Pastor's Page
Fr. Mike Tierney was born August 3, 1944 in Kansas City. His parents are George and Regina Tierney. His dad, George, died in 1956, when Mike had just turned twelve. His mother, Regina, died in October of 2004; she would never tell her age!!!
Fr. Tierney attended St. Peter’s Grade School in Kansas City, graduating in 1957. He went on to St. John’s Minor Seminary, completing his studies in 1961. St. John’s closed approximately 20 years ago.
In the fall of 1961 Fr. Tierney began his studies at Conception Seminary College, affiliated with Conception Abbey in Northwest Missouri. In those days Conception offered both four years of college and four years of Theology, so he spent his entire seminary career at Conception, as did many of the priests from our diocese at that time.
Fr. Mike Tierney was ordained a priest for the diocese on May 31, 1969. (He just celebrated his 40th Anniversary of Ordination.) His first assignment was as Associate Pastor of Cathedral in downtown Kansas City. In September of 1971 he was transferred to St. Elizabeth Parish, where he served until the fall of 1976. During this time he also served as Associate Director of the Catholic Formation Center, coordinating the lay ministries of the Diocese. Additionally, he was appointed Diocesan Youth Director.
During the summer of 1976 another priest of the Diocese, Fr. Robert Hager, who was serving as Associate Pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Kansas City North, was attending a summer program at Notre Dame. Near the end of the program he went with some friends to spend a day on the shore of Lake Michigan. Fr. Bob Hager drowned that day. Fr. Tierney was asked to go to St. Patrick’s.
Father spent the next four and a half years at St. Patrick’s, as well as filling various Diocesan positions. In the fall of 1979 he served as host for the National Catholic Youth Convention that was held in Kansas City that year.
In February of 1981 Fr. Mike was named Pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in St. Joseph. St. Mary’s was founded in 1891; one of the pastors, Msgr. James Brady, served there from 1904 to 1956!! The parish serves the north side of St. Joseph, offers a food pantry, and also hosts a Head Start Program. During his time there Fr. Tierney founded the North St. Joseph Community Center in the old school building and also started a housing rehabilitation program.
In the spring of 1984 Father was appointed Pastor of St. Charles Parish in Gladstone; this was the time that Bishop Fitzsimons was transferred to the Diocese of Salina (from Christ the King) and Fr. Bill Bauman moved from St. Charles to Christ the King. St. Charles is a large parish with a school and many other programs. Two parishes have been founded from St. Charles as the area north of the river has continued to grow.
In February of 1986 Fr. Mike was transferred to Coronation of Our Lady in Grandview, where he served until 1998. The school at Coronation had closed, but the parish was part of the consolidated school at Our Lady of Peace. Father helped with Masses and other activities at the school. In the fall of 1989 Father Tierney went on a sabbatical attending a program at Boston College. Being a ‘history buff’, he had a wonderful time visiting all the historic sites in the Northeast.
In June of 1998 Father was transferred once again, this time to Holy Spirit Parish in South Lee’s Summit. During his time there, he saw the parish grow from 400 families to 1700 families. 20 acres were purchased and a new parish complex, totaling 54,000 sq. ft., was built.
Fr. Tierney came to Christ the King in January of 2010.
Fr. Mike Tierney was born August 3, 1944 in Kansas City. His parents are George and Regina Tierney. His dad, George, died in 1956, when Mike had just turned twelve. His mother, Regina, died in October of 2004; she would never tell her age!!!
Fr. Tierney attended St. Peter’s Grade School in Kansas City, graduating in 1957. He went on to St. John’s Minor Seminary, completing his studies in 1961. St. John’s closed approximately 20 years ago.In the fall of 1961 Fr. Tierney began his studies at Conception Seminary College, affiliated with Conception Abbey in Northwest Missouri. In those days Conception offered both four years of college and four years of Theology, so he spent his entire seminary career at Conception, as did many of the priests from our diocese at that time.
Fr. Mike Tierney was ordained a priest for the diocese on May 31, 1969. (He just celebrated his 40th Anniversary of Ordination.) His first assignment was as Associate Pastor of Cathedral in downtown Kansas City. In September of 1971 he was transferred to St. Elizabeth Parish, where he served until the fall of 1976. During this time he also served as Associate Director of the Catholic Formation Center, coordinating the lay ministries of the Diocese. Additionally, he was appointed Diocesan Youth Director.
During the summer of 1976 another priest of the Diocese, Fr. Robert Hager, who was serving as Associate Pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in Kansas City North, was attending a summer program at Notre Dame. Near the end of the program he went with some friends to spend a day on the shore of Lake Michigan. Fr. Bob Hager drowned that day. Fr. Tierney was asked to go to St. Patrick’s.
Father spent the next four and a half years at St. Patrick’s, as well as filling various Diocesan positions. In the fall of 1979 he served as host for the National Catholic Youth Convention that was held in Kansas City that year.
In February of 1981 Fr. Mike was named Pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in St. Joseph. St. Mary’s was founded in 1891; one of the pastors, Msgr. James Brady, served there from 1904 to 1956!! The parish serves the north side of St. Joseph, offers a food pantry, and also hosts a Head Start Program. During his time there Fr. Tierney founded the North St. Joseph Community Center in the old school building and also started a housing rehabilitation program.
In the spring of 1984 Father was appointed Pastor of St. Charles Parish in Gladstone; this was the time that Bishop Fitzsimons was transferred to the Diocese of Salina (from Christ the King) and Fr. Bill Bauman moved from St. Charles to Christ the King. St. Charles is a large parish with a school and many other programs. Two parishes have been founded from St. Charles as the area north of the river has continued to grow.
In February of 1986 Fr. Mike was transferred to Coronation of Our Lady in Grandview, where he served until 1998. The school at Coronation had closed, but the parish was part of the consolidated school at Our Lady of Peace. Father helped with Masses and other activities at the school. In the fall of 1989 Father Tierney went on a sabbatical attending a program at Boston College. Being a ‘history buff’, he had a wonderful time visiting all the historic sites in the Northeast.
In June of 1998 Father was transferred once again, this time to Holy Spirit Parish in South Lee’s Summit. During his time there, he saw the parish grow from 400 families to 1700 families. 20 acres were purchased and a new parish complex, totaling 54,000 sq. ft., was built.
Fr. Tierney came to Christ the King in January of 2010.