A Northland Parish on 96th Street
Holy Family Catholic Church sits on NE 96th Street in the Northland area of Kansas City, Missouri, where 340 founding families in 1980 have grown into a parish that today fills a renovated sanctuary, a Parish Hall seating more than 500, fourteen classrooms, a dedicated youth space, and a Memorial Garden. The parish describes itself as "a vibrant, spirit-filled faith community" called, "following the example of the Holy Family," to celebrate, grow, and live the Catholic faith.
Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8:00 and 11:00 a.m. Weekday Masses or communion services are offered Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 12:00 p.m. Confessions are heard Saturday from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. and by appointment. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament fills the Chapel every Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and the Rosary is prayed at 7:30 a.m. every Sunday morning. Mass is live-streamed on Facebook at the same Saturday and Sunday times, and an archive of past Masses is kept on YouTube.
Four Decades of Building
The parish's story is one of steady expansion matched to the growth of Kansas City's Northland. Father Patrick Rush was appointed pastor in January 1980 and broke ground on the original church in August 1981. The building was consecrated and dedicated in September 1982, the first Parish Council was selected the following spring, and Father Lloyd Opoka took over as pastor in October 1983. A rectory followed in 1987, and Father Robert H. Stewart was appointed in July 1993.
By the late 1990s, more than 900 families made up the parish. Ground was broken for a Parish Hall addition in September 1998, completed in the early 2000s. Father Matthew Brumleve arrived in November 2004; the parish marked its 25th anniversary in January 2005. In August 2009, a partition at the back of the church was removed, adding 108 seats, and the lower parking lot and a new exit followed in fall 2011.
Town Hall meetings in fall 2012 led to a consensus to expand at the existing 96th Street site rather than move to a parcel at 106th and Woodland (later sold in September 2016). Father Philip Egan was appointed in January 2014, and the Together We Grow capital campaign spanning 2017 to 2020 funded the next round of construction. Ground was broken in March 2018. In February 2019, the expanded Parish Hall and fourteen classrooms, a dedicated youth space, two additional offices, and 112 new hall seats were approved for occupancy; Mass moved to the hall while the church was under renovation. Bishop James V. Johnston presided at the Mass of Dedication in August 2019, joined by Fathers Egan, Brumleve, Opoka, and Rush. Father Steven C. Rogers was appointed in July 2023 and was succeeded by Father Terrell Finnell, effective September 1, 2026. A 30-year history book is available as a free download.
Sacraments Across a Lifetime
Holy Family celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptism preparation centers on the parish's Belonging program, an encounter-based series offered three times a year. Each offering includes two two-hour sessions, one for parents alone and a second that includes godparents, that introduce the meaning and rite of baptism and the vocation of Christian parenthood. Parents baptizing their first child attend the sessions; those with prior experience are welcome but not required. A baptism preliminary request form, a godparent eligibility form, and a Christian witness form start the process.
First Reconciliation and First Communion are typically received in second grade, after a year of prior religious education. Confirmation preparation spans roughly six months and is open to sixth or ninth graders who have completed a year of religious education with at least 75% attendance and who have already received Reconciliation and Communion. The journey includes small-group sessions, retreats, sponsor involvement, and service. Both middle school and high school tracks are offered.
Engaged couples preparing for marriage are paired with trained Lead Couples for three to four sessions of one and a half to two hours each. Anointing of the Sick is available to those facing illness or infirmity, with clergy bringing the sacrament to hospitals, care centers, and private homes. The parish also walks with families through funerals, supported by a Funeral Dinner Preparation ministry that provides post-funeral meals for family and friends.
Children, Teens, and the Parish School of Religion
Faith formation for the young centers on the Parish School of Religion, a religious education program for children in pre-kindergarten (4 years old by August 1) through fifth grade. Fees are $60 per child for up to three children in a family; families enrolling four or more are asked to contact the Director of Religious Education. Catechists and aides lead the program, and parents who teach or assist receive a $60 discount on their own registration. First-grade parents are reminded that sacramental preparation in second grade requires a year of prior religious education.
For older students, two parallel youth ministries share the week. Senior High Youth Nights, called SHYN, gather teens on Sunday evenings from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall, following the PSR school calendar and open to students whether or not they have been confirmed. The Message, the middle school program, meets Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall for students in grades six through eight. Each evening begins with an icebreaker and prayer, includes a teaching on a single topic, breaks into small groups led by adult team leaders, and ends with a closing prayer.
Vacation Bible School runs for one week in July from 9:00 a.m. to noon, with a theme-based program of lessons, music, and games for children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Protecting God's Children training, a roughly three-hour diocesan session paired with a background check, is required for any adult who volunteers with children or youth.
Music in the Liturgy
Music at Holy Family is led by Maria Milazzo, Director of Adult Choir; Paula Villavicencio, Director of Bell Choir; and Katie Kaminski, Liturgy and Music Administrator. The Adult Choir sings primarily at the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass and at special liturgies, with rehearsals Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. and a 30-minute warm-up before Mass. Membership is open to adults and high school students.
Cantors lead the assembly in song and intone the Word, while the Handbell Choir plays at liturgies throughout the year. Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays from 8:15 to 9:15 p.m., September through May, and the group welcomes teenagers and adults who can read basic music. Instrumentalists of many kinds, including piano, guitar, strings, woodwinds, and brass, accompany the choirs and cantors at weekend and special liturgies.
Worship at Mass includes the ministries of Altar Servers (open to students in fourth grade or 10 years old, after Altar Server Camp), Cross Bearers, Gift Bearers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Ushers, Greeters, Sacristans, and the Art and Environment Team. A Liturgy Committee plans the parish's liturgical experiences year-round.
Service in the Wider Community
Holy Family's Service Outreach Committee coordinates an active partnership with several local charities. Parishioners collect non-perishable food for the Bishop Sullivan Center food pantry on an ongoing basis, volunteer to bag groceries one day each week at the Truman Road location, and serve the evening meal at the Bishop Sullivan Center's One City Cafe on the first Tuesday of every month from 4:00 to 6:45 p.m. The parish is also a church partner with Love INC of Clay County, providing financial assistance and infant-care supplies, and prepares and serves dinner for families at the Ronald McDonald Longfellow House in downtown Kansas City on a regular basis.
Outreach closer to home includes the Helping Hands ministry, which offers transportation, meals, minor repairs, and household tasks to families and individuals in need, and the College Care Packages ministry, which sends three or four packages a year to enrolled college students. Funeral Dinners provide post-funeral meals for grieving families. The St. Brigid Needlework Group meets twice a month to make prayer shawls for those experiencing illness or loss, while Card Making and Sewing ministries lend more gift-of-talent support.
Two specialized ministries round out the parish's reach. The Mental Health Ministry journeys with individuals and families affected by mental health concerns, focusing on coping, awareness, and advocacy, and maintains an ever-growing list of community resources. Seasons of Hope, the parish's grief and support ministry, meets on the second Saturday of every month at 3:30 p.m. in Room 315. Communion Ministers bring the Eucharist to the sick and homebound at New Mark Care Center on Sundays after the 8 a.m. Mass, Benton House on Tuesdays at 11 a.m., and North Kansas City Hospital on Thursday mornings; visits to private homes are flexible.
Adult Faith, Prayer, and Fellowship
For adults looking to grow in faith, the parish offers a full calendar of study and prayer. Adult Bible Study runs seasonal and thematic sessions in fall and spring. Becoming Catholic provides a journey of instruction, prayer, and ritual for unbaptized persons, baptized non-Catholics, and adult Catholics who have not yet received first Eucharist or Confirmation. Holy Family Men of Faith gathers Tuesdays at 6:00 a.m. for breakfast, a video presentation, and discussion, ending at 7:20 a.m., with ten to twelve sessions from September through November and again February through April; the summer series meets from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. The St. Catherine of Siena Women's Bible Study meets Sunday mornings from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m., September through May. A Prayer and Scripture Group meets Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. around prayer, song, and the weekend readings.
Community groups give the parish a full social calendar. The Knights of Columbus Holy Family Council meets on the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. The Men's Club meets the second Monday at 7 p.m. from September through May and hosts Lenten fish dinners, trivia nights, and tournaments. The St. Joseph's Women's Group meets on the second Tuesday afternoon and supports funeral dinners, parish linens, and fleece blankets for those recovering from illness. Women at the Well gathers on the first Monday at 7 p.m. for women 21 and older. Come to the Table hosts potluck dinners in parishioners' homes on the third Saturday at 6:00 p.m. from September through March, with a final gathering in the Parish Hall in April. The Thursday Evening Bridge Group plays on the third Thursday at 7 p.m. from January through November. The Serra Club of Kansas City-North fosters vocations to the priesthood and religious life. A Young Adult community gathers seasonally for those 18 to 25. The Elizabeth Ministry supports families walking through fertility challenges, miscarriage, adoption, and related concerns.
A Prayer Chain carries prayer requests forwarded by email, and prayer requests can be sent by email to the parish staff as well.
Memorial Garden, Parish Hall, and Accessibility
The parish Memorial Garden offers a quiet place for prayer and remembrance on the campus and is maintained by a team of volunteers who pull weeds, blow out leaves, and refresh the names on the stones; the statue is waxed each July or August. Engraved Memorial Stones are available through the parish's online giving portal.
The Parish Hall is available for rent by registered, active, tithing parishioners for private family celebrations such as receptions, anniversary parties, birthday parties, and showers, with the pastor's approval and a fee. Recognized parish organizations, diocesan groups, local neighborhood associations, and city and county government agencies may use the hall at no charge, though donations to defray utilities are suggested. Political events, rental by non-parishioners, and commercial use are not permitted. Hall capacity is 550 with chairs only, or 275 with round tables, chairs, and a dance floor. Rental tiers range from $125 (1 to 25 people) to $1,250 (more than 150 guests), plus a $130 liability insurance fee per event and a refundable $500 damage deposit. Smoking is not allowed in parish buildings, and no events are scheduled during Mass times.
For worship, the church provides wireless hearing assistance devices at the welcome desk. Children's Liturgy of the Word has historically been offered during the school year on the second Sunday of the month for children in pre-kindergarten through second grade, though the parish notes that program is currently paused. The lower parking lot connects to the Parish Hall through an elevator near the hall entrance. An AED is located across from the restrooms at the back of the church, and first-aid cabinets are placed throughout the building.
Pastoral Team and Leadership
Holy Family is led by Father Terrell Finnell, pastor effective September 1, 2026, supported by two pastoral associates. Christen Cota coordinates adult faith formation, including Becoming Catholic, Adult Confirmation, and Bible Studies; oversees pastoral care to the sick and homebound; assists families with funeral planning; and facilitates the bereavement ministry. Rob Lickteig oversees youth and family life, including Senior High Youth Nights, The Message middle school program, Confirmation preparation, and the College Care Packages and Helping Hands ministries.
The Liturgy and Music ministry is led by Katie Kaminski. Religious education for children is directed by Jena Duffy, who manages the Parish School of Religion, Vacation Bible School, and baptism preparation through Belonging. Patty Rose serves as the parish's first Stewardship and Development Director, a role she has held since November 2010. Maria Milazzo directs the Adult Choir, and Paula Villavicencio directs the Bell Choir.
Parish leadership is shared through four councils: the Pastoral Council, chaired by Pam Bruce; the Finance Council, chaired by Lisa Coonfare; the Facilities Committee, chaired by Dave Rogowski; and the Stewardship Council, chaired by Bill Yocum. The Stewardship Council's mission is to call parishioners to discover and acknowledge their gifts of time, talent, and treasure, and to share them, envisioning Holy Family as a vibrant parish whose commitment to stewardship calls the community to involvement in parish, neighborhood, universal Church, and all of God's creation. The parish's extended mission prayer, prayed often at gatherings, asks the Holy Spirit to open hearts, teach gratitude, and give the courage to serve boldly and with compassion.