But along with the reinstatement, Archbishop Shawn McKnight placed some restrictions on the Rev. Jerry Arano-Ponce’s activities involving minors.
McKnight announced the decision to parishioners of Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in a three-page letter dated Dec. 13. An announcement also was posted Monday on the archdiocese’s website.
“I am blessed to be able to deliver the good news that your pastor, Father Jerry Arano-Ponce, is returning to serve your parish, effective December 15, 2025,” McKnight wrote. “With the conclusion of the civil and canonical investigations determining no civil or church laws were broken, it is possible for me to reinstate him, with several requirements which are intended to strengthen your parish’s bonds of fraternal care for one another and others.”
The requirements, according to McKnight:
-No minors will be allowed in any part of the rectory (the priest’s residence), which means the parish may no longer use the rectory for youth gatherings or other parish activities.
-The pastor must not provide gifts of any kind to individual children.
-Arano-Ponce may not take any pictures of minors.
A message on Queen of the Holy Rosary’s website celebrated the priest’s reinstatement.
“Rejoicing!” it said. “The parishioners at masses this weekend were given the wonderful news by Archbishop Shawn McKnight, that Father Jerry is back. Exuberant applause met the news — our parish’s shepherd returns!”
Details of allegations
McKnight temporarily suspended Arano-Ponce in August while he said investigations were being conducted into allegations of questionable behavior.
The archbishop provided details of the concerns in his Dec. 13 letter.
Less than five months ago, McKnight said, he was made aware “of serious concerns regarding Father Jerry’s ability to uphold good boundaries, according to our policies, best practices and training.”
“Our training teaches us that when serious boundaries are crossed, a suspicion of grooming or abuse follows,” McKnight said. He said the concerns raised about Arano-Ponce included:
-perceived favoritism of certain minors and families
-use of the rectory to meet with minors without other adults present
-giving substantial gifts (primarily money) to children
-failing to follow normal procedures for awarding scholarships; and
-taking pictures of minors without permission or knowledge of their parents
“Father Jerry has maintained his innocence throughout the situation,” McKnight said. “Perhaps some of you question whether this kind of behavior warranted my response. I can assure you it was necessary.”
Because the concerns involved minors, McKnight said, the archdiocese was required by law to report them to law enforcement.
“The seriousness of these concerns led to the initiation of an investigation by local authorities,” he said. “Furthermore, for justice to be realized, law enforcement must be able to conduct an investigation without any interference.
“That meant the civil investigation had to conclude before we could begin investigating if any actions were against Church law, which required considering the spiritual and moral implications of the behavior.”
McKnight said he asked experts from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to assist those in the KCK archdiocese’s Office for Protection and Care to help expedite the process. The investigation, he said, found issues at Queen of the Holy Rosary that needed to be addressed.
Queen of the Holy Rosary-Wea Parish is at 22779 Metcalf Road and has a Bucyrus address. Arano-Ponce has previously served at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Roeland Park and Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Topeka.
McKnight, former bishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City, was installed May 27 as the 12th bishop and fifth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas after being appointed by Pope Francis to replace retiring Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.
His temporary suspension of Arano-Ponce in August marked the second time in just over a week that the archdiocese had publicly addressed allegations of misconduct involving leaders in its community.
On Aug. 6, the board of trustees at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park fired its president, Phil Baniewicz, amid an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior with a minor.
The board chair said an independent, professional firm had been hired to conduct an investigation and that more information would be shared as it became available.
And in September, parishioners of Cure of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood were stunned when the archdiocese announced that the Rev. Richard Storey had resigned amid a criminal investigation by Prairie Village police. No details were provided about the investigation, and it remains ongoing.
Process has been painful, archbishop said
In his Dec. 13 letter telling parishioners about Arano-Ponce, McKnight said that “Father Jerry has many gifts.”
“I appreciate his deep care and concern for you and your families,” the archbishop wrote. “Many of you have expressed how you have missed your spiritual father. Thank you for sharing your affection for Father Jerry.”
McKnight asked that people speak up when they see something that concerns them. And when issues are raised, he said, he has a responsibility to address them.
“That responsibility includes fairness to the subject of the issues raised, care for those who come forward, and due diligence for the good of the whole Church,” he wrote. “In the past, our Church has been criticized harshly, rightfully, and to the detriment of our communal bonds, for not addressing such concerns adequately.”
McKnight said the process had been difficult.
“It certainly pains me to see a brother priest undergo such a trial, as well as to witness the uncertainty, confusion, and hardship it can place upon a community,” he said. “In moments like these, it is essential we remain united as a true sanctuary of mercy, committed to listening carefully and responding with charity.”
McKnight said he was “profoundly grateful” to those who participated in the process.
“Even though it has been painful, I believe God can use this pain to foster a renewal in your parish if we choose to listen to each other,” he said. “In listening with the heart, we will realize that all of us have the same goal: To be a safe haven for all and a place where we bring our community closer to one another and to Christ.”