by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Throughout a year marked by historic milestones and difficult losses, Catholics in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas demonstrated a bold and unshakable faith.
On May 4, thousands of people from the archdiocese and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph answered an invitation from Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Bishop James V. Johnston, of Kansas City-St. Joseph, to attend Behold KC.
The event was held on the north lawn of the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, and offered opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation, Mass and eucharistic adoration.
The experience was particularly healing as it occurred just uphill from where local Catholic Lisa Lopez-Galvan was killed during a shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade and rally on Feb. 14.
The church across the United States continued to promote the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist throughout the year, as the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage traveled 6,500 miles from the four corners of the country, weaving its way through northeast Kansas from June 24-29.
The pilgrimage culminated in Indianapolis, where many archdiocesan Catholics flocked for the National Eucharistic Congress from July 17-21 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It was the first eucharistic congress since 1941 and just one part of the Eucharistic Revival campaign undertaken by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2022 and continuing through Pentecost 2025.
The archdiocese gladly gained one new priest, three transitional deacons and 14 permanent deacons. It sadly grieved the loss of Father Travis Mecum and Father Ken Kelly.
The archdiocese and wider church mourned the loss of Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher, the tenth ordinary and third archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, who died on Nov. 9 at the age of 93. He served the archdiocese from Sept. 8, 1993, to Jan. 15, 2005, and remained active in various ministries as his health permitted.
Throughout the year, parishes, schools and other archdiocesan organizations were bustling with activities, and the flourishing life of the Catholic Church in northeast Kansas was evident in the stories told in the 16 pages of The Leaven.
So, before we close the door on 2024, let’s look back at some of the most memorable moments of this past year.
January
• Archdiocesan Catholics kicked off the new year by attending the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) SEEK conference from Jan. 1-5 in St. Louis.
• The archdiocese changed its pastoral regional model to a deanery model, effective Jan. 1. The deanery model is designed to foster a greater sense of community and support for pastors.
• Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann led the National Holy Hour of Life following the March for Life vigil Mass on Jan. 18 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The following day, more than 350 Kansas pilgrims participated in the annual March for Life.
• Nearly 1,500 people from across Kansas turned out for the sixth annual Ignite Rally and Mass for Life at the Topeka Performing Arts Center on Jan. 24.
• The Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) held an inaugural Mass of thanksgiving for its supporters at Church of the Nativity in Leawood on Jan. 25. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Naumann.
• Archbishop Naumann was a keynote speaker on the Good News Cruise, a six-night Caribbean experience for married couples, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 2.
• Archdiocesan schools celebrated Catholic Schools Week from Jan. 28-Feb. 3.
• Liz Gonzales, kindergarten teacher at Resurrection School in Kansas City, Kansas, was named the Archdiocesan Elementary School Teacher of the Year on Jan. 29 during an all-school assembly.
February
• Kayla Moylan, math teacher at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, was named Archdiocesan High School Teacher of the Year on Feb. 1 during an all-school assembly.
• Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, unveiled its Cyclone Center, a modern academic learning hub, on Feb. 8.
• Archbishop Naumann blessed and dedicated the new Stations of the Cross at St. Patrick Church in Kansas City, Kansas, on Feb. 9, which were installed in honor of the parish’s 150th anniversary. The Stations were painted by artist Jason Jenicke, who grew up in the parish.
• The inaugural Cathedral Gala to support the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Kansas City, Kansas, was held on Feb. 10 in its parish center.
• Lisa Lopez-Galvan, an alumna of Bishop Miege High School, whose children attended Bishop Miege and St. Agnes School in Roeland Park, was killed in a shooting during the Feb. 14 Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade and rally. Sisters Melia and Madison Reyes, students at St. Agnes, were shot and injured at the rally.
• Scott Hahn headlined the 27th annual Men Under Construction conference at Church of the Ascension in Overland Park on Feb. 17.
• The archdiocese hosted its annual junior high youth rally on Feb. 25 at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg.
March
• The 10th Archbishop’s Invitational High School Art Exhibition awards ceremony and reception was held on March 1 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
• It was announced on March 6 that Christ the King School in Kansas City, Kansas, would close at the end of the academic year due to a lack of financial support needed to continue its operations.
• On March 7, Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, kicked off its St. Joseph Campaign: Build. Repair. Sustain. The campaign was created to raise funds for renovations, infrastructure repairs and the school’s endowment.
• To prepare for the National Eucharistic Revival Year of Mission, held from June 2024-June 2025, the archdiocesan office of evangelization conducted an ArchKCK Day of Equipping for Spanish-speakers on March 7 at St. Pius X Parish in Mission, and for English-speakers on March 19 at Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa.
• The first-ever Consecration Mass for Businesses in the United States was celebrated March 16 at St. Benedict Church in Atchison.
• Father Travis Mecum passed away on March 27 at the age of 55 while in palliative care at Villa St. Francis in Olathe.
• On March 27, Father Brian Schieber, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood, blessed the parish school’s new lifelike statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
April
• The first true gala of the Didde Catholic Campus Center at Emporia State University was held on April 6 at the Lyon County History Center and Museum in Emporia.
• Archbishop Naumann blessed and dedicated the new Parish Life Center at St. Joseph Parish in Olpe on April 7.
• A Runnin’ With the Revs game featuring eighth grade and high school students and priests and seminarians was held on April 8 at St. James Academy in Lenexa.
• Archbishop Naumann was awarded with the Heroic Defender of Life award by Kansans for Life on April 11 during its annual fundraising banquet at the Overland Park Convention Center.
• Villa St. Francis opened its newly renovated physical rehabilitation-to-home wing at its Olathe facility on April 18 with a ribbon cutting performed by Archbishop Naumann and Catholic Community Health CEO Brad Heidrick.
• The archdiocese marked the Day of Prayer in Atonement for Sexual Abuse in the Church during a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Naumann on April 26 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
May
• Four fifth grade students at Corpus Christi School in Lawrence earned a chance to present their scientific findings on how relative humidity affects cloud formation to a group of NASA and national STEM scientists at the Southwest Student Symposium from May 3-4 in Fort Worth, Texas.
• Thousands of Catholics attended Behold KC on the north lawn of the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 4.
• Bill Maloney relinquished his duties as director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development on May 6, the same month it was announced that the office would be divided into two separate ones. Maloney continues to serve as director of the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas (CFNEK).
• Lisa McKelvey was named the new director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development on May 8.
• St. Paul Parish in Olathe broke ground on construction of the fourth church in its 164-year history following an outdoor Mass celebrated by Archbishop Naumann on May 11.
• The renovation of Corpus Christi Church in Mooney Creek was blessed by Archbishop Naumann during a Mass on May 12.
• Will Carey, Cesar Gomez and Dan Mauro were ordained to the transitional diaconate by Archbishop Naumann on May 18 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas.
• Father Aaron Waldeck was ordained a priest of the archdiocese by Archbishop Naumann on May 25 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas.
• After 35 years, the Duchesne Clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, closed its doors. A group of staff, volunteers and patients assembled on May 30 to celebrate the clinic, which provided free and low-cost health care to the community.
June
• Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, held the inaugural “SPARC the Night Gala” on June 1 to help ensure the center continues to flourish for the more than 60,000 people it serves each year.
• Archbishop Naumann blessed the Fiat Center at Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish in Overland Park following a Mass on June 9.
• A Kolbe Prison Ministries retreat was offered for the first time in Kansas to men incarcerated at the Lansing Correctional Facility from June 14-16.
• Kurt Heinen became the new archdiocesan architect and real estate consultant on June 17.
• The Leaven earned 13 awards from the Catholic Media Association during the Catholic Media Conference held in Atlanta June 18-21.
• The priests of the archdiocese defeated the priests of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph during the annual Pitching for Priests softball game June 21 at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas.
• On June 22, Archbishop Naumann ordained 14 men to the permanent diaconate during a Mass at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood, bringing the total number of permanent deacons in the archdiocese to 80.
• The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage made its way through the archdiocese from June 24-29, stopping at multiple parishes across northeast Kansas.
• For the first time, the archdiocesan office for protection and care (OPC) made public the names of the members of its independent review board (IRB) in the June 28 issue of The Leaven.
• The first-ever sensory-friendly eucharistic adoration and Benediction was held on June 29 at Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Overland Park.
• Archbishop Naumann dedicated the new altar at St. Francis Xavier Church in Burlington during a Mass on June 30.
July
• Kirsten Wondra became the associate superintendent of schools for the archdiocese on July 1.
• Archdiocesan Catholics traveled to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress held from July 17-21 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
• The Echo of Kateri award was presented to three couples and two priests — Elizabeth and Pablo Aguayo from Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Shawnee; Ray and Paula (posthumously) Fushimi from Church of the Nativity in Leawood; Tom and Becki Racunas from Nativity; Father Brian Schieber, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood; and archdiocesan vocation director Father Dan Morris — before the closing Mass of the final Camp Tekakwitha session in Williamsburg on July 28.
• Archbishop Naumann visited retired priests at Vianney House in Olathe for a luncheon on July 30.
August
• Archbishop Naumann celebrated a Mass of blessing and dedication of the renovated and expanded parish hall at St. Benedict Church in Bendena on Aug. 11.
• In its 27th year, the Kelly Youth Rally drew nearly 500 youth from 16 different parishes from the Nemaha-Marshall county area on Aug. 17.
• Father Ken Kelly died on Aug. 21 at the Overland Park Regional Medical Center after 45 years of priesthood.
• On Aug. 25, Archbishop Naumann celebrated a Mass to mark the 150th anniversary of Holy Family Parish in Alma.
September
• Sister Mary Altar of Sacrifice, SSVM, a native of Church of the Nativity in Leawood and member of the Sister Servants of the Lord and Virgin of Matara, welcomed Pope Francis to the mission where she serves in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea, on Sept. 8.
• Immaculate Conception Parish in St. Marys celebrated its 175th anniversary with a Mass of thanksgiving celebrated by Archbishop Naumann on Sept. 8. It doubled as the installation Mass for Father Edward Ahn, who was appointed pastor of the parish, along with St. Stanislaus Parish in nearby Rossville in July.
• Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. Donnelly officially opened its doors on Sept. 12, 1949.
• On Sept. 13, after more than 30 years with The Leaven, senior reporter Joe Bollig retired.
• Bishop James V. Johnston and Archbishop Naumann joined together on Sept. 13 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri, for a Mass of remembrance for those whose lives have been affected by suicide.
• Archbishop Naumann celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving at Sacred Heart Parish in Paxico on Sept. 15 for the parish’s 150th anniversary.
• The annual CORE (Celebrating Our Religious Enthusiastically) golf tournament was held on Sept. 16 at Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park.
• Police officers, firefighters and first responders were honored at a Blue Mass on Sept. 19 at Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Overland Park.
• In his Sept. 20 column for The Leaven, Archbishop Naumann shared that when he turned 75 in early June, he submitted his letter of resignation to Pope Francis as is required by canon law. He was informed that his letter was received and that he will remain archbishop until his successor is named.
• Ascension School in Overland Park held its annual Serve Day on Sept. 25 to support the various ministries of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas.
• The archdiocese hosted a daylong Mercy & Justice Summit at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, on Sept. 28.
• Catholic Community Health’s second annual Fall Ball was held Sept. 28 at Fiorella’s Event Space in Overland Park.
October
• Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, held its annual SHINE gala fundraiser on Oct. 3 at The Abbott in Kansas City, Missouri.
• The archdiocese kicked off Respect Life Month with a Mass on Respect Life Sunday, Oct. 6, celebrated by Archbishop Naumann at Holy Trinity Church in Lenexa.
• Father Jerry Volz, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Lawrence, blessed the parish’s new memorial to the unborn outside the church on Oct. 6.
• St. Agnes School in Roeland Park prayed a living rosary on Oct. 7 in honor of Lisa Lopez-Galvan.
• Archbishop Naumann blessed and dedicated the new St. Joseph Fieldhouse at St. James Academy in Lenexa on Oct. 11.
• The annual Gaudeamus benefit gala, the signature fundraising event for the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF), was held on Oct. 12 at the Overland Park Convention Center. St. Benedict School in Atchison was recognized as the 2024 Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann CEF School of Excellence, and Archbishop Naumann was honored with the CEF Lifetime Achievement Award.
• On Oct. 13, Archbishop Naumann celebrated Mass and blessed the renovated interior of St. Mary Church in St. Benedict.
• The annual Mass of Innocents was celebrated by Archbishop Naumann on Oct. 20 at Holy Spirit Church in Overland Park.
• Archbishop Naumann was joined by members of the Community of the Lamb on his annual visit to the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex in Topeka on Oct. 21.
• Archbishop Naumann blessed the new rosary grotto at St. Mary Church in Hartford following a Mass on Oct. 26.
• The rural youth outreach office and the North East Kansas Rural Youth Council hosted the Atchison Regional Adoration and Shindig on Oct. 27 at St. Andre Orchard in Atchison.
November
• Archbishop Naumann blessed and dedicated the Our Lady of Grace Rosary Garden at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood on Nov. 1.
• Father Peter Jaramillo, SSA, celebrated a bilingual Mass on Nov. 2 in the mausoleum chapel at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas, to mark All Souls’ Day and “Día de los Muertos.”
• The African Catholic Community of Kansas (ACCK) celebrated its third anniversary with a Mass at Prince of Peace Church in Olathe on Nov. 3.
• The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth competed in a Granny Basketball game on Nov. 3, with funds benefiting the University of Saint Mary’s Guardian Angel Fund.
• Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher, 93, the tenth ordinary and third archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, died Nov. 9 of natural causes at his residence at Santa Marta retirement community in Olathe. His funeral Mass was celebrated at Curé of Ars Church in Leawood on Nov. 18.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Topeka kicked off a yearlong celebration of its 110th anniversary with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Naumann on Nov. 16. At the end of the Mass, pastor Father Daniel Coronado announced that the parish’s loan to build its activity center was paid in full.
• The St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Award was presented this year to Concern, Inc., a not-for-profit organization formed to help county residents through financial, food and clothing assistance, by Archbishop Naumann at a Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Mound City on Nov. 17.
December
• Archbishop Naumann celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving with the Crosier Society at St. Joseph Church in Shawnee on Nov. 19 and Most Pure Heart of Mary Church in Topeka on Dec. 3. The Crosier Society represents those across the archdiocese who have donated either 1% of the family’s income or made a financial gift of at least $1,000 to the Archbishop’s Call to Share.
• The Sisters and friars of the Fraternity the Poor of Jesus Christ and a team of around 100 volunteers hosted the annual Christmas with the Poor party and meal at the former Blessed Sacrament School in Kansas City, Kansas, on Dec. 14.
• The Jubilee Year 2025, proclaimed by Pope Francis on May 9, opened Christmas Eve with the rite of the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Here in northeast Kansas, the Holy Door at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Kansas City, Kansas, was opened by Archbishop Naumann on Dec. 29.
