St. Catherine of Siena Church , 4101 E 105 Terr., closed its doors on April 29 after almost 100 years as a south Kansas City parish. After June 4th, the doors to its stored garage sale items in the former school building will also close for good.
Organizers are holding St. Catherine’s final garage sale on Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th from 8 am to 5 pm.
In each classroom are theme-related items, such as children’s clothing, toys, Christmas decorations, furniture, books, kitchenware, etc. “It’s all good stuff,” says David Burks, who helps with the garage sale.
St. Catherine’s was founded in 1925 in the middle of a cow pasture to serve the rural Hickman Mills and Grandview families. It started with 35 members that met in the home of founder Frank P Walsh, who lived at 108th and Grandview Rd. Confessions were heard in the dining room.
A church was erected in 1926. However, due to growth, the building would be remodeled and rebuilt several times, including a new hall and rectory in 1941, and a proper school for 80 children by 1948. In 1954, five acres were donated to build the school and athletic field on. More classrooms were added in 1958 and in 1964. In 1965, St. Catherine’s oversized parish was divided into three different parishes within its territory. These new parishes became St. John Francis Regis, St. Matthew the Apostle, and St. Thomas More Churches. Despite the reduction, the parish and school continued to grow and in 1974, a new church was built with seating capacity for 850 people. In 2007, the building was updated. And in 2009, the school was closed.
At its peek, St. Catherine’s reported 1,480 families. In 2020, St. Catherine’s had 325 registered families. Earlier this year, the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City chose to close St. Catherine’s, despite its long and loyal history.