Deacon Kris Kuckelman
I was born and raised in Olathe, and am the second of four boys. My brothers and I often acknowledge that we won the “parent lottery.” I attended St. Paul Catholic School, followed by Olathe High School and then Kansas University. Since 1988, I have practiced law in a small firm. My wife, Jami, and I have been married since 1986, and we have three daughters, Katie, Abbie, and Maggie. We also have two grandchildren who are approaching 4 and 2 years old. We both immensely enjoy spending time with our family. Neither of us really have any serious hobbies aside from our family. Jami has been an awesome mom and grandma, and it shows.
My mom is a convert to Catholicism. My brothers and I understood without being told that attending Mass on Sundays was expected. Despite this and attending a Catholic grade school for 8 years, our faith was not often a topic of family conversation. Although I never left the Church, as an adolescent and young adult, I was merely “checking the boxes.” My faith progressed somewhat when we were married and the kids came along. In 2009, I attended a Christ Renews His Parish retreat at our parish. This dramatically changed the trajectory of my spiritual journey. In about 2013, I started discerning a call to the diaconate. In 2015, the five year formation process began, and by the grace of God I was ordained on June 20, 2020.
Jami and I are thrilled to be assigned to Ascension Parish. I am not very good at remembering names, so I hope that I don’t offend too many parishioners in this way. Although many parishioners thank me for the “sacrifice” of being a deacon, it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. If anyone deserves thanks, it is Jami. Like the other deacon wives, she constantly, quietly, and humbly supports my ministry. I am often edified by the spirituality of many members of our parish. It is a beautiful thing to witness.
