Holy Rosary
Catholic Church
Served by the Scalabrinian
missionaries since 1890
911 E. Missouri Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri
This history was published in the Silver Jubilee souvenir booklet in 1920. No author was given. Thanks to Josephine Passantino of the parish for allowing us to transcribe her copy of the booklet.
Download and view the complete Silver Jubilee booklet(pdf/Acrobat format, 2.4MB. Opens in new browser window. The Acrobat Reader/Adobe Reader is a free download. Opens in a new browser window.)
History of the Holy Rosary Parish from the Silver Jubilee booklet
The Holy Rosary Church for Italians was established in Kansas City, Mo., in 1890. Prior to this time St. Patrick Church at 8th and Cherry Streets was the church attended by the Italians.
Father Ferdinando Santipolo, (photo below) a member of the Society Pro Italis Immigratis, found by Monsignor Giovanni Scalabrini, was the priest to to whom the Italians of Kansas City owe their church. 
The first location of the church was near Fifth Street and Forest Avenue. Rt. Rev. Bishop J.J. Hogan gave the vestments, chalice, and funds to the first priest to start his work among the Italians.
After a month or the church was moved to larger quarters on Independence Avenue, between Cherry and Locust Streets. It was again moved, after three or four months to a location on Fifth between Cherry and Holmes, and there the services were held for four years.
In 1895 the congregation bought the present site, at the southeast corner of Missouri Avenue and Campbell Street, a lot 50x142, the price of which was $2,500. Father Santipolo paid $250.00 personally and $183.00 was collected from the people. The good Irish people of the neighborhood came often to the help of the struggling church.
The lot was paid for and a building at a cost of $5,000.00 was erected. When completed the incumbrance was $2,000. Monsignor J.J. Hogan blessed the corner stone, and the present Archbishop of St. Louis, J.J. Glennon, then in Kansas City, preached the dedicatory sermon.
Farther Santipolo left Kansas City in 1897, and his successor was Father Cesare Spigardi, who immediately took steps to better the building. He did away with the flat roof, raised the walls and made the building look more like a church.
In 1899 Farther Spigardi was called to St. Louis, and Father Pietro Lotti had charge of the parish till November, 1901, when Father Charles Delbecchi was sent by Monsignor Scalabrini.
On April 12, 1903, Easter Sunday at one o'clock in the morning the church was completely destroyed by fire, and although it was the year of the disastrous flood, a new building, the present church, was dedicated on December 20, the same year, the blessing given by Monsignor Hogan, assisted by then Father Thomas Lillis.
The cost of the building was $15,000.00. The mortgage at this time was $10,000.00. This was gradually reduced.
Father Delbecchi was pastor for 17 years. In December 1918, he was succeeded by Father Raphael D'Alfonso who was pastor for one year. In this short time he reorganized morally and financially the affairs of the church and school. He was the first pastor to start the monthly collection which with the small sum paid by the pupils maintained the school. He also improved the surroundings of the school and paid $2,000.00 incumbrance.
In February, 1920, Father Propero Angeli, the present pastor, (photo below) was sent here and continues the good work.
The Italians in Kansas City came from nearly every province of Italy; this accounts for the many statues and devotions in the church, as each tries to follow the traditions and customs of the their native city. Father Prospero has succeeded in making them realize that such customs, for instance the placing of all statues on or around the main altar tend to detract from the beauty of the sanctuary. He did away with all superfluous ornaments, niches and candelabra. The church at present is free of all incumbrance—the last $1,000.00 was paid by the present pastor.
In the past three months, improvements costing $5,500 have been made on the interior. The statues have each been placed on ornamental brackets around the walls of the church. This, with the decorating, gives it a more artistic appearance.
There has been organized a Choir Club, and with the help of the Amberg Club, summer school was held and we now have sewing classes and a clinic.
Connected with the church are twelve Catholic organizations of men and women, bearing the names of patron Saints, also the Children of Mary Sodality, the boys' Holy Name Society, also Committees of Immaculate Conception and Mother of Sorrows, and the Benevolent Club, recently organized. The object of the first mentioned is to give each member a Christian burial. They have at different times when called on, helped the church. The Children of Mary and Holy Name Society are organized principally to go to Communion in a body on the Sundays appointed and to help the Church.
For some time there has been felt the need of an organization to combat the work of certain institutions which work under cover of philanthropy but whose objects are to draw the people form their church. In September this year Father Prospero appealed to the women of the parish and also those who now reside in other parishes. The Benevolent Club was organized. Their object is to promote acquaintance, sisterhood and benevolence generally, creating high principles and promoting the welfare of the colony. By assisting in the education of religious, moral and intellectual matters, and promoting a sentiment of civic pride, they hope, with the cooperation of other Catholic organizations to overcome the undesirable efforts of those who have no sympathy with Catholic practice.
Among the distinguished visitors who came to the church were Cardinal Satolli in 1896, Monsignor Scalabrini in 1901 and Monsignor Diomede Falconio in 1912.
Although many Italians reside in other parishes they still cling to the Holy Rosary Church and look upon it as their parish church.
This history was published in the Silver Jubilee souvenir booklet in 1920. No author was given. Thanks to Josephine Passantino of the parish for allowing us to transcribe her copy of the booklet.
Download and view the complete Silver Jubilee booklet(pdf/Acrobat format, 2.4MB. Opens in new browser window. The Acrobat Reader/Adobe Reader is a free download. Opens in a new browser window.)
You may also be interested in a history of the Holy Rosary School from the Silver Jubilee booklet.