[1] Inspired by the Catholic sisters who taught her in elementary and high school, Kuenstler joined the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, located in Donaldson, Indiana, in 1967.

She served several terms as a marriage tribunal judge before opening her own practice as an independent canon lawyer with a special focus on the rights of the laity.

"[7] A December 2024 book from Sheed & Ward, Bending Toward Justice: Sr. Kate Kuenstler and the Struggle for Parish Rights by FutureChurch co-founder Christine Schenk, also includes her biography.

The solvent parish is eventually sold allowing the newly merged congregation to pay off the debt owed to the diocese.

[22] Following an unexpected illness, Kuenstler moved to Catherine's Cottage, established by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, in January 2019.