Today we celebrate the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. I always enjoy celebrating this special feast day — it is a much needed reminder of the most wonderful gift Christ gives us in his Mother, who cares for us deeply, nurtures us and intercedes for us.

Joyous Pentecost to all! While on pilgrimage last month, I celebrated Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, which houses the elaborate and elegant Chair of St. Peter (pictured here). This beautiful sculpture, and all of the artwork in the basilica, communicates an important

As we begin a process of prayerful discernment in the archdiocese, I invite the faithful to join me in taking the words of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, to heart: “Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united Church, a sign of unity and

What a great joy it was to concelebrate the 50th Wedding Anniversary Mass at the Church of the Nativity with Archbishop Emeritus Naumann, and to honor the extraordinary witness of couples who have lived their marriage vows for five decades.

Earlier today, I had the honor of taking possession of the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, a moment of great significance for our local Church. May we all be renewed in grace, opening wide the doors of our hearts, homes, and parishes to the transforming love of Christ.

Christ our Savior has ascended to the Father and sits at his right hand, interceding for us always. May our celebration of the Ascension be a reminder that we “do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in

I am deeply grateful to everyone who participated in the Fresh Start Food Drive with Catholic Charities. Because of your generosity, many will receive not only the nourishment they need, but also the hope that reminds them they are not alone or forgotten.

On this Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I invite you to take a moment to prayerfully offer up a problem that seems difficult or impossible to resolve. Remember, Mary was a virgin and Elizabeth was barren. We all confront seemingly insurmountable problems in

What an extraordinary blessing to celebrate the 31st anniversary of my priestly ordination on my first day of ministry here in the Archdiocese of Kansas City. On my ordination day, I could never have imagined all of the incredible relationships I would develop and the countless

I am filled with great joy and gratitude as I begin my service to you, the people of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Today, we begin our journey together, in service to God, as we live out our mission of growing as disciples of Jesus and making disciples for Jesus.

On the eve of tomorrow’s installation, I united in prayer with the priests of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, joined by cardinals, several of my brother bishops, out of town guests and people of the cathedral parish. During this time of prayer, I took the Oath of

As I prepare to be installed as the fifth archbishop of Kansas City, KS this week, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to God for the many communities that have formed me and supported me throughout my life. In this time of transition, may God bless the faithful of the

Thanks be to God! What a beautiful Mass of Thanksgiving, and a joyful privilege to celebrate my last week in the Diocese of Jefferson City with all of you. I am filled with gratitude for each one of you. It has been a privilege to pray with you, walk alongside you, and witness

Congratulations to the newly confirmed of Immaculate Conception Parish in Brookfield! What a bittersweet moment it was to celebrate my last Confirmation in the Diocese of Jefferson City yesterday. Confirmations have always been one of my favorite duties as Bishop of Jefferson

Today, I had the great privilege of rededicating Holy Rosary Parish in Monroe City after substantial renovations this past year. This parish had its beginnings in the 1880s and continues to be a thriving spiritual home for the faithful. Thank you all for sharing this wonderful

What a blessing to celebrate our final pilgrimage Mass at St. John Lateran — the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Leo XIV. As a group, we offered prayers for our new Holy Father and shared heartfelt gratitude for the unending blessings we’ve received on this trip. We are so

Today, our pilgrimage group celebrated Mass in Santa Croce, a beautiful gothic church that houses the tombs of famous artists and scientists such as Michelangelo and Galileo. I wanted to share some wonderful thoughts from our pilgrims as we reflected on those who have greatly

Every day of this pilgrimage, we’ve prayed the Rosary with a special intention in mind. On this Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima, we were blessed to celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of Florence — St. Mary of the Flower — and lift up our loved ones back home in prayer.

Today, we received a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a very devoted and inspirational teenager who will soon be the Church’s first millennial saint. Our pilgrimage group will bring this relic back to the Diocese of Jefferson City to be placed in our Columbia Newman Center. Carlo’s

Happy Mother’s Day from Siena! With hearts full of gratitude, we pray for our mothers and all mothers around the world.