Christ the King Independent Catholic Church, located in the Westside neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, embraces the principles of Catholicism while also welcoming LGBTQ+ individuals and divorced individuals from the local community.
Father Taylor Tracy established the church, although he is an ordained priest, the church is independent of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
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“We had absolutely nothing when we first met in the park during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he recalled. “I remember telling him that we didn’t even have a penny to our name.”
Father Taylor is an active member of the LGBTQ+ community, having personally experienced the journey himself. He first crossed paths with his husband during their high school years.
“He said that he couldn’t be here without him,” he expressed.
The church Taylor established in 2021 at the corner of Pennway and Jefferson Streets has seen significant growth, with a current congregation of 125 parishioners.
“We embrace individuals from all walks of life, including those in the LGBTQI+ community, as well as those who have experienced divorce or have felt excluded due to various reasons,” he expressed.
Theresa Magana, a lifelong Catholic, has an interesting journey when it comes to her marital status. She was once married by the courts, later got divorced, and then married a Baptist.
“I felt a sense of belonging even before I arrived,” she shared. “When I was attending my previous church, I no longer felt embraced or able to fully partake in the blessings, like receiving the Eucharist, ashes, or any other sacraments.”
Magana declares that Christ the King has become her lifelong church after attending mass there on Ash Wednesday in 2023.
“It’s such a wonderful feeling,” she expressed with a deep sense of peace. “I feel completely at ease now. If I were to pass away tomorrow, I would be okay with it. I didn’t have this assurance before; I used to worry about it.”
Jenri Conley, a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a devout Catholic, discovered Christ the King through online platforms. Her journey began when she met her fianceé while studying at Kansas State University.
Conley and her fiancé frequently made the trip from Manhattan to Kansas City to attend mass at Christ the King.
“I suppose I was simply in dire need of finding a place where I could practice my faith in a more genuine manner,” she expressed.
Father Taylor will be the one to officiate their wedding at Christ the King Independent Catholic Church.
Conley expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to have a space where she can celebrate her wedding ceremony in accordance with her cherished faith traditions. She often reflects on the blessings of having such a beautiful and meaningful venue.
My wife is catholic and her church here in the Philippines would not recognize these people as catholic. The catholic churches here are strict in there believef. This type of church in Kansas city would never be allowed to open in this country. I am an expat American from Missouri. I personally don’t have anything to do with gay and lesbian people. I was raised as a baptist. The Baptist church would condemn them as sinners against God.