About Holy Rosary · Kansas City, Missouri
Holy Rosary Catholic Church is a Scalabrinian-staffed parish in the Columbus Park neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, founded in 1891 to serve Italian immigrants settling on the city's North Side. Located at 911 E. Missouri Avenue, the parish has been served continuously by the Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians) since its founding, and since 2004 has ministered bilingually to a thriving Vietnamese Catholic community alongside its historic Italian roots. The 1903 Gothic Revival church — a contributing property of the Holy Rosary Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 — is known for its stained glass, marble altars, and 27 devotional statues, and remains a spiritual center for multi-generational Kansas City families as well as newer migrants.
- Established
- 1891
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (also celebrates Our Lady of La Vang, Our Lady of the Audience, and St. Joseph annually)
- Rector
- Fr. Sau Nguyen Van, CS (Administrator, Missionaries of St. Charles / Scalabrinian)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Why belong here
Holy Rosary is one of Kansas City's most historic Catholic parishes, with a 130+ year Scalabrinian mission to migrants that today welcomes Italians, Vietnamese, Hispanics, and families of every background. Parishioners find a richly decorated Gothic Revival church, bilingual English/Vietnamese liturgy with a 7:00 PM Vietnamese Saturday Mass, weekday Mass in the chapel, First Friday Adoration, a robust Religious Education program (First Communion, Confirmation, RCIA), and signature annual celebrations like the St. Joseph Table, Our Lady of the Audience, Our Lady of La Vang, and the Feast of the Holy Rosary. It is the living heart of the historic Columbus Park 'Little Italy' neighborhood.
Mass times at Holy Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM
- By appointment at any time (call the parish office: 816-842-5440)
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month — Adoration 5:00 PM, followed by Mass at 6:00 PM
Our Story & Scalabrinian Heritage
Holy Rosary was founded in 1891 by the Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians) — a congregation founded in Piacenza, Italy in 1887 by Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini (later Bishop of Piacenza) specifically to minister to Italian migrants in the New World. Fr. Ferdinando Santipolo was sent to gather the Italian immigrants settling on Kansas City's North Side into a parish where they could hear confessions, weddings, funerals, and sermons in their native language. The parish has been Scalabrinian-staffed without interruption ever since; Bishop Scalabrini himself visited in 1903. Between 1950 and 1960 the parish expanded its welcome to all nationalities, in line with the Scalabrinian charism that today reaches migrants, seafarers, refugees, and displaced persons worldwide.
- Founded 1891 by Fr. Ferdinando Santipolo, CS
- Scalabrinian-staffed continuously since founding
- Bishop Scalabrini visited the parish in 1903
- Multicultural expansion in the 1950s–60s
- Vietnamese Catholic community integrated from 1981 onward
The Church Building & Columbus Park
The present Holy Rosary church stands on the southeast corner of Missouri Avenue and Campbell Street in Columbus Park, the neighborhood once known as 'Little Italy.' The building is a Gothic Revival church completed in 1903 after the previous sanctuary was destroyed by fire on Easter Sunday 1903 — only the altar to St. Anthony of Padua survived. Its exterior features include three pointed arch entrances with arcades above, circular trefoil niches around a central statue niche, and an arcaded bell and clock tower. The interior features colorful stained glass, marble altars, memorial plaques, and 27 devotional statues. The church is a contributing property of the Holy Rosary Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
- Style: Gothic Revival
- Built 1903 after the earlier church burned
- Three pointed-arch entrances with arcades
- Arcaded bell and clock tower
- Stained glass, marble altars, 27 statues, memorial plaques
- Holy Rosary Historic District — listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 2007
Vietnamese Catholic Community
Holy Rosary has hosted a Vietnamese Catholic presence since 1981, when a Vietnamese priest took up residence in the rectory and ministered to the local community. In June 1991 the Diocese established a separate Vietnamese parish and the priest became its founding pastor. Vietnamese faithful, however, continued to worship at Holy Rosary; since the 2004 Advent season, the Gospel has been proclaimed in Vietnamese at weekend Masses and bilingual weekday Masses, the parish bulletin carries a Vietnamese section, and the parish celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of La Vang every August.
- Saturday 7:00 PM Vietnamese Mass
- Vietnamese Gospel at Sunday Masses
- Vietnamese-language section in weekly bulletin
- Annual Feast of Our Lady of La Vang in August
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Rosary's Religious Education Program, coordinated by Julie Copenhaver, prepares children for First Communion and Confirmation and runs the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults seeking to enter the Church. Classes for the 2024–2025 year began September 10, with registration open through September 24. The program is reachable through the parish office at 816-842-5440 or by contacting Julie Copenhaver directly at 913-373-1706.
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Coordinator: Julie Copenhaver, 913-373-1706
Sacraments
The parish celebrates Baptism (by appointment), First Communion (through the Religious Education Program), Confirmation (through the Religious Education Program), Marriage (with at least nine months' notice to the parish office), and the RCIA for adults. For Baptism, families should bring the birth certificate, complete names of the Godparents with their sacramental certificates, and a completed registration form.
- Baptism — by appointment
- First Communion & Confirmation — via Religious Education
- Marriage — 9 months' notice required
- RCIA — registration each fall
Hispanic Ministry
Holy Rosary hosts an active Hispanic Ministry directed from within the parish residence by Fr. Gianantonio Baggio, CS, who serves the broader Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas in this role. The ministry extends the Scalabrinian mission to Kansas City's Spanish-speaking Catholic community.
- Director: Fr. Gianantonio Baggio, CS
- Reachable through the parish office (816-842-5440)
- Ministry of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas
Annual Parish Celebrations
Each year Holy Rosary gathers around several signature feasts that reflect both its Italian-American heritage and its Vietnamese Catholic community.
- St. Joseph Table — March 18 & 19
- Our Lady of the Audience — May
- Our Lady of La Vang — August
- Feast of the Holy Rosary — early October (October 7)
Parish Office & Contact
The parish office is located at 911 E. Missouri Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64106, with phone (816) 842-5440, fax (816) 474-3806, and email [email protected]. Office hours are Monday 9:00 AM–1:00 PM and Tuesday through Friday 11:00 AM–3:00 PM.
- Address: 911 E. Missouri Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64106
- Phone: (816) 842-5440
- Fax: (816) 474-3806
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon 9:00 AM–1:00 PM; Tue–Fri 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Scalabrinian clergy and supported by a small staff of religious and lay ministers.
- Fr. Sau Nguyen Van, CS — Administrator
- Fr. Gianantonio Baggio, CS — In-Residence; Director of Hispanic Ministry (Archdiocese of KCK)
- Sandy Medina — Secretary
- Sr. Anita Helgenberger, OSB — Accountant / Bookkeeper
- Julie Copenhaver — Religious Education
- Hung Bui — Maintenance
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Ferdinando Santipolo, CS1890–founding era
Scalabrinian founder of the parish, sent from Italy to minister to Italian immigrants; parish gathered 1890, formally founded 1891.
- Fr. Luigi Franchinotti1921–1942
Long-tenured pastor; oversaw the 1941 opening of the Don Bosco Community Center and a period of clerical stability documented in the parish's archival records.
- Fr. Luigi Donanzansucceeded Franchinotti (post-1942)
Assistant and successor to Fr. Franchinotti.
- Vietnamese priest (unnamed in parish records)1981–1991
Lived at the rectory and provided all religious and pastoral services to the Vietnamese community; in June 1991 the diocese made him pastor of the newly established Vietnamese parish.
- Fr. Abner Ables, CSearlier 2010s
Listed as Pastor in a past parish bulletin (via readkong).
- Fr. Sau Nguyen Van, CScurrent
Current Administrator.