Parish in Kansas City, KS with decent music?
  • Heath
    Posts: 934
    Some friends of ours recently moved to a SW suburb of Kansas City, KS. The music at their parish is excruciatingly bad and they're looking for a refuge. Any suggestions for them? I don't know the area at all . . .
  • JahazaJahaza
    Posts: 468
    There appears to be an active music program at the local FSSP chaplaincy, though that may not be the kind of thing they're looking for.
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,390
    Kansas City, KS, is in Wyandotte County. By "SW suburb" Heath is probably referring to a number of cities in the county directly south of Wyandotte County, namely, Johnson County: Shawnee, Lenexa, Overland Park, Olathe, etc. The interstate highways make it easy to get almost anywhere in 20 minutes or less.

    The folks may wish to look into St. Michael the Archangel in Leawood. Dr. Kevin Vogt is music director there.

    My sister attends and sings in the choir at St. Joseph, Shawnee. The pastor is a trained organist and appreciates good music.

    Two parishes post their weekly music offering at the St. Louis University Center for Liturgy: Church of the Nativity, Leawood, KS; and Good Shepherd, Shawnee, KS. Check the website for more information: http://liturgy.slu.edu
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen irishtenor
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    Fr. Krisman's suggestions are all good; they could also make the drive to the Missouri side and go to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Lots of different ensembles there, but all are handled with quality, and there is a professional choir in residence that sings polyphony as well as a men's chant choir. There is a LOT of music at the cathedral. A parish choir which is auditioned and almost as good as the professional choir, a "fourth sunday choir" comprised of music directors that just come down, rehearse two choral pieces for an hour and a half, then sing them at mass ...

    Lots of mass times with lots of musical options and pretty much all of it is very good.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Heath
    Posts: 934
    Many thanks, all! I'll pass this along!
  • JaredOstermann
    Posts: 483
    "The parish" for music in suburban KC is St. Michael's in Leawood. Dr. Vogt has been building a comprehensive program there since its construction, including graded children's choirs, paid section leaders, etc. Their new (as of July) pastor I know personally, and he is very orthodox and an excellent homilist.

    As someone who lived and worked in the area for many years, I can't recommend any others. I will leave it at that, to keep this post positive (oh, the stories!). That said, there are a number of younger priests in the diocese who are gung-ho about good liturgy (most - if not all - of the new priests) and music (many of the young ones).

    Part of the weakness of KC is that Kansas City Missouri is the old urban core - lots of beautiful old churches, including the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. KC Kansas is almost entirely suburban, with very little in the way of architecture or historical community to inspire good liturgy and music.

    SO - I would head for St. Michael's. If your friends prefer to cross into the neighboring diocese, both the cathedral and the FSSP parish might be a good bet.
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