Cultivating through Christ Capital Campaign

Thank you to those who picked up their Capital Campaign Packets this weekend! If you were unable to stop by, your packet was shipped on Monday, June 9. Please let us know if you have not received it by June 18. If you would like to preview what is in the packet, please use the links below. 

Letter
Brochure
Novena
Pledge Card


May 22, 2025
Thank you for attending our informational meeting last weekend!

We greatly appreciate so many stopping by and giving feedback on the Cultivating through Christ campaign. We will continue to update you through the bulletin, email, and on our website (cureofars.com/capital-campaign). Mark your calendars for June 7-8 to pick up your campaign informational packets in the Fr. Burak Room after all Masses. 

 
Lend a Hand Youth Event

We would like to thank Tina Amaro, parishioner & artist, for the beautiful mural of our Capital Campaign logo! We are also grateful to the many adult volunteers and youth who participated in the "Lend a Hand" art project. It is a great addition to the Fr. Burak Room.

Why a Capital Campaign at Curé of Ars?
 
We are launching a Capital Campaign at Curé of Ars because God has blessed us abundantly with joy, peace, and vibrancy. Our parish is home to about 2,500 registered families, and many of our ministry groups gather here each and every week. What a blessing it is to have such an active and thriving parish community.

However, with this blessing comes a need: space. Currently, we have just one meeting room to accommodate all of these groups, including the Knights of Columbus, Mothers of Young Children, St. Mary’s food kitchen, funeral dinners, School of Religion classes and parent faith group, book clubs, the Serra Club - a group that prays for future vocations to the priesthood and religious life - and many various parish meetings. Clearly, the need for more space is urgent. This Capital Campaign will allow Curé to grow into the future, knowing that we will be equipped to handle the blessings God has given to us.

Our parish offices are outdated, and the building faces significant challenges, including mold and accessibility issues for many parishioners, with only stairs to navigate the multiple levels of the building.

Our church building also requires significant attention.  One only has to try and kneel to see that the kneelers are broken and the pews have become loose and in many spots are already giving out. The cost to repair them is more expensive than the cost to replace them with solid oak pews. We realize that these pews have not lasted as long as one would expect, but it is our goal to purchase quality pews that will last for generations.  As I often say, "It's better to cry once"—meaning it's better to invest wisely now rather than patch problems temporarily. We also need to replace the roof of the main church. These repairs come with a cost, but our church is well worth the investment.

What a great problem we have. I ask each of you to pray for the success of this campaign as we move forward, not for ourselves alone, but for the next generation. Just as a gardener prepares to produce a beautiful garden, we must also cultivate our faith to produce good fruit and bear witness to the love of God the Father through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit.

Let us come together to make this vision a reality. Together in Christ, we will.

Blessings, 
Fr. Storey
 

April 30, 2025 - Capital Campaign Update

Thank you to those who attended our Capital Campaign events last week! 

We greatly appreciate the feedback we received. If you were unable to attend, the video below includes the architect's presentation:

MEET OUR ARCHITECT:
Founded in 2001, incite Design Studio (iDS) is committed to delivering exceptional, client-focused architectural design. Over the past 24 years, iDS has grown into a multi-location firm with studios in Kansas City, Overland Park, St. Louis, and Wichita. Their team is dedicated to designing spaces that strengthen communities, foster connections, and enhance everyday experiences. Whether creating community, educational, or recreational spaces, their approach prioritizes innovation, functionality, and the people who bring these places to life. Patrick Smith (parishioner) is co-owner and Principal / Director of Operations of the firm and will be the lead on the capital campaign project.
 
Patrick Smith and his wife (Kris) have been parishioners at Curé of Ars for 14 years and have four children that attend the school (Caroline – 5th Grade, Coen – 3rd Grade, Riggs – 1st Grade, and Marjorie – Kindergarten). Patrick previously served on the Curé of Ars Building Committee for six years (four as Chair), he has also served on the Finance Committee, and continues to serve on the Safety and Security Committee. As co-owner of iDS, Patrick successfully oversees the firm's operations, ensuring efficiency and excellence in project execution. With 15+ years of experience, Patrick is passionate about designing spaces that strengthen communities and bring people together. Known for his ability to foster creative collaboration, he leads dynamic brainstorming sessions where every participant feels empowered to contribute. His involvement extends beyond initial planning, remaining engaged throughout design and construction to ensure project success. With a wealth of project management experience, Patrick approaches every project with a singular focus: creating spaces that serve and inspire the people who use them.
 

We are excited to introduce our 2025 Capital Campaign, Cultivating through Christ. As John 15:5 describes, remaining in Christ is like a farmer cultivating a crop. It requires investment and care to bear much fruit. By providing additional and improved sacred spaces we are better able to offer opportunities to encounter Christ through the Liturgy, Sacraments, Devotions, Faith Formation, Ministries, and Community.

The word “cultivate” means to care for, nurture, grow, or develop something. It is often used in the Bible as a reference to our relationship with God or developing godly virtues in our lives. The word “cultivate” in the Bible connects our fundamental need for physical nourishment with the higher need for spiritual nourishment.

Just as a gardener prepares the soil, plants, waters, weeds, and prunes to produce a beautiful garden, we must also nurture our faith in this way so we can produce good fruit and bear witness to the love of God the Father through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit.

Please join us in this Capital Campaign of “Cultivating through Christ” to provide additional and improved sacred spaces so that we can pass down a legacy of faith to future generations.

We invite you to participate in an upcoming Capital Campaign event. Each event will include a time of community, food, drink and an opportunity to give your input at a deeper level regarding the campaign projects. These are working events, so come prepared to share your ideas!  All events will be in the Fr. Burak Room. Please RSVP here!

Event Schedule: 
APRIL 23 | 10 am after all school Mass
APRIL 24 | 6:30 pm
MAY 17 and MAY 18 |  after all MassesRSVP!


PETYAC Team Update

Our dedicated campaign volunteer teams have been working diligently in preparation for packet pickup (June 7-8) and Commitment Sunday (June 21-22). Here's an update on the progress each team is making:

• Prayer Team – Crafting a campaign prayer to be shared at each Mass and a 14-day prayer guide for the campaign packet.

• Events Team – Organizing three events for parishioners to engage with the architect, ask questions, and provide feedback. Event dates are listed in the bulletin, and we encourage everyone to attend at least one event.

• Thanks Team – Designing heartfelt thank-you cards for families who make a pledge and exploring additional ways to recognize and honor our donors.

• Youth Team – Planning an event to engage youth in the campaign, along with their participation in the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Commitment Sunday.

• Ambassadors – Drafting a comprehensive FAQ to address questions from parishioners when they reach out to them in June.

• Communications Team – Brainstormed campaign slogan ideas and assisting in creating the narrative and brochure for the campaign packet.

We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and efforts of all our volunteers. There's still time to get involved! If you'd like to join a team or assist with an event, please call the Parish Office at 913.649.1337 or sign up here.

God bless you all for your ongoing support!

Capital Campaign Is Moving Ahead!

As mentioned in the February 2nd bulletin, we have been given approval by the Archbishop and Finance Council along with positive feedback from parishioner surveys to proceed with the Capital Campaign. 

Our main focus is to

• Draft plans for expansion of the Fr. Burak Room 
• Create additional meeting spaces for ministries
• Build a new parish office area
• Address essential church maintenance.  

We are still looking for volunteers to join our campaign committees.  Please read the descriptions and sign up here.  This is a great way to get involved with minimal time commitment!

The following people have committed to chairing these committees.  Thank you for volunteering!

• Prayer Team - Jimmy Steimer
• Events Team - Julia Cindrich
• Thanks Team - Denise Perry
• Youth Team -  Mary Ann Schliesman & Kathleen Coode
• Ambassador Team - Kirsten Flanagan
• Communications Team - Matthew Enzweiler & Andrea Byrne

Key Capital Campaign Dates

• Parish Wide Informational Events - March - May 
• Packet Pick Up at Church - June 7th & 8th 
• Prayer and Discernment - June 8th - 22nd
• Commitment Weekend - June 21st & 22nd

Capital Campaign Volunteer Organizational Meeting Recap

Thank you to everyone who attended the Capital Campaign Volunteer Organizational Meeting on Sunday, February 16th. Denis Greene and Gwen Hoefer from Church Development led us through an informative presentation about the structure of the campaign and the teams involved. They will be our consultants throughout the process.

The campaign is supported by six volunteer committees, known as our PETYAC teams: Prayer, Events, Thanks, Youth, Ambassador, and Communications. These teams began brainstorming ideas during the meeting and are ready to start working on their respective tasks.

The following people have committed to chairing these committees.  Thank you for volunteering!
Prayer Team - Jimmy Steimer
Events Team - Julia Cindrich
Thanks Team - Denise Perry
Youth Team -  Mary Ann Schliesman and Kathleen Coode
Ambassador Team - Kirsten Flanagan
Communications Team - Matthew Enzweiler and Andrea Byrne

We are still looking for volunteers for each committee, so please read the descriptions and sign up at https://forms.gle/EzoEWBjpPgcPwyu97.

Key Capital Campaign Dates

• Parish Wide Informational Events - March - May 
• Packet Pick Up at Church - June 7th & 8th 
• Prayer and Discernment - June 8th - 22nd
• Commitment Weekend - June 21st & 22nd