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Kansas has a long and rich history of Catholicism, dating back to the 1540s when Spanish missionary Juan de Padilla accompanied Francisco Vázquez de Coronado on an expedition through the region.
French fur traders and merchants established a chapel for Catholic worship near present-day Kansas City in 1819. Jesuit missionaries arrived in 1836 and established the first Catholic mission in present-day Leavenworth County.
Today the Sunflower State is a Catholic haven, with about one-fifth of adults in Kansas identifying as Catholic. The Wichita area in particular is especially friendly to Catholic families: Parishioner families receive free tuition for their children at Catholic schools. (If only this practice could be universal!)
If you happen to visit the Wheat State or call this beautiful state home, don’t miss these lovely and historic Catholic sites.
1
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Wichita
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as St. Mary’s Cathedral, is the seat of the Diocese of Wichita. The parish was founded in 1887, and the church building was consecrated in 1912. It stands on the site of a former log cabin chapel, built in 1833, which was the first Catholic church in Kansas.
Besides being an incredibly beautiful structure, the cathedral is notable as the resting place of Fr. Emil J. Kapaun, a saintly military chaplain whose cause for canonization is under consideration by the Holy See.
2
Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria
William Jennings Bryan visited St. Fidelis in 1912 and nicknamed it the “Cathedral of the Plains.” It is not a cathedral in the strict sense, but the nickname stuck.
The presence of this large church on the Plains of Kansas is a lasting testimony to the faith and hard work of a people whose roots go deep into the soil of this farming community of Victoria.
The massive Romanesque structure stands in the form of a cross, facing west with its majestic towers rising above and dominating the prairie landscape. On the façade above the rose window, a stone statue of its patron, St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, keeps watch.
The Kansas State Historical Society has designated this church as one of the religious treasures of the state. The basilica is on the National Register of Historic Places, and was named “one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas.”
3
Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison
The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica are an education-focused Benedictine religious community in Atchison. The first sisters arrived in the area in 1863 and founded Mount St. Scholastica College, a women’s college, which merged with St. Benedict’s College in 1971, forming what is now Benedictine College.
Visitors are welcome to join the sisters for Morning and Evening Prayer during the week and for Mass on Sundays. They offer a wide variety of events and retreats, and a spirituality center and women’s center.
4
Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle and Shrine of St. Maria Soledad, Kansas City
The seat of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle is a soaring Gothic Revival masterpiece. It is home to the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Maria Soledad, the sainted foundress of the Sister Servants of Mary, who reside in the Archdiocese of Kansas City. The Sisters came to the archdiocese in 1917 as refugees, fleeing religious persecution from the government in Mexico. The Cathedral parish was founded in 1907, and the current church structure was completed in 1927.
5
St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison
St. Benedict’s Abbey is a Catholic Benedictine monastery located in Atchison, Kansas. Founded in 1857, St. Benedict’s Abbey is home to monks who live according to the Rule of St. Benedict, praying and working for the glory of God and the good of the world.
Originally founded to provide education to the sons of German settlers in what was then called Kansas Territory, the abbey established a school in 1858 that is today known as Benedictine College. Education is their primary apostolate, and the monks also serve the people of Northeast Kansas as pastors, chaplains, and much more.
Besides offering several daily times of prayer that are open to the public, the monks operate a guesthouse for retreats and offer tours Tuesday and Thursday mornings by request. The abbey also offers seasonal events open to the public, such as processions.
BONUS SITE
St. Joseph Church, Damar
The imposing twin towers of St. Joseph’s Church reflect the determination and sacrifice of its French-Canadian parishioners to build a majestic house of God.
In 1887, Mass first was celebrated in a settler’s home, and a year later, a small church was built. By 1912, the congregation had outgrown that small church, and plans for a grand Romanesque church were started. Limestone was quarried and shipped from Waldo, about 50 miles to the east, and parishioners provided most of the labor, making the ambitious feat possible.
These volunteers heroically constructed their church in stages. Although the structure was completed in 1913, the interior was not plastered until 1917, and pews and a heating system were not installed until 1929.
Today the beautiful church stands “off the beaten path” in a rural area, but it is a point of pride for the local community and worth the trip to visit.
And today we celebrate...