B.J. Atkinson Citizen

Recognition Award

On Oct. 2nd, Bishop James Vann Johnston, Jr., visited St. Therese to present B.J. Atkinson with the 2025 Missouri Conference Citizen Recognition Award for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. B.J. has been a beloved staff member and parishioner for many years. She presently serves as the parish Director of Emergency Assistance.

On behalf of the entire St. Therese church family, we congratulate her on receiving this coveted award. What a beautiful and well-deserved honor! B.J.’s faithful service, humble spirit, and unwavering commitment to our church and the wider community have not gone unnoticed.

Synodality At St. James: Real The

National Catholic Register Feature

“St. James Catholic Church, an urban parish in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood in Kansas City, is going full-throttle to put the principles of synodality into regular practice by emphasizing collective decision-making, dialogue and social justice activism. …The move comes in response to the Synod on Synodality, a four-year process initiated by Pope Francis aimed at making the Church more inclusive and participatory.”

Read the National Catholic Register article featuring Patrick Marrin, Synodal Parish Director at St. James Midtown in Kansas City, Missouri, who shared his insights on synodality and its implementation at St. James. Pat also recently discussed Synodality in the Catholic Church with Father Don Farnan in Episode #85 of the Upon This Rock Podcast.