About Our Lady of Good Counsel · Kansas City, Missouri
Our Lady of Good Counsel is a Catholic parish located in Kansas City, Missouri, serving the historic Westport neighborhood. Designated in 2005 as the Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina Kowalska for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, the parish is known for its reverent celebration of the Mass with sacred music (incense, organ, choir), its prominent offering of the Sacrament of Confession, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy prayed after every Mass. Under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Andrew Mattingly, the parish describes itself as a fast-growing community that takes its Catholic faith seriously and joyfully, offering daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation, and a warm welcome to fallen-away Catholics and those inquiring about the Catholic faith.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- Our Lady of Good Counsel (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Andrew Mattingly
- Diocese
- Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Why belong here
Our Lady of Good Counsel is a fast-growing Catholic community in the heart of Kansas City's historic Westport neighborhood, continuing more than 150 years of Catholic life on the same ground since 1866. As the Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina, it offers daily Mass, ample Confession times, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, and a strong sacred-music program (incense, organ, cantor, and choir at Sunday Masses). The pastor welcomes new parishioners personally — registering involves a commitment to Sunday Mass, prayer, time/talent/treasure, and forming real relationships — making it an ideal fit for practicing Catholics, returning Catholics, and inquirers who want a serious but joyful parish family.
Mass times at Our Lady of Good Counsel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
- Extra confession times are often added for special occasions, during Advent, and especially during Lent — see the parish calendar.
Adoration times
- Monday – Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. (immediately before the noon Mass)
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. (immediately before the 9:00 a.m. Mass)
Welcome & Identity
Our Lady of Good Counsel parish is located in the heart of Kansas City's historic Westport district. The parish website describes the community as Catholic faithful who 'really, really loves Jesus Christ and His Church' — taking the Catholic faith seriously and joyfully at the same time. Whether visitors are practicing Catholics thinking of joining, fallen-away Catholics considering a return, or non-Catholics with questions about Catholicism, the pastor invites them to reach out directly.
- Parish pastor: Fr. Andrew Mattingly
- Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina Kowalska (since 2005)
- Chaplet of Divine Mercy prayed after every Mass
- Located in the Westport neighborhood of Kansas City
Parish History
The parish's history stretches back to 1866, when Fr. Bernard Donnelly constructed a log cabin church on the property the parish still occupies in Westport. The community was first listed in the Catholic Directory as 'Our Lady of Good Counsel' in 1889. As Westport grew, a larger church was needed: the cornerstone was laid in 1906, the building was dedicated about 18 months later at a cost of about $38,000, and the loan was paid in full by 1911 through the annual festivals of the ladies of the parish. The wood altar, Stations of the Cross, and statues from the 1866 log cabin were carried into the new church.
- 1866: Log cabin church built by Fr. Bernard Donnelly on present-day site
- 1874: Property nearly lost at sheriff's sale over mechanics' liens; church boarded up for some years
- 1889: First appearance of 'Our Lady of Good Counsel' in the Catholic Directory
- 1906: Cornerstone of the present church laid; dedication roughly 18 months later
- 1911: Construction loan paid in full via parish ladies' annual festival
- 1925–1939 (Pendergast era): Marble altar, stained glass windows, Mary and Joseph statues, and Stations of the Cross acquired
- 1935: Bishop commissions Dante Cosentino to paint frescoes; completed by 1940, lost by 1944 (likely due to roof leak)
- 2005: Designated the Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina Kowalska
- July 2, 2023: Bishop Johnston installs Fr. Andrew Mattingly as pastor
The Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy & St. Faustina
In 2005 the Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph designated Our Lady of Good Counsel as the Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina Kowalska. The shrine focuses on the devotion that began with the young Polish nun who received locutions and visions from Jesus, urging his people to: (1) ask for mercy, (2) show his mercy to others, and (3) trust in his mercy completely. The parish invites the faithful to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy following every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and as a shrine it is a place where many come to receive God's mercy in the Sacrament of Confession.
- Designated 2005
- Feast of St. Faustina / Divine Mercy Sunday celebrated with special liturgical schedule
- Confession offered before every Mass with extra times in Advent and Lent
- Rector: Fr. Andrew Mattingly
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Andrew Mattingly, who studied at Benedictine College, then Conception Seminary College, and later theology in Rome. He was installed as pastor on July 2, 2023. Fr. Mattingly is assisted by Deacon Ralph Wehner, who arrived in the diocese in 2009 to serve as Director of the Office of Worship and Master of Ceremonies, having been ordained to the permanent diaconate in 2006 by Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke.
- Fr. Andrew Mattingly — Pastor; Rector of the Diocesan Shrine
- Dcn. Ralph Wehner — Deacon (in the diocese since 2009)
- Andrija Andelic — Director of Sacred Music (Belgrade native; former Director of Music and Liturgy at Holy Family Parish, Pittsburgh)
- Hayley Shaver — Director of Faith Formation & Pastoral Assistant to the Pastor (formerly FOCUS missionary)
- Joe Ibarra — Office Manager / Director of Operations
- Katherine Stockard — Weddings, Baptisms, Funerals; Becoming Catholic intake
- Liam Connelly — Lead Sacristan; Head of Altar Servers
- Taylor Furrer — Scheduling for Fr. Mattingly
Sacred Music
Our Lady of Good Counsel maintains a high-quality sacred music program under Director of Sacred Music Andrija Andelic. Sunday Masses are sung with organ, cantor (8:30 a.m.), and choir (10:30 a.m.), with incense used at both liturgies. Andrija, a Serbian-born concert pianist and convert who previously served five and a half years at Holy Family Parish in Pittsburgh, brings a love of Gregorian chant and polyphony to the parish.
- Director of Sacred Music: Andrija Andelic
- Sunday 8:30 a.m. — incense, organ, cantor
- Sunday 10:30 a.m. — incense, organ, choir
- Sacred Music Recordings linked on the parish website
Faith Formation & Becoming Catholic
The parish offers Faith Formation for parishioners and the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for those inquiring about the Catholic faith. Hayley Shaver, a former FOCUS missionary and parishioner of Good Counsel, directs Faith Formation and serves as Pastoral Assistant to Fr. Mattingly. Those interested in becoming Catholic should contact Katherine Stockard.
- Director of Faith Formation: Hayley Shaver
- Becoming Catholic (OCIA): contact Katherine Stockard
- Altar Server program headed by Liam Connelly
Sacraments
Parishioners and visitors can arrange Baptism, Marriage, and Funeral liturgies through Katherine Stockard. The parish celebrates all of the usual sacraments of initiation and healing through its Mass and Confession schedule.
- Baptism — arrangements via Katherine Stockard
- Marriage / Weddings — arrangements via Katherine Stockard
- Funerals — arrangements via Katherine Stockard
- Confession — see regular schedule; extra times in Advent and Lent
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Mass (see schedule)
- OCIA — for adults seeking to become Catholic
Becoming a Parishioner
Registration at Our Lady of Good Counsel is a deliberate commitment to four things: Sunday Mass attendance, spiritual support (especially prayer for the pastor), material support (time, talent, and treasure through tithing), and building relationships with fellow parishioners. The parish explicitly says it is not interested in an 'anonymous parishioner' culture and wants to form a real family. Once you complete the online sign-up, Fr. Mattingly personally reaches out to welcome you.
- Sunday Mass attendance commitment
- Spiritual support — consistent prayer for the parish and pastor
- Material support — time, talent, and treasure
- Building relationships with other parishioners
- Fr. Mattingly contacts each new registrant personally
Contact & Visit
The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is closed on Mondays. Office hours are interrupted briefly during the noon Mass (11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. closure). Specific questions can be routed to individual staff members via the contact page.
- Address: 3934 Washington Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
- Parish office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed Monday)
- 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m.: office closed for noon Mass
- Scheduling with Fr. Mattingly: Taylor Furrer
- Becoming Catholic, Weddings, Baptisms, Funerals: Katherine Stockard
- Altar Servers: Liam Connelly
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Andrew MattinglyInstalled July 2, 2023 – present
Installed as pastor by Bishop Johnston at the 9:00am Mass on July 2, 2023; also serves as Rector of the Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina.