Sacred Heart-Guadalupe

Parish History — From Two Communities to One

Sacred Heart-Guadalupe is the product of two distinct West Side stories that came together in 1991. Sacred Heart Parish was founded in 1887 by Irish Catholic immigrants who worked the railroads, farms, and meat-packing houses; they built their present limestone church in 1897. Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish was born in 1914 when two Mexican refugee priests, Fathers José Muñoz and Arilo Corbato, arrived in Kansas City fleeing the Mexican Revolution and were embraced by Sacred Heart parishioners and Bishop Thomas Lillis. When the Diocese consolidated the two parishes in 1990, the older Guadalupe church at 901 Cesar E. Chavez was preserved as a Shrine and the merged parish took the name Our Lady of Guadalupe before later becoming Sacred Heart-Guadalupe.

The 1897 Sacred Heart Church

The Sacred Heart building at 2544 Madison Avenue is the parish's principal worship and gathering space. Constructed in the English Romanesque style with ashlar limestone walls, a 90-foot bell tower on the southeast corner, a matching shorter tower opposite, and arched openings throughout, it has been in continuous use since 1897 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine

The former Our Lady of Guadalupe church at 901 Cesar E. Chavez Avenue is preserved as a Shrine and cared for by the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine Association, Inc. Inside are four stained-glass windows depicting the apparitions on the hill of Tepeyac and a central altar painting by a local artist. The Shrine represents both the devotion of Mexican Catholics to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the broader struggle of the Mexican people who came to Kansas City for work.

PROMESO — Preserving the Shrine

PROMESO (Promise) is the parish's capital campaign to restore the Shrine and establish it as a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel — the only one of its kind in the urban core of the Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph. Restoration will also allow weddings, quinceañeras, anniversaries, and baptisms to be celebrated there again.

Sacraments & Faith Formation

Director of Religious Education Ramona Arroyo coordinates the parish's sacramental preparation programs in both English and Spanish. Preparation timelines and registration forms are published on the parish website under 'Servicios / Services.'

• Baptism / Bautismo — pre-baptismal class every 3rd Wednesday at 6:00 PM
• First Reconciliation / First Communion — Fall registration
• Confirmation / Confirmación — 2-year preparation
• Marriage / Matrimonio — 12 months preparation
• RCIA / RICA — 1-year preparation
• Quinceañera — 1 year preparation

Parish Staff

The parish is led by Father Luis Felipe Suárez and supported by a small bilingual office and formation team.

• Rev. Luis Felipe Suárez — Pastor (ext. 23)
• Ramona Arroyo — Director of Religious Education (ext. 21)
• Araceli G. Bernardino — Administration (ext. 22)

Visiting & Contact

Parish offices at Sacred Heart are open Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. The parish can be reached by phone, fax, or email, and sacramental records and services appointments are handled through Ramona Arroyo.

• Office: 2544 Madison Ave., Kansas City, MO 64108
• Shrine: 901 Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Kansas City, MO 64108
• Phone: 816-842-6146 / Alt: 816-599-7242
• Fax: 816-394-9702
• Office hours: Mon–Fri 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM