Who are we?

The word “parish” derives from the Greek, paroikia, which in the early church meant a pilgrim people, a people whose real country and citizenry is in heaven.  St. Peter says, “we are living stones built up into an edifice of spirit,” a network of relationships united in a tapestry of prayer.

Holy Cross is parish to 1,276 households, approximately 3,850 individuals.  We represent various age groups.  Take a look around any Sunday congregation and you will see that we are a delightful blend of backgrounds and cultures.  We represent different kinds of families, including those newly married, families with two parents, and families with one parent at home.  We are single, widowed and divorced. We are blended families, and we live as extended families.  Some of us are wealthy.  Some of us are struggling to afford the basics for our family.  We attend Catholic schools, public schools, and home schools.  We are traditional and progressive, mystical and pentecostal.  We possess varying gifts and talents and physical abilities and orientations in life.  Some of us are new to the church, while others of us have been a part of the Catholic community all our lives.

Our geographic parish is bounded by 83rd street on the north, 119th Street on the south, Lamar on the east, and Antioch/Grant on the west.  We also have a number of parishioners who live elsewhere.  The number of households in our area is holding steady.  Families make up 60% of households, while the other 39% are unmarried adults.  Renters occupy 40% of our neighborhood’s total dwelling units.  The income of the households residing within parish boundaries is estimated to total $856 million.  The median age of our area is 38.3 years

Here are a few highlights of our parish history:

• 1968 - Parish established. Sunday Masses celebrated at the Glenwood Theater.
• 1970 - Archbishop Strecker approves the church building plans.
• 1971 - We adopt Fr. Mark Tillia, a missionary in Brazil, vowing to support him with prayers and money. We're still helping him.
• 1972 - The new church is completed, and we say "goodbye" to those wonderful seats at "St. Glenwood".
• 1974 - The rectory is completed, and the priests move in.
• 1986 - We buy the former Valley View School from the Shawnee Mission School District and open in the fall with 179 students.
• 1990 - We begin our annual parish festival in September.
• 1993 - We celebrate our 25th anniversary as a parish.
• 1998 - Two major renewal efforts are launched. Our Faith Response Capital Campaign to address our physical needs and RENEW 2000 to address our spiritual needs.
• 2000 - In November, Fr. Mark celebrates our first parish mass in Spanish.
• 2001 - Small Christian Communities become a regular part of our parish life.
• 2022 - From July to December Fr. Oswaldo and Fr. Abner Pastor in Solidum
• 2023 - Effective January 14, Fr. Abner became first Scalabrinian Pastor.  The installation of the Pastor was celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann 
• 2024 - Parish Festival with different ethnic group was celebrated