Mission of Saint Aloysius, Maysville, to Saint Munchin Parish, Cameron Amalgamation

Decree Amalgamating Mission of Saint Aloysius, Maysville, to Saint Munchin Parish, Cameron

THE FACTS

1. In the early 1880s, four Catholic families lived in the area that is now Maysville and Mass would be celebrated in their homes when a priest was available. The first church was built for the community in 1887 and was dedicated on November 2, 1890, under the patronage of St. Aloysius Gonzaga.
2. As a mission church, it has been associated with and cared for by various nearby parishes over the decades. “The only time there was a resident pastor was in 1920 when Fr. Louis Grohman lived at the parish for a few months.
3. After the First World War, the community did not gather for Mass for nearly a decade. An attempt to revive the parish began in earnest, culminating in St. Aloysius being named a parish in its own right around 1960. Later, it was once again reduced to the status of a mission of St. Munchin in Cameron.
4. Registered Catholic households and average Mass attendance as recorded in September respectively were:  33 and 28 for 2016-2017; 34 and 26 for 2017-2018; 36 and 28 for 2018-2019; 26 and 0 for 2019-2020; 26 and 0 for 2020-2021; and 29 and 25 for 2021-2022.
5. The current Pastor of St. Munchin Parish likewise became the Pastor of the Mission of St. Aloysius on June 21, 2017.
6. St. Aloysius Mission underwent a precipitous decline in the number of members in the past 30 years.
   1. There were 46 registered households in 1995; there were 29 in 2022.
   2. There were 146 parishioners in 1995; there were 67 in 2022.
   3. There were 84 adults and 62 youth in 1995; there were 63 adults and 4 youth in 2022.
7. St. Aloysius Mission experienced a notable decline in sacramental activity in the past 30 years:
   1. Baptisms:  7 in 1990; 2 in 1995; 1 in 2000; none in the period 2016-22
   2. Average Mass attendance:  70 in 1990; 86 in 1995; 45 in 2000; 28 in 2017; 25 in 2022.
8. St. Aloysius Mission has had a fiscal deficit in 3 of the past 6 fiscal years.
9. Following the diocesan-wide pastoral planning process throughout 2018 that resulted in in a multiple year examination process addressing healing our family, using resources wisely, and growing God’s family under the diocesan vision umbrella of “One Family: Restored in Christ, Equipped for Mission,” a study of Deaneries IX, X, and part of XII began in February 2023.  The study of community demographics, parish data, interviews of pastors, parish staff, and parish steering committees prior to additional parish town hall gatherings and reception of input (cc. 50, 127, 515, §2) was undertaken.

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 a meeting of the study consultant with the pastor on March 2, of the consultant, pastor and Vicar General for Pastoral Affairs on February 9 and June 9; meetings with parish leaders on March 4, April 1, April 29 (with Vicar General for Pastoral Affairs), May 20 and June 10;
4. And having heard that no donors of property or legacy were identified for the Mission of Saint Aloysius;
5. And having heard the Presbyteral Council, in accordance with canon 515, §2 on June 26, 2023;
6. And having determined that the good of souls requires it;
7. I have determined it necessary and proper that the Mission of Saint Aloysius, Maysville, and St. Munchin Parish, Cameron, be united and amalgamated, and that from this extinctive-union and amalgamation, Saint Paul the Apostle Parish retain the name.

The reasons motivating this decision are as follows:

The number of registered and/or practicing Catholics at the Mission of St. Aloysius 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—as referenced in numbers 6-8 above.  The Mission cannot sustain priest or staff ministries, does not have youth potential nor local development foreseeing a changed trajectory of growth and homes in the region for the human and capital resources even to offer basic ministries, services and engagement to the faithful.   Additionally, the physical driving distance is 17 highway miles of the 18 miles between the church sites of the Mission of Saint Aloysius and Saint Munchin Parish, by recombining 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 the Mission of Saint Aloysius, Maysville, with all the rights, obligations, and privileges accorded it by law, be and is hereto united to and amalgamated with Saint Munchin Parish, Cameron.

The new Parish shall comprise the territory of the extinct Mission of Saint Aloysius as well as the current territory of Saint Munchin Parish.  St. Munchin Parish remains in Deanery IX.

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

All the parish and sacramental records of the Mission of Saint Aloysius are to be properly preserved and safeguarded by the Archives of the Diocese of Kansas City – Saint Joseph in accordance with the norm of particular law.

This Decree is to be effective at the end of the day on June 23, 2024.

This Decree is to be communicated to the Pastor of the parish and mission concerned (c. 532), who is the canonical representative of the parish and mission whose boundaries have been adjusted and to all interested persons, according to the norm of law.  This Decree may be challenged within the peremptory time limit of ten days from the legitimate notification of the Decree in accordance with the norm of law (c. 1734, §2).

Given in the Chancery of the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph this 24^th day of April 2024.

 

Most Reverend James V. Johnston, Jr.
Bishop of Kansas City – St. Joseph

Very Reverend Kenneth A. Riley
Vicar General – Chancellor

Decree Amalgamating Mission of Saint Aloysius, Maysville, to Saint Munchin Parish, Cameron (PDF)

LEARN MORE: Read the complete Pastoral Plan for Deaneries IX, X and partial XII