As Pastor I want to welcome you to the website of our parish of St. Gabriel Archangel in Kansas City, Missouri.  I, along with the people of our parish and our pastoral staff hope that this first encounter with our parish may be one that will further your inquiry into our community.We are a community of 900 families in southeastern Clay County.  St. Gabriel’s was first established in 1956 and over the years has grown to become a solid part of this neighborhood.  We established a parish school early on and later added an Early Childhood Learning Center.  Both continue today offering good, solid Catholic education to families across our area.  We are very proud of our school and learning center.  Our slogan has become, “St. Gabriel’s –where everyone knows your name.”  I hope you will drop by sometime and meet our great staff and tour our facilities.

If you come to Mass here on the weekend you will discover a committed group of parishioners who faithfully pray for the needs of all.  We pray for the poor and lost.  We welcome the stranger and help comfort the grieving.  We do our best to be Christ for others.  Come and share the Eucharist with a simple community that wants to know Christ better and serve His people as best we can.

We all have a place here at St. Gabriel’s.  I could not welcome you to our website without letting you know that our teens are a big part of our life.  Each Sunday evening we have a very uplifting and spiritual Mass at 6pm.  Many young people from around the area have been drawn here for companionship with our  Lord and with one another.  Following Mass they stay for a teaching and fellowship.  They are great at working so much in our parish and beyond.  They impress so many who come through our doors.  We are so proud that they have found a home< .

So thank you for looking at St. Gabriel’s.  I hope our website (which is a work in progress) will give you some initial information about our community.  But let me be the first to invite you here to discover a great little parish , “where everyone knows your name.”

Mary!  Rabunni!  She knew Him in a word.  She recognized His voice.  He saw her again and called her forth to be the first disciple.  Imagine the power of recognition in our lives.  When we haven’t seen someone for a long time and they remember us, it feels that the connection has always been there.  When old friends pick up exactly as they left off the last time they were together, it solidifies the friendship.  When God calls our name and speaks the words that remind us that We are His, we know we belong to one another.  Easter is all about relationships that do not end.  Our God is faithful.  Our God is loving.  Our God is forgiving.  And our God will never end.  He has conquered sin and death and has given us hope.  Throughout this holy season live with the voice of God calling YOUR name to holiness, life and service to the needs of others.

Darkness.  Prophets.  Candles.  Anticipation.  What are you expecting to find?  What are you looking for in the darkness of this night?  Maybe it’s a new life that you’ve been looking forward to for a number of years.  Maybe its the result of the grace of God in conversion during this season of Lent just passed.  Maybe you just want to see in front of your face a new person who has been changed by God.  Whatever it is that you are seeking this holy night, be open to the power of God  to direct you to a proper place.  Be open to the power of God to bring light into your heart.  Be open to the Word of God to move you to be prophetic.  Be open to the soothing balm of oil that will heal you and enable you to be a healer as well.  Be open to the nourishing Eucharist that feeds your soul and sends you forth to feed others.  Be open to the call of THIS COMMUNITY  to send you forth to proclaim that Christ has indeed risen!