THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 48, NO. 1 | JULY 10, 2026
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
The new Parish Evangelization Service Department will serve parishes to help them accomplish their goals. They are, from left: Josh Ruoff, Michael Podrebarac, Mark Blaise, Karla Melgar, Jill Scaletty, Katie Locus and Mary Ann Alvey. Not pictured are Debra Niesen and Sister Monica Arguello, SCTJM.
Newly restructured ministry department will work across disciplines, alongside deanery leaders By Olivia Martin-Davies olivia.martin@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — A changing of the guard is an exciting time. It’s full of pomp, circumstance, ritual, colors and
music. It brings celebration and, as the name suggests, change. Since the archdiocese’s “changing of the guard” last year with Archbishop Shawn McKnight’s installation, it has been full steam ahead. One of the most recent changes includes restructuring of the archdiocese’s individual ministry teams into the unified Parish Evangelization Services (PES) department. Constituted on April 10, PES ministers to the people of the archdiocese through accompaniment, consultation, collaboration and support. “It’s a renewed approach to how the chancery can serve pastors and parishes in accomplishing the stated goals of Archbishop McKnight,” said Michael Podrebarac, a longtime consultant for liturgy and sacramental life in the archdiocese. Archbishop McKnight shared that
Debra Niesen is the director of Parish Evangelization Services. Niesen said much of the team’s summer work included refining the department’s vision and mission.
Sister Monica Arguello, SCTJM, is a parish evangelization advocate with emphasis on marriage preparation, family life, Natural Family Planning and Hispanic ministry.
vision with The Leaven in his May 8 column: “Our ultimate goal is to empower every parish to be more than a place for weekly worship; it must be a sanctuary of mercy and a center of charity. “By integrating your voices, we move forward together in this vital renewal!”
A renewed approach to parish support Formerly, there were many distinct ministry offices within the chancery that operated individually, providing direct answers, programs, resources, formation and support to individuals and par-
ishes across the region. Now, PES will work across disciplines and alongside parish and deanery leaders. “Parish Evangelization Services is renewing the ministerial structure of the chancery by shifting from a model focused primarily on creating programs to one centered on intentional service, accompaniment and co-responsibility,” said Sister Monica Bernadette Arguello, SCTJM. Its members are: Father Michael Hawken, vicar general and moderator of the curia; Debra Niesen, director; Michael Podrebarac, advocate, Karla Melgar, advocate, Sister Monica Bernadette Arguello, SCTJM, advocate and the archbishop’s delegate for religious and consecrated life, and Mark Blaise, advocate; and specialists Josh Ruoff, Katie Locus, Joan Macy and Ann Marie Alvey. “The idea is to empower parishes and servant leaders, connect them to best practices in other parishes, and build deanery capacity, especially to support rural and smaller parishes,” said Father Hawken. >> See “NEW” on page 7