About Church of the Nativity · Leawood, Kansas
Church of the Nativity is a Roman Catholic parish in Leawood, Kansas, founded in 1986 and part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The parish community, currently serving more than 2,200 families, gathers at the corner of Mission Road and 119th Street — described by the parish as a 'city set on a hill that cannot be hidden' from the Gospel of Matthew. Worship is offered in English across a full daily and Sunday schedule, complemented by perpetual-style adoration from Monday morning through Friday morning and weekly confessions. The parish also operates Nativity Parish School (K-8) and a Christian Formation Office in the same campus complex.
- Established
- 1986
- Patron
- The Nativity of the Lord (Jesus)
- Rector
- Father Jerry (last name not specified on the public-facing pastor's-corner pages found)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
Church of the Nativity offers daily and Sunday Masses in English with a generous liturgical schedule (four Sunday Masses plus daily 6:45 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. Masses), Saturday confessions from 3:30–4:30 p.m., and Eucharistic Adoration that runs continuously from Monday at 9 a.m. through Friday at 6:30 a.m. — an unusually extensive period of exposition for a parish. The community is large and active (more than 2,200 families), with on-site Nativity Parish School (K-8), a Christian Formation office that includes Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, parish-school religious education, and sacramental preparation, plus a Music Director and a full Parish Life / outreach ministry program. The parish frames itself as 'a city set on a hill,' nourished by the Eucharist and sent out to serve — making it an especially welcoming fit for Catholic families looking for both daily sacramental life and a strong school community.
Mass times at Church of the Nativity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Adoration is Mondays at 9:00 a.m. through Fridays at 6:30 a.m. (i.e., continuous exposition from Monday morning to Friday morning each week)
Parish Identity and Mission
Church of the Nativity presents itself as a Roman Catholic parish family of more than 2,200 households in Leawood, Kansas, called to let 'the light of Christ shine in all we do.' The parish's self-description, drawn from Matthew's Gospel, frames the community as 'a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden,' nourished by the Eucharist, formed in the Catholic faith, and sent out to serve. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and is anchored on a single campus that includes the church, the parish school, and the Christian Formation office.
- Motto / image: 'a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden' (Matthew 5:14)
- Tagline: 'We are Nativity!'
- Community size: 2,200+ families
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
History and Founders
Nativity was founded in 1986 to serve the growing Catholic population of Leawood and south Johnson County. The parish's own Founders page records that the original community was assembled from 240 families of Cure of Ars Parish and 200 families of St. Thomas More Parish. The parish continues to invite those original founding members to identify themselves, indicating an ongoing commitment to honoring the parish's founding story nearly four decades on.
- Founded: 1986
- Origins: 240 families from Cure of Ars + 200 families from St. Thomas More
- Founders outreach form available on the parish website
Devotions and Other Services
The Rosary is prayed communally at the parish every day of the week, attached to specific Masses. Masses are also live-streamed through the parish's Online Events page for those unable to attend in person.
- Rosary before the 6:45 a.m. Mass (daily)
- Rosary after the 8:15 a.m. Mass (daily)
- Rosary before the 5:00 p.m. Saturday vigil Mass
- Rosary before the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass
- Live-streamed Masses via the parish Online Events page
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by a pastor referred to on the website as 'Fr. Jerry,' who authors the Pastor's Corner reflections (including recent writing on religious liberty, citing USCCB and FORMED.org resources). A permanent deacon, Deacon Jim Mullin, serves as Minister of Evangelization and is a visible presence on the Faith Formation pages. The broader parish staff includes a Director of Religious Education, a Coordinator of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Director of Communications, a Music Director, and school leadership.
- Pastor: Fr. Jerry (Pastor's Corner)
- Deacon Jim Mullin — Minister of Evangelization
- Catie Klocke — Director of Religious Education & Sacramental Preparation K-8
- Lynnette Rempel — Coordinator, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Dan Klocke — Music Director
- Connor Kmiecik — Director of Communications
Faith Formation and Christian Formation Office
Christian Formation at Nativity is centered at 3700 W. 119th Street and includes religious education and sacramental preparation for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade, as well as the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium program for younger children. Deacon Jim Mullin coordinates parish-wide evangelization efforts in support of this work.
- Director of Religious Education & Sacramental Preparation K-8: Catie Klocke
- Coordinator, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Lynnette Rempel
- Minister of Evangelization: Deacon Jim Mullin
- Phone: 913-338-4367
Nativity Parish School (K-8)
Nativity Parish School is the parish's own Catholic elementary school, sharing the 119th Street campus with the church and the Christian Formation office. The school is separately staffed and contacted through its own phone line, and the parish has recently posted for several school-support positions, indicating an active and growing operation.
- Address: 3700 W. 119th Street, Leawood, KS 66209
- Phone: 913-491-4330
- Fax: 913-338-2050
- Grades: K-8
Parish Life and Outreach
The parish's outreach page describes 'many ministries' that grow out of the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy, framing service as both a duty and a celebration of Catholic faith. Volunteers are invited to participate through the Parish Life / outreach channels, and the parish supports online giving as part of its stewardship infrastructure.
- Parish Life ministry opportunities listed on the Outreach page
- Quote featured: 'Faith in action is love, and love in action is service.' — St. (Blessed) Teresa of Calcutta
- Online Giving available through the parish website
Music and Liturgy
Music at Nativity is coordinated by Music Director Dan Klocke, and the parish has publicly posted for an Associate Director of Music, signaling continued investment in liturgical music for both the parish and school Masses.
- Music Director: Dan Klocke
- Associate Director of Music position posted (2025)
- Daily and Sunday Mass schedule provides a wide range of liturgical music contexts
Parish Contacts and Locations
Three physical addresses make up the parish footprint, all in Leawood. The main parish office is at the church on West 119th Street; the parish school and Christian Formation office are next door at 3700 W. 119th Street; and the rectory sits on Wenonga Lane.
- Parish Office / Church: 3800 W. 119th Street, Leawood, KS 66209 — 913-491-5017 (fax 913-491-5065)
- Parish School & Christian Formation: 3700 W. 119th Street, Leawood, KS 66209 — School 913-491-4330; Christian Formation 913-338-4367
- Rectory: 11901 Wenonga — 913-544-1356
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.kcnativity.org
Notable Moments in the Parish's Recent Life
In May 2025, Church of the Nativity hosted two of the largest liturgical moments in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas: the ordination of three new priests (Will Carey, Cesar Gomez, and Dan Mauro) by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann on May 24, and the installation of Archbishop Shawn McKnight as the new archbishop on May 27. Coverage in The Leaven Catholic Newspaper described the church, chapel, and overflow spaces as 'packed full' for the ordination, a reflection of the parish's stature within the archdiocese.
- May 24, 2025: Priestly ordination of Will Carey, Cesar Gomez, and Dan Mauro
- May 27, 2025: Installation of Archbishop Shawn McKnight at Nativity
- Coverage: The Leaven Catholic Newspaper