National Inspirational Role Models Month: Congratulations B. J. Atkinson!

When: November

This National Inspirational Role Models Month, we’re highlighting one of our Life & Justice role models, recent Missouri Catholic Conference 2025 Citizen Recognition Award recipient B. J. Atkinson! B. J. has directed St. Therese’s Community Services program for decades, regularly meeting with those who are seeking assistance with a spirit of joyfulness. B. J. works with wisdom and charity in finding just how to meet the needs of the community. Please join us in congratulating her!

Upcoming Abortion Healing Retreats

Ready to embark on your journey of healing from past abortion(s)? Please consider the following:

Project Rachel: November 8, 2025

Contact: projectrachelkc@archkck.org, 913-621-2199

Not Alone Retreat (Found & Woven): November 14-16, 2025

Website: https://foundandwoven.com/services/not-alone-retreats/

Rosary for Immigrants

When: Thursday, November 13th, 12:00 p.m.

Where: Washington Square Park across from the immigration court, 2345 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108

Join a bi-state Rosary for Immigrants as we peacefully pray a multilingual rosary for the end to indiscriminate and inhumane deportations of non-violent migrants and refugees. The rosary will take place on Thursday, November 13^th, 12:00 p.m. at Washington Square Park. Signs will be provided. Please visit https://www.lifeandjusticekcsj.org/rosary-for-immigrants for more information.

Parking: Please use the ample street parking available on Grand Blvd. Meters are available along the street. Parking garages for Crown Center are located further south.

Abortions are happening in our diocese now...join Coalition Life Circle

When: Thursday, November 13th-Friday, November 21st, 8:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. each day (4 1-hour shifts)

Where: Planned Parenthood - Patty Brous Health Center, 1001 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, Suite 6, Kansas City, MO 64110

Coalition Life is hosting a new 9-day vigil in front of Planned Parenthood - Patty Brous Health Center. The Coalition Life Circle will be from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. November 13-21 in front of 1001 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, Suite 6, Kansas City, MO 64110. This is an opportunity to pray for life, witness, and evangelize by your presence. We are looking for local churches to sponsor one day of the Circle and commit to covering each of the 4 shifts that day. Please let us know if your church would like to sponsor one day. Feel free to pass this email along to anyone who you think might be interested in participating whether as an individual or church group.

Contact Chelsea Voboril for church/individual sign-ups or visit the button below to sign up directly.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

When: Monday, November 17th

St. Elizabeth of Hungary gained great notoriety of her generosity and devotion despite a short life of twenty-four years. Elizabeth was born of royalty and married into royalty, becoming the ancestress of future nobility. Her marriage was a happy one and she used her wealth for charitable works. However, at the young age of 20, her husband died of a fever, just weeks before the birth of their youngest child. Leaving her brother to assume the reign while her son was still too young to take over, she retired into a life of extreme piety and penance. We look to her for an example of charitable giving with the gifts God has given us to steward.

American Education Week

When: Monday, November 17th-Friday, November 21st

During American Education Week, we can celebrate our families, students, educators, substitutes, and support professionals!

Prayer: Take some time to learn about some saints who are patrons of teachers and students. Just a few include: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Albert the Great, St. Scholastica, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. John Neumann, and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.

Action: Help your local Catholic school thrive! Get engaged with our diocesan school social media @dkcsjschools and learn about all the great ways our schools are supporting our youth.

Almsgiving: The Bright Futures Fund provides a Catholic education for children in the urban core and facilitates the MOScholars program in our diocese. Visit and support them at https://www.brightfuturesfund.org. 

Feast of Christ the King (Sunday, November 23rd) and Religious Freedom

From the USCCB: “On the Last Sunday of each liturgical year, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, or Christ the King. Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925 with his encyclical Quas primas (“in the first”) to respond to growing secularism and atheism… Pope Pius XI’s encyclical gave Catholics hope and-while governments around them crumbled-the assurance that Christ the King shall reign forever…Today, religious freedom for many people means that we can believe whatever we want in private, but when we enter the public square or the marketplace, we may not speak of anything that relates to our faith. However, the Church acknowledges the reign of Christ, not only privately, but publicly. This solemnity encourages us to celebrate and live out our faith in public” (https://www.usccb.org/committees/religious-liberty/solemnity-christ-king-background). For more on resources for Religious Freedom and Conscience Protection, please visit https://www.lifeandjusticekcsj.org/religious-freedom-conscience-protection.

Human Rights Month

When: December

December marks Human Rights Month. We encourage parishes and schools to highlight topics such as:

Criminal and Restorative Justice

Death Penalty

Economic Justice

Education

Human Trafficking

Immigration & Refugees

Mental Health

Non-Violence

Racism

Religious Freedom & Conscience Protection

Stewardship of Creation & Rural Life

Find resources on all of these topics and more at https://www.lifeandjusticekcsj.org/

You can view the video above for a preview of Human Rights Month social media posts.

Life & Justice Grant Applications Due

When: Wednesday, December 31st

Is your non-profit or one you know starting a new project or expanding an existing project?

Does that project address public policy, education, empowerment, or pastoral care?

Do members of the community served by the non-profit have a majority voice in the project or build leadership skills?

Does the project directly address injustice toward the dignity of the person or the sanctity of human life?

Then your non-profit may be eligible for the 2025 Life & Justice Grant! Applications for the 2025 grant are due December 31st, 2024. Learn more and apply now at the button below.

National March for Life

When: January 23rd, 2026

Is your parish or school putting together a trip and want to open it up to others in the community to join? Contact us and we'll help spread the word!

Does your parish or school want to organize a trip but need organizational help and Washington D.C. information? Click the button below for help on planning your trip!