A story of gratitude and leadership that has inspired a community.

Holy Trinity Parish | 2025 Deo Gratias Award for Distinguished Organization

Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa has long been known as a vibrant, faithful community. But in recent years, their foresight in legacy planning and stewardship has set them apart as a true model for the Archdiocese. With a forward-looking vision rooted in gratitude, they have made legacy giving a priority, and in doing so, they have helped parishioners see how their faith and values can endure far beyond their lifetimes.

At the heart of this effort is Holy Trinity’s Legacy Society, which brings together those who have chosen to include the parish or school in their estate plans. These members are celebrated not only for their generosity but for their witness, showing others what it means to plant seeds today that will grow and bear fruit for generations to come.

To sustain this momentum, Holy Trinity established a Planned Giving Committee in 2025. Through the vision of parishioners like Casey Connealy and John Caton, sustained by Fr. Mike Koller and Director of Stewardship and Development, Jackie Ehler, this group of dedicated parishioners has taken on the mission of guiding and nurturing the parish’s legacy culture. Their work, from hosting events like their annual Legacy Society appreciation mass and dinner to personal outreach, has ensured that planned giving remains a lived priority, not just a campaign.

Holy Trinity’s commitment is also reflected in their ambitious goals for parish endowments. These goals are not simply about building financial security; they are about securing the resources needed to carry the parish’s ministries, school, and outreach into the future. Specifically, a long-term goal of the parish is to grow their endowment large enough to fully fund tuition for every child who enters school at Holy Trinity, easing the financial burden on families who elect Catholic schooling at the parish for their children. With each new gift, they are ensuring that the Gospel will continue to be proclaimed and lived in Lenexa for decades to come.

The parish also regularly hosts gift planning workshops, giving families a welcoming place to learn about wills, trusts, charitable gift annuities, and other tools that align faith with financial planning. More than informational sessions, these workshops have become spaces for reflection, where parishioners talk about the blessings they’ve received and the legacy they wish to leave behind.

The story of Holy Trinity Parish is a story of gratitude — Deo Gratias, “Thanks be to God.” It is a story of parishioners who understand that their lives and blessings are gifts meant to be shared. And it is a story of leadership that has inspired a community to look beyond the present and invest in the future of the Church.