December 2023

Funeral Arrangements for Fr. Don Cullen

With a heavy heart, we announce the passing of Father Don Cullen. Father Cullen has served the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas since 1971. He was ordained that year at his home parish of Queen of the Holy Rosary in Overland Park. His service to the Archdiocese has taken him to nine of our parishes: Assumption Parish in Topeka (1971-1974), Saint Joseph Parish in Shawnee (1974-1978), Saint Paul’s in Olathe (1978-1979), Saint John’s in Lawrence (1979-1980), St. Patrick’s in Osage, Saint Patrick’s in Scranton, and Saint Francis of Assisi in Overbrook (1980-1986), and Saint Paul’s in Olathe (1986-1992). Father Cullen was Pastor at Saint Agnes from 1992 until 2005. From Saint Agnes, he took time off to care for his mother. In 2006, he returned to Queen of the Holy Rosary as Pastor and retired there in 2013. Father Cullen joined his fellow retired priests in retirement, helping out in our local parishes. He has been a lifelong friend and servant.  

Services for Father Cullen will be held at Curé of Ars with a rosary on Thursday, November 30 at 6 pm and Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, December 1 at 11 am with a reception to follow in the Parish Activity Center (PAC). For those unable to attend in person, the Mass will be available online at www.cureofars.com/watch-mass.

Holy Day Mass Schedules

Master Plan Survey Results

Thank you to the over 700 parishioners who completed our Campus Master Plan Survey or attended one of our in-person Town Hall meetings!

Survey Results (additional results available online at www.cureofars.com/building-report) 

Priorities identified through meetings & survey:

· Importance of maintaining existing facilities.

· Desire for additional meeting space & gathering space to support Campus needs.

· Importance of communication of process with Parish.

· Need to ensure facilities are accessible to all.

· Master Plan to improve site functionality (parking & outdoor spaces).

· Parish Staff needs functional Office Space.

Next Steps:

· Multistudio to Develop Design Solutions

· Evaluate and Revise Design Options with Curé of Ars

· December Building Committee Meeting

· January Building Committee Meeting 

Parish Penance Services in the Johnson County Region

Sunday, December 3

Curé of Ars 3:00 PM

Queen of the Holy Rosary, OP 3:00 PM

St. Agnes 3:00 PM

Monday, December 4

Holy Spirit 7:00 PM

Holy Trinity 7:00 PM

St. Michael 7:00 PM

Tuesday, December 5

Prince of Peace 7:00 PM

Ascension 7:00 PM

Good Shepherd 7:00 PM

Holy Cross 7:00 PM

Wednesday, December 6

Divine Mercy 7:00 PM

Sacred Heart 7:00 PM

St. Pius X 7:00 PM

Sunday, December 10

St. Ann 3:00 PM

John Paul II 3:00 PM

Nativity 7:00 PM 

Holy Hour at Curé of Ars

Holy Hour - Saturday, December 2

• 2:30 pm Exposition and Adoration; Silent Meditation
• 3:00 pm Rosary; Benediction; Closing
• Priests available to hear confessions from 2:30 – 3:30 pm
• Anointing of the Sick from 3:30 – 3:45 pm

Holy Hour - Tuesday, December 5

• 6:00 pm: Novena, Exposition, and Adoration; Silent Meditation
• 6:30 pm: Benediction; Closing

Novena and Rosary - Tuesdays, December 19 and 26

• 5:30 pm: Rosary
• 6:00 pm: Novena

School of Religion Nativity Play

Curé of Ars School of Religion invites you to enjoy a simple Christmas Nativity Play in the church on Sunday, December 3 at 5:30 pm.  

The 20-minute play is performed in the Church 

followed by refreshments and crafts for small children in the Father Burak Room.

Parish Office Hours for the Holidays

December 8 - Closed for the Holy Day

December 25 and 26 - Closed Christmas

December 27, 28, and 29 - Open from 8:30 am - Noon

January 1 - Closed for New Years

Curé of Ars BSA Troop 395 will be selling trash bags throughout the year. Bags are $13 per roll. Sizes available: white: 15-gal (65/roll); yellow: 39-gal (25/roll); blue: 55-gal (16/roll). We also have paper yard waste bags at $5 per pack of 5 bags or 3 packs of 5 bags for $12. Please support this fundraiser to support this parish youth leadership program. In addition, you may contact Connie Martin at 913.548.5327 or martinc1961@aol.com to make multiple roll purchases. We accept cash, checks, and credit cards. Free delivery within Curé of Ars Church boundaries. Pick up can also be arranged. 

Breakfast with St. Nick

Sunday, December 3rd

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Curé of Ars School Cafeteria



Admissions to the event will be free of charge with free will donations for breakfast encouraged! 

Bring the whole family to enjoy a pancake breakfast and visit Santa at this annual event sponsored by the MOYC and Knights of Columbus.

Children’s Christmas Day Mass

We will have our special Christmas morning Children’s Mass at 10:00 am. We invite all children, from preschool to grade 2, to participate as shepherds, sheep, and angels. Older grades are Joseph, Mary, and Angel of the Lord, or can sing in the youth choir (rehearsals required). The children will very simply participate in the Gospel reading with Fr. Storey. If your child would like to participate or if you have questions, please contact Ellen Tuttle at ellentuttle@cureofars.com or 913.521.9374.

Our Parish is required to pay for a subscription for each registered family, please prayerfully consider donating the $23 to cover the cost of your family's subscription.

Christmas Gift Card Collection 

This year, during the holiday season, Curé of Ars parishioners have the opportunity to bring some relief, joy, and Christmas celebration to qualifying families who have “graduated” from the Johnson County Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN)) Interfaith Homelessness Intervention Program. JoCo IHN’s program helps restore stability to motivated and capable "situationally homeless" families in Johnson County. The guests in this program meet stringent requirements, and the hard-working graduates are self-sufficient again within 3-6 months. Curé of Ars has supported this IHN program since its inception in 2003.



IHN is in need of $25.00 Gift Cards to Walmart and/or Target. Please consider purchasing one or more $25.00 Walmart or Target Gift Cards, and bringing them to our collection table, in the vestibule during Masses on December 2 and 3. We are also able to accept cash donations and checks to purchase gift cards to donate. The gift cards will help these families to purchase Christmas dinner and maybe a gift for their family.

Thank you for your compassion and generosity. For questions or more information please contact Jeanette Schneider at 785.214.1682 or Karen McNellis at 913.406.5779.

Guatemala Mission Shoe Collection

The shoe collection service opportunity was offered to our 8th graders to help Dr. Mike Kahler, a Curé parishioner, with his dental mission in Guatemala. Students gathered last month to give the shoes to Dr. Kahler and learn about his mission work. Dr. Kahler and his wife have been providing dental care at the mission with a team of dentists for 25 years, and they serve women and children who have suffered abuse and live in extreme poverty.

Our students provided over 75 pairs of shoes, learned about the mission, and wrote cards in Spanish to be delivered to the children in Guatemala. Dr. Kahler and his wife will take the shoes and cards on their next mission in January.

It was a wonderful gathering that grew our hearts for mission and united us in prayer with our brothers and sisters in Guatemala.

We plan to have Stephen Ministers available after all weekend Masses. If you would like to pray for yourself, your spouse, family member, friend, or co-worker who is experiencing a rough spot in life, Please stop by after Mass to experience God’s true love for you through prayer or a special blessing. During a time of need, or even a personal crisis, it can be so comforting to have someone to pray with you and for you. We will be located in the Chapel area in the North part of the church.  

Catholic Charities Monthly Food Drive

Our next Collection day is December 9-10!

Our most needed items:

• Tuna/Canned meat
• Canned Fruit (low sugar)
• Boxed Meals
• Peanut Butter
• Tomato/pasta Sauce (no glass)

Financial Donations

• If people would like to donate financially towards the food drive – they can do it online at: https://catholiccharitiesks.org/parish-food-drive-donation.  In the Parish Name drop-down they will need to select the name of your parish. 

• Parishioners can also donate by sending in a check or cash, please make sure to write Food Drive – Parish Name in the memo line and mail to: Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, 9720 West 87th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212. 

The Catholic Charities Food Truck will be available to place donations in after all Masses the weekend of the drive and from 1 - 3 pm on Sundays. 

Curé of Ars has served a meal every month to the hungry at St. Mary's Food Kitchen for over 30 years. This ministry is a great service to those in need and a great opportunity for Curé parishioners to come together as a community. Cure of Ars serves approximately 350+ people every third Monday of each month. We need your help.

Volunteers leave the church at 7:30 am on the third Monday of each month to serve lunch to the hungry in Kansas City, Kansas. Volunteers are also needed to provide food items such as taco meat, shredded cheese, baked goods, and fresh fruit.

How can you help? Please go online at https://cureofars.com/st-marys-food-kitchen to sign up to donate your food, water, time, and/or give a monetary donation.

For more information or questions contact Jacqueline Elbert at 816.520.3620 or smfoodkitchen@cureofars.com