by Olivia Martin-Davies
olivia.martin@theleaven.org
OVERLAND PARK — Crosier Society members gathered for vespers at Church of the Ascension here on Oct. 28 and at Corpus Christi Church in Lawrence on Nov. 1 to hear how their gifts are at work across the archdiocese.
The Crosier Society recognizes donors who give 1% of their household income or at least $1,000 to the Archdiocesan Call to Share (ACTS).
“All of these are ministries that no one parish can do alone,” said Lisa McKelvey, director of parish campaigns and archdiocesan appeals.
This year’s goal is $7.75 million. Of the roughly $7.15 million raised so far, the society’s more than 1,660 members have given nearly $3.5 million — close to half of all gifts.
Derek Lyssy, executive director of the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas, said the foundation, which manages about $180 million in assets, complements the appeal.
“The Archbishop’s Call to Share helps meet the needs of the church today,” he said. “The Catholic Foundation helps ensure the church has the resources it needs tomorrow.”
New names, same ministries
Addressing the chancery reorganization that happened earlier this year, McKelvey said, “Some of your favorite ministries might have a new name, a new face, but they’re still happening. I want to reassure you that no ministries were cut during the changes this year.”
Many of those ministries now fall under the new Parish Evangelization Services (PES) team, including pro-life ministry, liturgy, Project Rachel, Hispanic ministry, special needs ministry, deaf ministry and evangelization for all ages.
“There were many fruits from the old way of ministry,” said Mark Blaise, a PES advocate. “PES is tasked with helping these fruits continue to grow but to be rooted in our parish communities.”
Blaise pointed to Embrace Grace, a Bible study for single pregnant women held at Ascension, as one practice PES hopes to introduce to more parishes.
Ministries that foster vocations
Patricia McCaffrey, a parishioner at Corpus Christi, attended the vespers service on Nov. 1 in Lawrence. She has seen firsthand how supporting ACTS benefits both the archdiocese and its donors.
“I give because it enables the archdiocese to provide assistance to those in need, offer educational opportunities and evangelize beyond the reach of individual parishes,” said McCaffrey. “The resources provided through ACTS strengthen us as individuals, our parishes and the archdiocese as a whole.”
For Gaudelia Feldmeyer, also a Corpus Christi parishioner, and her husband, Seeley, it was their first time attending the Crosier Society vespers.
“We were delighted to be invited,” said Gaudelia. “The presentation of the staff regarding what ACTS does and provides . . . gave us assurance our donation is well used.
“We are grateful for the staff commitment and the leadership of Archbishop Shawn McKnight to provide opportunities for every parishioner to grow and thrive in our Catholic faith.”
One way McCaffrey has personally benefited from ACTS is through her son’s involvement in the St. Lawrence Center at the University of Kansas when he was a student.
“I credit St. Lawrence with providing the formation that helped guide his discernment of a vocation to the priesthood,” she said.
McCaffrey’s son, Father Brian McCaffrey, was ordained in 2021 in the Salina Diocese. Earlier this year, Father McCaffrey was granted leave to join the Archdiocese for the Military Services as a U.S. Navy chaplain.
“Through witnessing his faith journey and vocation, I have also grown in my own faith,” said McCaffrey.
Bringing deaf Catholics home
Katie Locus, deaf ministry specialist, said deaf ministry began in 1974 “because so many deaf people were leaving the Catholic Church because they had no access to the liturgy.”
According to KSHB 41, the Kansas City metro area boasts one of the largest populations of deaf and hard of hearing people in the United States — about 10,000 individuals.
Four parishes in the archdiocese offer an ASL-interpreted Mass, and deaf ministry provides interpreters for parish missions, retreats and workshops.
Matt Gwynn, a deaf man in the diaconate program, is expected to be ordained in 2028.
“None of that ministry would be possible without your support,” Locus said.
‘Servant leadership’
Archbishop McKnight said the ministry restructuring rests on one principle.
“The mission of our local church is not what takes place at the chancery, but it’s going on in the parishes,” he said. “That’s where the focus needs to be.”
He said 41% of ACTS funds go directly to ministries outside the chancery. Much of the rest also serves parishes, including a new Parish Business Services effort to help smaller, often rural parishes with accounting and human resources.
“We are wanting to make sure that we’re positioned to be of service to the parishes,” he said, “and to disabuse the notion out there that the chancery is full of expert people that will go out and tell you what to do. We’re to be of service.”
McKelvey closed by noting that ACTS gift processing is moving in-house, with a new Kansas City, Kansas, post office box. Donors who send automatic checks through their bank should update the address in January.
