St. Matthew Apostle amalgamated to Our Lady of the Coronation

Decree Amalgamating St. Matthew Apostle Parish, Kansas City to Our Lady of the Coronation Parish, Grandview with a possible renaming Coronation of Our Lady Parish to be separately decreed on November 4

THE FACTS

1. 1. St. Matthew Apostle Parish was established July 1, 1964, primarily to serve Catholic parishioners east of the Kansas City Southern railroad track from the burgeoning St. Catherine of Siena Parish. The new church/school building was dedicated in 1966, seating roughly 800 for Masses. A school opened in 1967 but became a consolidated school, Our Lady of Peace, with Coronation of Our Lady and St. Catherine of Siena schools in 1980 upon the St. Catherine of Siena campus. The diocesan history, This Far By Faith, notes this accelerated the departure of many families. Beginning in 1994, a “Parish Vision Team” process was initiated. In 1995 the parish became involved in long-term planning with the sub-deanery cluster of St. Catherine of Siena, Coronation of Our Lady and St. Sabina Parishes to determine how these parishes would deal with a future date absent than four resident pastors and diminished parish staff.
   2. Coronation of Our Lady Parish began in 1958, with several early locations of Masses: St. Catherine of Siena Parish, the High Grove Farm property, a building at 148th Street and 71 Highway, to 10th and Main Street in the former Grandview West Junior High School, chapel of George Funeral Home, the rectory basement and finally in the church/school building on September 23, 1962. In 1964, the western portion of the parish from Prospect to State Line Road was transferred into the erection of St. Thomas More Parish. The school closed in May 1975 with students enrolling at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish that fall until 1980 when these students transferred, again, to the Our Lady of Peace School located on the campus of St. Catherine of Siena Parish. The current ‘new’ church opened on October 17, 1976. A three-year Capital Improvements Drive was initiated in October 1994 following significant staffing reductions to address outstanding extraordinary expenses like parking lot, church painting, gym roof, boiler and a significant point of complaint, the phone system.
   3. The Pastor of Coronation of Our Lady Parish likewise became the Pastor of St. Matthew Apostle Parish on June 4, 2019.
   4. Following the diocesan-wide pastoral planning process throughout 2018, during 2020 a study of Blue Ridge Boulevard corridor parishes (principally Deanery V) was undertaken of community demographics, parish data, interviews of pastors, parish staff, and parish steering committees prior to additional town hall gatherings and reception of input led to the decision to modify the two named parishes (cc. 50, 127, 515, §2).
   5. Having considered the law and the facts, the undersigned Diocesan Bishop hereby issues this decree.

THE LAW
Canon 515, §2: It is only for the diocesan bishop to erect, suppress or alter parishes. He is neither to erect, suppress, nor alter notably parishes, unless he has heard the presbyteral council.

THE ARGUMENT

1. Willingly encouraging everything in our powers to provide more suitably for the good of souls;
2. And having considered the law and the facts;
3. And having heard, in accordance with canon 50, all those whose rights might be injured by means of town hall meetings at Saint Matthew Apostle Parish on June 24, June 27, July 19 and July 26, 2020, of the Pastor, Pastoral and Finance Council members as well as parishioners, and the Finance Council of Coronation of Our Lady Parish on September 9, 2020;
4. And having heard that no donors of property or legacy were identified for St. Matthew Apostle Parish;
5. And having heard the Presbyteral Council, in accordance with canon515, §2 on September 25, 2020;
6. And having determined that the good of souls requires it;
7. I have determined it necessary and proper that Saint Matthew Apostle Parish, Kansas City, and Coronation of Our Lady Parish, Grandview, be united and amalgamated, and that from this extinctive-union and amalgamation, Coronation of Our Lady Parish, Grandview, may become re-named after a desired process among the parishioners and pastor to present three possible names to me by October 28, 2020, so that either a new name or of remaining Coronation of Our Lady Parish can be decreed on November 4, 2020.

The reasons motivating this decision are as follows:

The number of registered and/or practicing Catholics at St. Matthew Apostle Parish, like much of the deanery region, continued significant decline for the past three decades in offering sufficient financial support as well as evangelizing and sacramental life to the faith community. The aging complex of buildings, maintenance needs and real estate concerns, drastically reduced the capabilities of priest and staff in human and capital resources even to offer basic ministries, services and engagement to the faithful. Additionally, as the physical driving distance is merely 2.8 miles between the church sites of St. Matthew Apostle Parish and Coronation of Our Lady Parish, by combining efforts the evangelizing opportunities for the region and the faith life of the same parishioners can become enhanced and better served by combination into a larger community.

 

I, the undersigned Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, exercising my ordinary power and in virtue of canon 515, §2, do hereby decree that Saint Matthew Apostle Parish, Kansas City, with all the rights, obligations, and privileges accorded it by law, be and is hereto united to and amalgamated with Coronation of Our Lady Parish, Grandview.

The new Parish shall comprise the territory of the extinct Saint Matthew Apostle Parish as well as the current territory of Coronation of Our Lady Parish. Coronation of Our Lady Parish, or under its possible new title as referenced above, remains in Deanery V.

The intentions of the founders and donors regarding the temporal goods and patrimonial rights proper to the extinct Parish of Saint Matthew Apostle must be respected. In addition, the patrimonial goods, rights and obligations of the extinct Saint Matthew Apostle Parish must be defined and allocated in accordance with the norm of law (cc. 121-122).

All the parish and sacramental records of Saint Matthew Apostle Parish and Coronation of Our Lady Parish are to be properly preserved and safeguarded by Coronation of Our Lady Parish or under its new title to be decreed on November 4, in accordance with the norm of law.

This Decree is to be effective on October 6, 2020.

This Decree is to be communicated to the Pastor of the parishes concerned (c. 532). The Pastor may challenge this Decree within the peremptory time limit of ten days from the legitimate notification of the Decree in accordance with the norm of law (c. 1732, §2).

Given in the chancery of the
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph

Most Reverent James V. Johnston, Jr.
Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph

Very Reverend Kenneth A. Riley
Vicar General – Chancellor