focused on really being the voice for the faithful inside the Capitol,” said Malley. “The second part is outreach within all four dioceses in Kansas to help all Catholics better understand and live out Catholic social teaching.”
Malley is the conference’s sixth executive director. He started the position on Sept. 8.
He was born in the Tampa area and grew up Catholic. His faith was shaped by his older brother, who’s a priest in the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
“For me as a young kid, seeing my older brother navigate that road [to the priesthood] was very formative,” said Malley.
Malley attended Florida State University, where he earned a master’s degree in communications.
He and his wife Almira have six children — two in middle school, two in college and two recent college graduates.
Malley was most recently the president of Aging with Dignity — a national nonprofit that defends the rights of people approaching the end of life. Its Five Wishes program has been an advance care planning resource for millions of families.
“I devoted 25 years of my career to that mission to promote good care at the end of life and to safeguard human dignity at the end of life,” said Malley.
Aging with Dignity was founded by Jim Towey, legal counsel to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, whose life inspires Malley in his own work.
“Her emphasis on valuing the human dignity of each person is at the core of the mission that I feel called to,” said Malley.
Prepared for the mission
When Malley saw the opening at the Kansas Catholic Conference, he felt pulled to apply.
“It came across my radar,” he said, “and I was intrigued by it because I’ve always been interested in the intersection of public policy and Catholic faith.”
Once he got to know the bishops of Kansas, his interest grew.
“It seemed like an incredible opportunity here in the heartland to engage in faith discussions in the public square,” he said.
Archbishop Shawn McKnight expressed the bishops’ gratitude for Malley in a press release.
“His deep faith and extensive professional experience will not only be a resource for us in our capital city,” said the archbishop, “but also for the formation of our clergy and laity in the rich tradition of Catholic social doctrine.”
Malley said the work of the conference crosses party lines in its mission to serve the common good.
“There might be disagreements in the details of how we do that,” he said, “but if we can agree together that we truly are seeking the common good, then it makes it easier to resolve the differences in the details.”
Some of the key issues Malley said Kansas Catholics face today include education, healthcare and helping all individuals thrive.
He believes his time in Florida will serve him well in his work.
“I spent my professional life and our family’s life in a state capital surrounded by Catholics living good examples of Catholic family life and interacting with state government in Florida’s capital city,” he said.
He’s excited for the next chapter.
“I’m ready to jump in and go full steam ahead,” said Malley, “especially moving into the legislative session that will begin in January with the newly elected state leaders.
“It’s a perfect time for a new beginning.”
To learn more about the Kansas Catholic Conference, visit: kansascatholic.org.
