About St. John the Evangelist (Our Lady of Unity) · Kansas City, Kansas
Our Lady of Unity is a consolidated Catholic parish in Kansas City, Kansas, formed in 2007 from the merger of two historic parishes: St. John the Evangelist (founded 1884 in Argentine, KS) and Sacred Heart (founded 1912 to serve Belgian farm families). The parish is bilingual, offering Mass and ministries in both English and Spanish across two worship sites — Sacred Heart Church (2646 S. 34th St.) and St. John the Evangelist Church (2910 Strong Ave.) — and operates Our Lady of Unity Catholic School, a PreK–8 elementary school recognized in 2025 as the Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann CEF School of Excellence. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and serves one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the archdiocese.
- Established
- 2007 (consolidated; Sacred Heart 1912, St. John the Evangelist 1884)
- Patron
- Our Lady of Unity (parish name); underlying churches are dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Oswaldo Sandoval (current pastor as of January 2026; also Episcopal Vicar for Hispanic Ministry for the archdiocese)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
Our Lady of Unity is one of the most intentionally bilingual Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish at two historic worship sites — St. John the Evangelist (2910 Strong Ave.) and Sacred Heart (2646 S. 34th St.). The parish runs a thriving PreK–8 Catholic school (Our Lady of Unity School), a Hispanic ministry under its own vicar, and a sacramental life that includes daily Mass, First-Saturday devotions, and regular confession. For a Catholic family looking for a parish that welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking worshippers and that anchors Catholic education in the Argentine/Rosedale neighborhoods of KCK, Our Lady of Unity offers a deep, multi-generational community.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist (Our Lady of Unity)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday before each Mass (8:00 AM and 4:00 PM Spanish Masses)
- Tuesday–Thursday: 6:00 PM (Spanish, at San Juan Evangelista)
Adoration times
- Available at the parish — see olukck.org schedule for current hours
History of Our Lady of Unity
Our Lady of Unity is the product of the 2007 consolidation of St. John the Evangelist and Sacred Heart parishes in Kansas City, Kansas. St. John the Evangelist was founded in 1884 when Bishop Louis Fink asked Father Thomas Moore to establish a mission in Argentine, Kansas, for Catholics drawn there by the silver smelter plant. Father Lacher arrived in 1886 as the first resident pastor and built the first church, which was destroyed in the 1903 flood; a new stone church — quarried from the hills near Argentine — was dedicated in September 1907, and was restored again after the 1951 flood damaged the interior.
- St. John the Evangelist founded 1884
- Sacred Heart Parish founded 1912
- Schools consolidated into Our Lady of Unity School in 1973
- Parishes consolidated into Our Lady of Unity Parish in 2007
- 15-year consolidation anniversary celebrated in 2022
Sacred Heart Parish (1912)
Sacred Heart was founded in 1912 to serve the Belgian — mostly Flemish — farm families who had settled in the area around the turn of the century. Father William DeBoeck (Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Louvain, Belgium) bicycled the countryside and found Belgian families in Kinney Heights (30), Lenexa (33), Argentine (21), Merriam (12), Armourdale (8) and Rosedale (3). Edward Lust donated a lot on the west side of Argentine Road (now 34th Street), where the first church was quickly built. The present Sacred Heart church was erected in 1954 under Monsignor Louis S. Hauber, with the rectory and convent added in 1962.
- Founded 1912
- Father William DeBoeck, founder
- Present church built 1954
- Rectory and convent built 1962
Our Lady of Unity Catholic School
Our Lady of Unity Catholic School is a PreK–8 elementary school located on the Sacred Heart campus at 2646 S. 34th Street, Kansas City, KS. Its roots stretch back to September 1912, when two Benedictine sisters opened a school to 45 students at Sacred Heart; the present school building was completed in 1951. In 1973, the Sacred Heart and St. John the Evangelist elementary schools were consolidated and renamed Our Lady of Unity School, decades before the parishes themselves merged in 2007. The current principal is Cally Dahlstrom.
- Grades: PreK–8
- Address: 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, KS 66106
- Phone: 913-262-7022
- Member, National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
- Named 2025 Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann CEF School of Excellence
Worship Sites & Facilities
The parish operates two historic worship sites in the Argentine/Rosedale neighborhoods of Kansas City, Kansas. The parish main office is at St. John the Evangelist (2910 Strong Avenue), while Sacred Heart Church and the school share the campus at 2646 S. 34th Street. Both churches are bilingual and serve the surrounding KCK community.
- St. John the Evangelist (San Juan Evangelista) — 2910 Strong Ave., 66106
- Sacred Heart (Sagrado Corazón) — 2646 S. 34th St., 66106
- Our Lady of Unity School — 2646 S. 34th St., 66106
Clergy & Staff
Our Lady of Unity is led by Father Oswaldo Sandoval, who serves as pastor while simultaneously serving as Episcopal Vicar for Hispanic Ministry for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Father Hernan Pinzon serves as Parochial Vicar, with Father Wilson Garnica also assigned as Parochial Vicar.
- Rev. Oswaldo Sandoval — Pastor & Episcopal Vicar for Hispanic Ministry
- Rev. Hernan Pinzon — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Wilson Garnica — Parochial Vicar
Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano
Our Lady of Unity is one of the archdiocese's principal Hispanic-ministry parishes, identified by the archdiocese as 'San Juan Evangelista – Our Lady of Unity.' The parish offers three Sunday Masses in Spanish, a daily 6:00 PM Spanish Mass Tuesday and Thursday, monthly First-Saturday Rosary and Mass, and ongoing Hispanic sacramental preparation. The parish's bilingual character is central to its identity, and its pastor has been tasked with integrating Hispanic ministry across the wider archdiocese.
- Sunday Spanish Masses at 8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM
- Weeknight Spanish Masses Tue/Thu at 6:00 PM
- First-Saturday Rosary + Mass (Spanish)
Jubilee Year 2025 Pilgrimage Site
As one of the churches in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas dedicated under the patronage of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the parish's Sacred Heart church (2646 S. 34th St.) was designated a 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope pilgrimage site. Pilgrims can earn a plenary indulgence by making a pious visit there, alongside the Cathedral of St. Peter.
- Designated Sacred Heart of Jesus Jubilee pilgrimage site
- Pilgrims welcome to plan a pious visit
- Contact the parish in advance for Mass, adoration and confession times
Contact & Office Hours
The parish office can be reached by phone at 913-677-4621 (fax 913-677-4625). Office hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 AM–3:00 PM and Wednesday and Friday 9:00 AM–1:00 PM. Email: [email protected].
- Phone: 913-677-4621
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon/Tue/Thu 9–3; Wed/Fri 9–1
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Kent O'Connor2009–2018
Served as pastor of Our Lady of Unity after the 2007 consolidation; previously pastor at Sacred Heart, Sabetha, and associate at Curé of Ars, Leawood; now pastor of Good Shepherd, Shawnee.
- Rev. Oswaldo Sandoval2018–2026
Born in El Salvador; ordained May 2012 at the Cathedral of St. Peter; also named Episcopal Vicar for Hispanic Ministry effective January 1; slated to move to archdiocesan residence effective August 1, 2026.