Statements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jul 8, 2026

Archbishop McKnight Announces the Appointment of

New Executive Director of the Kansas Catholic Conference

Kansas City, Kansas - Archbishop Shawn McKnight announces the appointment of Mr. Paul Malley as the new Executive Director of the Kansas Catholic Conference (KCC). The KCC serves as the voice of the Catholic bishops of Kansas in the arena of public policy. Mr. Malley will begin his tenure on September 8, 2026.

Mr. Malley brings nearly three decades of executive leadership, public policy, and advocacy experience to his new role as executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference. Most recently, he served as president of Aging with Dignity and Five Wishes, a national organization inspired by the life and work of St. Teresa of Calcutta, where he advanced policies and initiatives that uphold the dignity of all people. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with Church leaders, legislators, and community partners to advance the Church’s mission in the public square.

The Kansas Bishops, serving the dioceses of Wichita, Salina, Dodge City, and Kansas City in Kansas, conducted a nationwide search for the next executive director of the KCC. They sought a faithful and forward-thinking leader with a strong grounding in Catholic social teaching and the prudence to engage effectively in the public arena.

"The Catholic Bishops of Kansas are delighted that Paul has accepted our invitation to serve as the next Executive Director of the Kansas Catholic Conference,” said Archbishop Shawn McKnight. “His deep faith and extensive professional experience will not only be a resource for us in our capital city, but also for the formation of our clergy and laity in the rich tradition of Catholic social doctrine."

Over nearly 30 years, Mr. Malley has built a national reputation as a principled advocate and trusted leader at the intersection of faith, healthcare, and public policy. He has testified before Congress and state legislatures, helped shape national aging policy through an appointment to the White House Conference on Aging, and served as a leading voice on issues affecting vulnerable populations. A respected communicator, he has been featured in the national media, including on CNN, NBC News, and ABC News, and his insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today. Mr. Malley holds a master’s degree in communications from Florida State University. He and his wife, Almira, are the parents of six children.

As he prepares to begin his tenure as the new executive director of the KCC, Mr. Malley expressed his deep gratitude to the Kansas bishops for his appointment and his enthusiasm for representing the Church in the public arena, furthering the common good, and protecting the inherent human dignity of each person.

"I am deeply grateful to the bishops of Kansas for their trust and for this incredible opportunity to serve as Executive Director of the Kansas Catholic Conference. Leaving the Sunshine State is a big change, but my family and I could not be more excited to call the Sunflower State our new home, “ said Mr. Paul Malley. “I am eager to get to know the vibrant communities, parishes and people of Kansas. Together, we will continue to be a strong voice in the public square, championing the common good and protecting the inherent God-given human dignity of every person."

The Kansas Catholic Conference serves as the public policy voice of the Catholic bishops of Kansas, advocating for policies rooted in Catholic teaching. Guided by the dignity of every human person, the Conference works to protect human life, defend religious freedom and promote the well-being of families and communities through engagement with lawmakers and public officials.

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About the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, under the pastoral leadership of Archbishop Shawn McKnight, encompasses 12,500 square miles in the northeast quarter of Kansas and serves more than 180,000 Catholics across 21 counties. The Archdiocese was established in 1850 as the Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains. It became the Diocese of Leavenworth in 1877, was transferred to Kansas City in Kansas, in 1947, and was elevated to an Archdiocese in 1952.

About the Kansas Catholic Conference:

The Kansas Catholic Conference (KCC) serves as the public policy voice of the Catholic bishops of the four dioceses of Kansas, which include Dodge City, Kansas City in Kansas, Salina, and Wichita. Guided by Catholic teaching and the dignity of every human person, the Conference works with lawmakers and public officials to promote the common good by advocating for policies that protect human life, defend religious freedom and strengthen families and communities across the state.

Media Contact

Lucrecia Nold

Policy Specialist

Kansas Catholic Conference

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cell: 816.244.7407

Bishop John B. Brungardt

Catholic Diocese of Dodge City

April 21, 2025

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I dedicated you” (Jeremiah 1:5). All persons are children of God: male, female, adults, children, the unborn, of every race, country, and background. When we have a difficulty with someone, do we first see a child of God, or do we see a conflict, a political party, a controversial issue? How do we resolve difficulties? Do we start with prayer and dialogue, or with a meme, cartoon, harsh word or uncharitable post? What would the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior do?

The topic of immigration is one of these difficulties. Remember from Sacred Scripture: “The Lord protects the resident alien, comes to the aid of the orphan and the widow” (Psalm 146:9). Let’s review seven key Catholic Church teachings about immigration:

1. Persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland (i.e., the right not to migrate).

2. When the conditions necessary for a dignified life are absent, persons have the natural right to migrate to support themselves and their family.

3. More prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome those in search of the security and means of livelihood unavailable in their country of origin.

4. Countries have the right to maintain their borders and regulate immigration, consistent with the common good and with respect for the sanctity of human life.

5. Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection.

6. The God-given dignity and rights of undocumented immigrants should be respected.

7. Immigrants have a responsibility to respect the country that receives them.

All of these are important, but let’s look at two of these key teachings. Having open borders – borders without required processing – would be an extreme response to teaching #2. We can see how traversing the border without required processing has resulted, for example, in cases of human trafficking, drug/arms smuggling, gang/cartel violence and unaccounted for unaccompanied minors, all grave injustices.

Having closed borders – refusing entry to immigrants and refugees – would be an extreme response to teaching #4. We can see how refusing entry in any case has resulted, for example, in an uncharitable lack of care of people escaping from war, death threats, poverty or injustices. Another injustice has been removing undocumented immigrants without due process.

Rarely does an extreme response work. Compassion without justice could lead to anarchy. Justice without compassion could lead to cruelty. What to do?

“Cast all your worries on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). We start with prayer to our Loving Lord, individually and as a faith community, asking for wisdom, patience, justice and charity. We then dialogue, truly getting to know people who are different from us. I asked during a homily: “What language did your great-grand parents speak?” For folks my age and older, I rarely get the answer “English.” In this part of the state, the common answers are German or Spanish. Thus, we do not have to go back very far in our own families to find an immigrant. How would we treat our own family members now if they were immigrating to the United States?

We work within our legislative, executive and judicial branches to find just and compassionate solutions. For many years some elected officials have said there will be no real progress on the immigration issue until and/or unless the border is secure. This now appears to be happening (secure border)—so now is the time for our elected officials to get truly serious about addressing the immigration issue, beginning with those who were brought to the U.S. as children, who are here through no fault or action of their own. Also, progress can be made on various “guest worker” programs, which have been discussed by both major political parties. Care must be taken to ensure the poor are not neglected, regardless of their immigration status. These steps could lead to further reforms. Comprehensive immigration reform has been needed for decades. Please contact your federal representatives and senators. We also pray for our dedicated law enforcement personnel who enforce existing laws.

A new awareness for many regards our numerous missionary priests and religious sisters who have generously and sacrificially served in the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City and around the country. Recent changes to the immigration process may soon leave some of our parishes without missionary priests or religious sisters. In a recent article (search “Rubio religious worker visa”), United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the need to fix the religious worker visa backlog. Please contact your federal representatives and senators.

Let us all be compassionate and caring to those who live in fear and worry. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, who calls us to be united in mutual love: “that they may all be one” (John 17:21). Prayerfully ask the Lord how you can assist.

To undocumented immigrants: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed” (Psalm 34:19). Be assured of my prayers for you and your family. You can call the Catholic Church your home. We love you. Ask Jesus and His Mother Mary to hold your hands. Our Lord loves you more than you can ask or imagine!

Inmigración: ¿Cuál es el plan de Dios para nosotros?

Antes de formarte en el vientre materno, te conocí; antes de que nacieras, te consagré (Jeremías 1,5). Todas las personas son hijos de Dios: hombres, mujeres, adultos, niños, no nacidos, de cualquier raza, país y origen. Cuando tenemos un problema con alguien, ¿vemos primero a un hijo de Dios o un conflicto, un partido político, un tema polémico? ¿Cómo resolvemos las dificultades? ¿Comenzamos con la oración y el diálogo, o con un meme, una caricatura, una palabra dura o una publicación poco caritativa? ¿Qué haría el Señor Jesucristo, nuestro Salvador?

El tema de la inmigración es uno de estos problemas. Recordemos la Sagrada Escritura: «El Señor protege al extranjero, ayuda al huérfano y a la viuda» (Salmo 146,9). Repasemos siete enseñanzas clave de la Iglesia Católica sobre la inmigración:

1. Las personas tienen derecho a encontrar oportunidades en su patria (es decir, el derecho a no migrar).

2. Cuando no se dan las condiciones necesarias para una vida digna, las personas tienen el derecho natural Migrar para mantenerse a sí mismos y a sus familias.

3. Las naciones más prósperas están obligadas, en la medida de sus posibilidades, a acoger a quienes buscan la seguridad y los medios de subsistencia que no están disponibles en su país de origen.

4. Los países tienen derecho a mantener sus fronteras y regular la inmigración, de acuerdo con el bien común y con el respeto a la santidad de la vida humana.

5. Se debe brindar protección a los refugiados y solicitantes de asilo.

6. Se debe respetar la dignidad y los derechos otorgados por Dios a los inmigrantes indocumentados.

7. Los inmigrantes tienen la responsabilidad de respetar al país que los recibe.

Todas estas son importantes, pero veamos dos de estas enseñanzas clave. Tener fronteras abiertas (fronteras sin el trámite requerido) sería una respuesta extrema a la enseñanza n.° 2. Podemos ver cómo cruzar la frontera sin el trámite requerido ha resultado, por ejemplo, en casos de trata de personas, tráfico de drogas y armas, violencia de pandillas y cárteles, y menores no acompañados desaparecidos, todas ellas graves injusticias.

Tener fronteras cerradas (negar la entrada a...) Inmigrantes y refugiados: sería una respuesta extrema a la enseñanza n.° 4. Podemos ver cómo negar la entrada, en cualquier caso, ha resultado, por ejemplo, en una falta de atención desinteresada hacia quienes huyen de la guerra, amenazas de muerte, pobreza o injusticias. Otra injusticia ha sido la expulsión de inmigrantes indocumentados sin el debido proceso.

Rara vez funciona una respuesta extrema. La compasión sin justicia puede conducir a la anarquía. La justicia sin compasión puede conducir a la crueldad. ¿Qué hacer?

«Echen todas sus preocupaciones sobre él, porque él cuida de ustedes» (1 Pedro 5,7). Comenzamos con una oración a nuestro Señor amoroso, individualmente y como comunidad de fe, pidiendo sabiduría, paciencia, justicia y caridad. Luego dialogamos, conociendo verdaderamente a personas que son diferentes a nosotros. Pregunté durante una homilía: «¿Qué idioma hablaban sus bisabuelos?». De personas de mi edad y mayores, rara vez recibo la respuesta «inglés». En esta parte del estado, las respuestas comunes son alemán o español. Por lo tanto, no tenemos que remontarnos mucho en nuestras propias familias para encontrar un inmigrante. ¿Cómo trataríamos a nuestros familiares ahora si emigraran a Estados Unidos?

Trabajamos con nuestros poderes legislativo, ejecutivo y judicial para encontrar soluciones justas y compasivas. Durante muchos años, algunos funcionarios electos han dicho que no habrá un progreso real en el tema migratorio hasta que la frontera esté segura. Esto parece estar sucediendo ahora (frontera segura), por lo que ahora es el momento de que nuestros funcionarios electos se tomen realmente en serio el tema migratorio, empezando por aquellos que fueron traídos a Estados Unidos de niños, quienes están aquí sin culpa ni acción propia. Además, se puede avanzar en varios programas de "trabajadores invitados", que han sido discutidos por los dos principales partidos políticos. Se debe tener cuidado para garantizar que los pobres no sean desatendidos, independientemente de su estatus migratorio. Estos pasos podrían conducir a nuevas reformas. Una reforma migratoria integral ha sido necesaria durante décadas. Por favor, contacten a sus representantes federales y senadores. También oramos por nuestras dedicadas fuerzas del orden. Personal que hace cumplir las leyes vigentes.

Una nueva conciencia para muchos se refiere a nuestros numerosos sacerdotes misioneros y religiosas que han servido con generosidad y sacrificio en la Diócesis Católica de Dodge City y en todo el país. Los cambios recientes en el proceso de inmigración podrían dejar pronto a algunas de nuestras parroquias sin sacerdotes misioneros o religiosas. En un artículo reciente (busque "visa Rubio para trabajadores religiosos"), el Secretario de Estado de los Estados Unidos, Marco Rubio, habló sobre la necesidad de solucionar el atraso en la tramitación de visas para trabajadores religiosos. Por favor, contacte a sus representantes federales y senadores.

Seamos todos compasivos y solidarios con quienes viven con miedo y preocupación. Todos somos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo, quien nos llama a estar unidos en el amor mutuo: "para que todos sean uno" (Juan 17,21). Pida al Señor con oración cómo puede ayudar.

A los inmigrantes indocumentados: «El Señor está cerca de los que tienen el corazón quebrantado, salva a los de espíritu abatido» (Salmo 34,19). Les aseguro que rezo por ustedes y sus familias. Pueden llamar a la Iglesia Católica su hogar. Los amamos. Pidan a Jesús y a su Madre María que les tomen de la mano. ¡Nuestro Señor los ama más de lo que pueden pedir o imaginar!