Dorri Partain
Managing Editor

Founded in 1891, Holy Rosary Catholic Church has been the backbone of the Columbus Park neighborhood for over a century. Located at 911 E. Missouri Avenue, this church’s unique history has been recorded in a 236 page- 5 chapter “coffee table” book and is being reprinted due to popular demand.

Kansas City author and research historian Jody Valet stated that for several years, people have been asking if “The Story of Holy Rosary Catholic Church: Serving the immigrants and poor in Kansas City, Missouri since 1891” was still available for purchase.

“ I believe the first printing was around 300 books, and those were presold, so there were no leftover copies,” said Valet. “People have been asking since 2018 for a reprint, and we are finally doing it.” 

First published and released in 2018, this second printing is identical to the first printing and is also being offered through presale orders, which is going directly to the book publisher. Valet said one big difference is having to switch publishers due to rising costs and the format of the book, so instead of charging $60.00, the book can be a more affordable $35.00 per copy.

While titled as the history of Holy Rosary, this book includes photos of the people and places within the neighborhood—once known as the “North End”—offering a complete look back through the generations of Italian families that called the neighborhood “home”.

Valet researched and compiled information for the book covering the years 1891 to 2000, while former Holy Rosary secretary Evelyn Van Dierendonk wrote the history of the church from 2000-2018.

“We didn’t do this to make money,” said Valet. “We’re proud of our church history. The time it took to research and write the book was about two years, but I have been researching our community for over 20 years.” 

 Orders can be placed by calling the church at 816-842-5440 or emailing Valet at jhvalet@aol.com.  The link for the order form is:

https://kcitalians.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Holy-Rosary-Book-Order-Form-2026.pack in time to the generation sdf , or scan the QR code.

Orders paid by check or money order may be mailed to Holy Rosary Church, Attn: Book Order, 911 E. Missouri Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64106. Cash orders may be dropped off at the church.

Orders may be placed through Friday, July 24. Valet expects printed copies should be delivered in mid-August. Purchasers may pick up copies at Holy Rosary or choose to have them mailed for an additional $8.00; shipping for two copies is $10.00.