Getting to Know William O'Leary - Church of the Ascension

Getting to Know our Pastoral Associates

I can’t believe I’ve worked at Church of the Ascension for almost 15 years (in July). I’ve worked in 3 different parishes in 3 different states and Ascension has been my favorite! When I first got here I had a newborn and a 1 year old and then our third came about a year after I came to Overland Park.

It was back in college where I received some of the best advice: Do what you love and the rest will follow or as Jesus said: Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33). This has been the best wisdom for me. Being a person who has spent the last 20+ years in parish ministry has been a great joy in my life. I truly believe God has led, strengthened and empowered me to be His servant in the vineyard of the Lord sharing the Gospel and the treasures of the Catholic Faith with young people.

I have a twin brother who is a protestant pastor. You can imagine some of the conversations we’ve had. I have never doubted the blessings I have in working in the Catholic Church established by Jesus to safeguard and proclaim the fullness of the truth and spiritual blessings of Christ our saving Lord!

People ask all the time if I live here at Ascension :-). While it sometimes looks like the case, I do go home each day (even if the day is over at 9:30pm). If you asked me what I like most about working and serving at Ascension, I would say that it’s the parents, kids and catechists I love talking with, laughing with and helping live a life rooted in Christ that I love most about my job.

I continue to grow in my responsibilities as one of the Pastoral Associates at Ascension overseeing and directing Youth Faith Formation K-8 grade but also helping coordinate the Sacraments and overseeing Young Adult and Youth Ministry. Every week is an adventure filled with joys, challenges and hope for what God is doing, wants to do and is pushing me to do.

I’d like to end this column by asking you to pray for the young people in our parish. God has great plans for them, for their parents and for each one of us. We must come before Our Lord, go to Him and pray with confidence and perseverance so we can do His will and fulfill His call in our lives.