Province of Kansas
City , Kansas
Pope Pius XII established the Province of Kansas City Kansas
have seen the Kansas City cathedral from the outside and
was fortunate to visit the cathedral in Wichita.
Map of the Province
Catholic History of Kansas
Spanish and French explorers visited what is now Kansas United
States United States
in 1803, the Army came to Kansas , establishing
Fort Leavenworth
in 1827, Fort Scott
in 1842, Fort Riley
in 1853, and Fort Dodge
Pope Pius IX established the Vicarate Apostolic of the
Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains in 1850. This vast area consisted of all or part of the
current states of Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and
the two Dakotas. The Holy Father appointed
John Miege, a Jesuit priest and professor at St. Louis University
as the first vicar apostolic. The Vicariate
Apostolic had a total Catholic population of about 5,000, most of whom were
Native Americans. The Kansas Territory
was created in 1854 and violent confrontations between pro-slavery and
anti-slavery forces followed. Despite
this, the population of Kansas was 107,000 in
1860, the year before Kansas
To serve the large number of Catholics, Pope Pius IX created
the Vicariate Apostolic of Kansas in 1857 and the Diocese of Leavenworth in
1877. Pope Leo XIII created the Dioceses
of Concordia and Wichita in 1887.
(Leavenworth was the largest city in Kansas in 1880 with 17,000 people. By 1890, Leavenworth was only the fourth
largest city—behind Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita.) The Diocese of Concordia became the Diocese
of Salina in 1944 and the Diocese of Leavenworth became the Diocese of Kansas
City in 1947. The Diocese of Dodge City
was established in 1951. In 1952, Pope
Pius XII created the new Province of Kansas City and the Diocese of Kansas City
became the Archdiocese of Kansas City.
Archdiocese of Kansas City
The Archdiocese of Kansas City consists of 21 counties in
northeastern Kansas. The archdiocese has
187,000 Catholics (14 percent of the total population) in 105 parishes.
Vicar Apostolic of Kansas and the Indian Territory
John B. Miege, S.J. (1815-1884), Vicar Apostolic of the
Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains, (1850-1857), Vicar Apostolic of Kansas
(1857-1874).
- Born in Savoy (now part of France) and ordained a priest in 1847.
Miege’s initial vast Vicariate became somewhat smaller in
1857 with the creation of the Vicariate Apostolic of Kansas, which consisted of
what is now Kansas and Oklahoma. Bishop
Miege traveled extensively over the Vicariate on wagon and horseback visiting
towns, Army posts, and Indian villages.
He built the first Cathedral for the Diocese in Leavenworth (which left
the Vicariate in debt) and helped establish St. Benedict’s College in
Atchison. He also invited religious
orders to run parishes and schools and he attended the First Vatican Council in
1869-70. He resigned as Vicar Apostolic
in 1874 and moved to Maryland. At the
time of his resignation, Kansas had 71 churches served by 48 priests. Miege founded the University of Detroit in
1877.
Bishops of Leavenworth
Louis M. Fink,
O.S.B. (1834-1904), Vicar Apostolic of Kansas (1874-1877), and first
Bishop of Leavenworth (1877-1904).
- Born in Germany and ordained a Benedictine priest in Pennsylvania in 1857.
- Also served as coadjutor vicar apostolic of Kansas (1871-1874).
As coadjutor vicar, Fink became Vicar Apostolic upon the
resignation of Bishop Miege. At its
creation in 1877, the new Diocese of Leavenworth had 45,000 Catholics, 60 priests, 80 churches, as well as Catholic
colleges, schools, and one hospital.
Bishop Fink fostered the sodalities of the Blessed Virgin Mary and
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
He bought property throughout the State to establish settlements for Catholic
immigrants. Bishop Fink focused on the
needs of rural settlers and later, as needs changed, on urban laborers. He also increased the number of priests and
parishes in the Diocese. Fink
established the first church for African-Americans west of St. Louis in
Leavenworth. He attended the third
plenary council of Baltimore in 1884, which begot the Baltimore Catechism,
encouraged Catholic schools in each parish, established the Catholic University
of America, and set six days as Holy Days of Obligation. Bishop Fink died in 1904.
Thomas F. Lillis (1861-1938), Bishop of Leavenworth
(1904-1910).
- Born in Missouri and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Kansas City, Missouri, in 1885.
- Also served as coadjutor bishop of Kansas City, Missouri (1910-1913), and Bishop of Kansas City, Missouri (1913-1938).
Bishop Lillis built several new parishes and schools and
revised diocesan rules to conform to national standards. Bishop Lillis was named coadjutor bishop of Kansas
City, Missouri, in 1910.
John Ward (1857-1929), Bishop of Leavenworth (1910-1929).
- Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Leavenworth in 1884.
Bishop Ward was committed to education and he died in 1929.
Francis Johannes (1874-1937), Bishop of Leavenworth
(1929-1937).
- Born in Germany and ordained a priest for the Diocese of St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1897.
- Also served as coadjutor bishop of Leavenworth (1928-1929).
Bishop Johannes died in 1937.
Paul C.
Schulte (1890-1984), Bishop of Leavenworth (1937-1946).
- Born in Missouri and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1915.
- Also served as Archbishop of Indianapolis (1946-1970).
Bishop Schulte started the Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine within the Diocese and established a Diocesan newspaper. Schulte was named Archbishop of Indianapolis
in 1946.
Bishops of Kansas City
George J. Donnelly (1889-1950), Bishop of Leavenworth
(1946-1947), and first Bishop of Kansas City (1947-1950).
- Born in Missouri and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1921.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1940-1946).
Bishop Donnelly established what would later be known as
Donnelly College to provide low-cost education.
He died in 1950.
Archbishops of Kansas City
Edward Hunkeler (1894-1970), Bishop of Kansas City
(1951-1952), and first Archbishop of Kansas City (1952-1969).
- Born in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Omaha, Nebraska, in 1919.
- Also served as Bishop of Grand Island, Nebraska (1945-1951).
Bishop Hunkeler attended all four sessions of the Second
Vatican Council and implemented the Council’s directives. Hunkeler retired in 1969.
Ignatius J. Strecker (1917-2003), Archbishop of Kansas
City (1969-1993).
- Born in Spearville, Kansas, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita in 1942.
- Also served as Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri (1962-1969).
Archbishop Strecker was the second youngest U.S. bishop at
the time of his appointment. He was a
strong advocate of family farms and served as president of the National
Catholic Rural Life Conference. He also
worked to improve the lives of the poor and disadvantaged especially in inner
city neighborhoods. Strecker established
Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese and created more opportunities for lay
participation in Church activities. He
spoke out against abortion and condemned Catholic politicians who supported
abortion. Archbishop Strecker retired in
1993.
James P. Keleher (1931-
), Archbishop of Kansas City (1993-2005).
- Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1958.
- Also served as Bishop of Belleville, Illinois (1984-1993).
Archbishop Keleher spoke out against abortion and in 2004
asked all Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese to not invite any speakers
who were pro-choice to any event. He
also implemented a program to protect children from child abuse and to educate
families and staff about signs of sexual abuse.
Keleher increased the number of vocations to the priesthood from 3 to 25
during his time as Archbishop. Archbishop
Keleher retired in 2005.
Current Archbishop
Joseph F. Naumann was
appointed coadjutor archbishop of Kansas City by Pope John Paul II in 2004 and
became Archbishop the following year. He
was born in Missouri in 1949 and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St.
Louis in 1975. He previously served as
auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1997-2004).
The Cathedral
Cathedral of St.
Peter
431 N. 15th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66102
431 N. 15th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66102
O blessed St Peter,
head and chief of the Apostles, you are the guardian of the keys of the
heavenly kingdom, and against you the powers of hell do not prevail; you are
the rock of the Church and the shepherd of Christ’s flock; you are great in
power, wonderful in your heavenly bliss; you have the right of binding and
loosing in heaven and on earth. The sea supported your footsteps, the sick upon
whom even your shadow fell were cured of their ills. By the memory of that
right hand which supported you on the waves of the sea, lift me from the ocean
of my sins, and by those tears which you shed for our Lord, break the bonds of
my offenses and free me from the hand of all my adversaries. Help even me, O
good shepherd, that I may in this life serve Christ Jesus, that with your help,
after the close of a good life, I may deserve to attain the reward of eternal
happiness in heaven, where you are unto endless ages the guardian of the gates
and the shepherd of the flock. Amen.
When Bishop Miege became Vicar Apostolic of the Indian Territory
East of the Rocky Mountains in 1851, his cathedral was a log structure at St.
Mary’s Pottawatomie mission. In 1855,
Miege moved his See to Leavenworth and established Immaculate Conception
parish—the first parish in Kansas.
Construction began on Immaculate Conception Cathedral in 1864 and was
completed in 1868. This Romanesque
church served as the Diocese’s cathedral until 1947. It was destroyed by fire in 1961. When Bishop George Donnelly became the first
Bishop of Kansas City in 1947, he selected St. Peter’s Church in Kansas City as
his Cathedral. St. Peter’s parish was
established in 1907 and a combination church/school building was completed a
year later. The current Gothic Revival
church building was dedicated in 1927. The
Cathedral is made from Carthage stone and has two spires at the front of the
building and a larger 145-foot bell tower near the back.
For more information, see the
cathedral website at www.cathedralkck.org
and the Archdiocesan website at www.archkck.org. The Cathedral is located less than a mile
west of downtown Kansas City, Kansas, and has five weekend masses, including
one in Spanish. A consolidated parish
elementary school has an enrollment of 150.
The first picture is from the Diocesan website, the last is from yelp and the others are mine.
Diocese of Salina
The diocese consists of 31 counties in northwestern Kansas. The diocese has 42,000 Catholics (12 percent
of the total population) in 86 parishes.
Bishops of Concordia
Richard Scannell (1845-1916), first Bishop of Concordia
(1887-1891).
- Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, in 1871.
- Also served as Bishop of Omaha, Nebraska (1891-1916).
Bishop Scannell had only five priests to serve the
Diocese. He started to build a seminary,
but difficult economic times thwarted his plans. Nevertheless, when he was named Bishop of Omaha
in 1891, there were 22 priests serving 76 churches and missions. There were also 10 parish schools. Scannell also invited the Sisters of St.
Joseph to serve the Diocese.
From 1891 to 1898, the Diocese of Concordia was administered
by the Bishop of Wichita, John J. Hennessy.
Both dioceses continued to face difficult economic times and Bishop
Hennessy often sought financial support from Catholics on the East Coast. Pope Leo XIII appointed Thaddeus Butler to be
the second Bishop of Concordia, but the Chicago priest died in Rome in 1897 prior
to his consecration as bishop.
John F. Cunningham (1842-1919), Bishop of Concordia
(1898-1919).
- Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Leavenworth in 1865.
With improved economic conditions, Bishop Cunningham was
able to build 54 churches, including the new Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual
Help in Concordia (dedicated in 1902), 17 elementary schools, five high
schools, and three hospitals. He also
established the Knights of Columbus in the Diocese and founded Hays Catholic
College. The Catholic population doubled
to 34,000 during his time as bishop and the number of priests increased from 25
to 63. Bishop Cunningham died in 1919.
Francis J.
Tief (1881-1965), Bishop of Concordia (1921-1938).
- Born in Concordia and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1908.
The good economy continued during the first part of
Bishop Tief’s tenure as bishop, but the Great Depression and the great dust storms of the 1930s brought difficult times. Nevertheless, a few new parishes and schools were opened as well as one hospital and one
home for the aged. Marymount College opened in Salina in 1922—the first 4-year college for women in
Kansas. Bishop Tief also instituted religious vacation schools throughout the Diocese and started a Diocesan newspaper. He ordained 28 priests. Bishop Tief resigned in 1938 due to poor health.
Bishops of Salina
Frank A. Thill (1893-1957), Bishop of Concordia
(1938-1944) and first Bishop of Salina (1944-1957).
- Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1920.
Thill became the first Bishop of Salina in 1944 after the
Diocesan see moved to the larger city.
The Second World War and good harvests revived the local economy and
Bishop Thill was able to pay off the Diocese’s debts and also undertake new
construction. Thill built a new
cathedral in Salina as well as two dozen other churches and several schools,
rectories, and convents. Bishop Thill
also established the Catholic Youth Organization within the Diocese and
ordained three dozen new priests. Bishop
Thill died in 1957.
- Born in Minnesota and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Winona, Minnesota, in 1938.
- Also served as Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin (1964-1983).
Bishop Freking expanded the Diocese’s social services
network—including the opening of St. Joseph’s Children’s Home and St. John’s
Rest Home—and by establishing a diocesan Catholic Charities program. He also built several new churches and
schools, including four high schools.
Bishop Freking started the Salina Council of Catholic Women and attended
the Second Vatican Council. Bishop
Freking was appointed Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1964.
Cyril J. Vogel (1905-1979), Bishop of Salina (1965-1979).
- Born in Pennsylvania and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1931.
Bishop Vogel
attended the Second Vatican Council and implemented the directives of the
Council, including the establishment of lay and clerical advisory committees
and a health and retirement association for clergy. He built new churches and other parish
buildings, and established a Catholic student center at Fort Hays State
University. Vogel also served during a
time of population loss within the Diocese which led to some church closures
and consolidations. His leadership
abilities kept the Diocese in good financial condition. Bishop Vogel died of a heart attack in 1979.
Daniel W.
Kucera O.S.B. (1923- ), Bishop
of Salina (1980-1983).
·
Born in Chicago and ordained a priest for the
Benedictine Order in 1949.
·
Served as abbot of St. Procopius Abbey in
Illinois and president of Illinois Benedictine College.
·
Also served as auxiliary bishop of Joliet,
Illinois (1977-1980) and Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa (1983-1995).
Bishop Kucera
promoted continuing education both for laity and clergy and established an
office of youth ministry. He established
three new parishes and accepted control of Marymount College. He also appointed lay people to serve in key
Diocesan positions. Kucera was named Archbishop
of Dubuque, Iowa, in 1983.
George K. Fitzsimmons
(1928-2013), Bishop of Salina (1984-2004).
- Born in Kansas City, Missouri and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri in 1961.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph (1975-1984).
Northwestern Kansas continued to
experience a population loss and Bishop Fitzsimmons was forced to merge some
parishes. Financial difficulties also
forced the closure of Marymount College in 1989. Bishop Fitzsimmons expanded the role of the
laity in the liturgy, religious education, and ministries to the young and the
elderly. He also established a spiritual
renewal program and a program for rural communities. Due to a shortage of priests, Fitzsimmons
also instituted a program to allow nuns or lay people to administer
parishes. Bishop Fitzsimmons retired in
2004.
Paul S. Coakley (1955-
), Bishop of Salina (2004-2010).
- Born in Virginia and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita in 1983.
- Also served as director of spiritual formation at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland, vice chancellor of the Diocese of Wichita, and serves as Archbishop of Oklahoma City (since 2010).
Bishop Coakley began a strategic planning process for the
Diocese and established several youth activity programs. He also started the Catholic Community Foundation
to address the Diocese’s financial needs.
He also promoted vocations to the priesthood by calling for a “Year of
Prayer” and by appointing a full-time vocations director. Coakley also ordained the first class of
seven permanent deacons for the Diocese.
Bishop Coakley was appointed Archbishop of Oklahoma City in 2010.
Edward J. Weisenburger (1960- ), Bishop of Salina (2012-2017).
- Born in Illinois and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City in 1987.
- Serves as Bishop of Tucson, Arizona (since 2017).
Under Bishop Weisenburger, the Diocese acquired Manhatten’s
hospital and it is now administered as a Catholic hospital. He built a new headquarters for the diocesan
Catholic Charities and expanded it services.
Weisenburger appointed several women to key positions within the Diocese
and also spoke out against the “payday” loan industry and its effects on the
poor. Bishop Weisenburger was appointed
Bishop of Tucson, Arizona, in 2017.
Current Bishop
Vacant.
The Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral
118 North Ninth Street
Salina, Kansas 67401
St. John Eudes was a 17th Century French priest
who preached the loving nature of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Later in the same century, a French nun, St.
Margaret Mary Alacoque had visions of Jesus revealing that his Sacred Heart was
filled with love and mercy for all people.
The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the Friday after
the second Sunday after Pentecost. Many
Catholics also show devotion to the Sacred Heart by attending Mass and
receiving the Body and Blood of Christ on the first Friday of each month.
O my Jesus, you have
said: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words
will not pass away." Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the
grace of.....(here name your request). Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my
trust in you.
The Diocese of Concordia was established in 1887 and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church was chosen to be the Cathedral parish. The church had been built in the 1870s and was essentially rebuilt as a larger stone Gothic structure in 1902. This church served as the Diocesan Cathedral until Bishop Frank Thill became the first Bishop of Salina in 1944. Sacred Heart, which has been established in 1876, became the new Cathedral parish and Bishop Thill soon made plans to build a new Cathedral. The current Cathedral, designed by Edward Schulte of Cincinnati, was completed in 1953.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help from the parish website.
Current cathedral from the Diocesan website.
The Cathedral is a modern “eclectic style” church that incorporates symbols of wheat in its design. Wheat is not only symbolic of Kansas, but also of the Eucharist. The bell tower resembles a wheat silo. The main doors to the Cathedral feature a large carved crucifix made from Silverdale limestone. Christ looks at other carved figures representing his followers. The baptismal font is located in the gathering space and has an overhead skylight. This space also features a triptych with icons of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Perpetual Help (principal patroness of the Diocese) and St. Francis of Assisi (secondary patron). A 20-foot crucifix dominates the sanctuary and sculptured relief panels on Silverdale limestone on either side of the crucifix depict six apostles and evangelists. A relief carved on the back wall depicts the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
A side chapel was originally dedicated to Our Blessed Mother,
but now contains the tabernacle. A small
chapel located at the base of the bell tower is now dedicated to Our Lady of
Guadalupe. The Cathedral has 21 windows,
each 25 feet high. These were designed
by Anton Wendling in Aachen, Germany and were assembled by Erhardt Stettner in
Milwaukee. They depict various saints
in colored mosaic glass. The pipe organ
was originally built in 1926 by George Kilgen and Son for the old Sacred Heart church.
It was rebuilt and expanded when the current Cathedral was built. It was most recently restored in 2003 by the Coombs
Organ Specialists.
The cathedral website, www.shcathedral.com,
contains more detail about the Cathedral.
Also see the Diocesan cathedral at salinadiocese.org. The Cathedral is located in downtown Salina and
has five weekend masses—including two in Spanish. The parish junior/senior high school enrolls
over 250 students.
The first three pictures are from the Cathedral website and the last is from panaramio.
Also in the Diocese
The Basilica of St. Fidelis is in Victoria. St. Fidelis parish
was established in 1876 to serve German Catholics. The current Romanesque building, with towers
rising 141 feet above the street, was designed by architect John T. Comes of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The church was
built by the parishioners and completed in 1911. It was built with 125,000 cubic feet of rock
and seats 1,100. The church contains
stained glass windows made in Germany, Stations of the Cross crafted in
Austria, and has been served by Capuchin Franciscan priests since 1878. William Jennings Bryan, on a Presidential
campaign in 1912, called St. Fidelis the “Cathedral of the Plains.” The church was placed on the National
Register of Historic Places in 1971. Pope
Francis designated the church as a minor basilica in
2014. Basilica is an honorary
title bestowed on a church by the Pope because of the church’s antiquity,
dignity, historical importance, or significance as a center of worship. The Basilica’s website, stfidelischurch.com,
has pictures of the basilica and of all of the statues and Stations of the
Cross. The Basilica’s website is stfidelischurch.com.
All are from the basilica website, except the last, which is from flickr.
Diocese of Wichita
The diocese consists of 25 counties in southeastern Kansas
Bishops of Wichita
John J. Hennessy (1847-1920), first Bishop of Wichita
(1888-1920).
- Born in Ireland and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1869.
Pope Leo XIII named James O’Reilly to be the first Bishop of
Wichita, but O’Reilly died in 1887 prior to being consecrated. The following year, Pope Leo appointed John Hennessy
to be Bishop. There were about 8,000
Catholics in the Diocese at that time.
In 1891, Bishop Hennessy was named apostolic administrator of the
Diocese of Concordia (now Salina) and for the next seven years led both
dioceses. The people in both dioceses
faced difficult economic times and Bishop Hennessy often sought financial
support from Catholics on the East Coast.
When economic conditions improved, Hennessy built the Cathedral of the
Immaculate Conception in Wichita. Bishop
Hennessy was also influential in the establishment of the Catholic Church
Extension Society. He died in 1920.
Augustus J.
Schwertner (1870-1939), Bishop of Wichita (1921-1939).
- Born in Ohio and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio, in 1897.
Bishop Schwertner established religious vacation schools and
religious correspondence schools for children living far from a church. He also started a teachers’ training school
and a radio station. He died in 1939 of a cerebral hemmorage.
Christian H. Winkelmann (1883-1946), Bishop of Wichita
(1939-1946).
- Born in Missouri and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1907.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of St. Louis (1933-1939).
[I was not able to find much on this Bishop.] He died in
1946.
Mark K. Carroll (1896-1985), Bishop of Wichita (1947-1967).
- Born in Missouri and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1922.
[From Wikipedia.] In
1948 Bishop Carroll called for the repeal of the state prohibition law because
it was "an unwarrantable infringement" on "reasonable
liberty." In 1951 he became the first Catholic clergyman in the United
States to receive a citation from the National Conference of Christians and
Jews for "promoting amity and understanding among all elements of our
pluralistic society." He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican
Council and became an outspoken proponent of ecumenism and of the use of
vernacular in the Mass. He also supported the civil rights movement. [From
other sources.] One of Carroll’s
priests, Father Emil Kapaun, died a prisoner of war in Korea in 1951 and is now
being considered for canonization.
Carroll established Kapaun Memorial High School in 1954. Bishop Carroll retired in 1967 due to poor
health.
Leo Byrne was
appointed as apostolic administrator with the right of succession in
1963, but was never ordained as Bishop of Wichita because he was named by Pope
Pius VI as coadjutor Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1967.
David M. Maloney (1912-1995), Bishop of Wichita
(1967-1982).
- Born in Colorado and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Denver in 1936.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Denver (1960-1967).
[From Wikipedia.] In
1969, Bishop Maloney joined the other Kansas Catholic bishops in opposing a
state law that would allow physicians to perform abortions in licensed and
accredited hospitals. In 1977, he publicly declared that he would defy a city
ordinance that prohibited discrimination in employment, housing and public
accommodations based on sexual orientation. He retired in 1982.
Eugene J.
Gerber (1931- ), Bishop of
Wichita (1982-2001).
- Born in Kingman County, Kansas, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita in 1959.
- Also served as Bishop of Dodge City (1976-1982).
Bishop Gerber built a retirement center for laity and
priests and a retreat center. He
encouraged Eucharistic Adoration and encouraged vocations to the priesthood and
religious life. He started Teens Encounter
Christ and Totus Tuus Summer Catechetical programs in the Diocese. Bishop Gerber retired in 2001.
Thomas J. Olmstead (1947- ), Bishop of Wichita (2001-2003).
- Born in Oketo, Kansas, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska in 1973.
- Also served as coadjutor bishop of Wichita (1999-2001) and serves as Bishop of Phoenix, Arizona.
Bishop Olmstead served only two years before being named
Bishop of Phoenix, Arizona.
Michael. O. Jackels (1954- ), Bishop of Wichita (2005-2013).
- Born in South Dakota and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1981.
·
Also served as staff for the Vatican’s
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope
Benedict XVI) and serves as Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa (since 2013). His appointment as Archbishop of Dubuque was
the first appointment of a U.S. bishop by Pope Francis.
[From Wikipedia.] Bishop Jackels joined the other three
Kansas bishops in approving a pastoral letter opposing embryonic stem cell
research. He publically opposed same-sex marriage, abortion, and the death
penalty, and supported just immigration laws.
He was active in promoting Catholic education and helped establish the
Drexel Fund which calls for donations to help financially strapped Catholic
schools within the diocese. Under Jackels, the diocese had one of the highest
numbers of seminarians per Catholic in the United States. Jackels was appointed Archbishop of
Dubuque in 2013.
Current Bishop
Carl Kemme was appointed Bishop of Wichita by Pope Francis
in 2014. He was born in Illinois in 1961
and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, in 1986. He most recently served as vicar general and
moderator of the curia for the Springfield diocese.
The Cathedral
The Cathedral
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
307 East Central
Wichita, Kansas 67202
Many Christians believe that humans are born into sin—known
as original sin. This sin is erased
through baptism and the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe that Mary, through the
grace of God, was conceived without the stain of original sin—the Immaculate
Conception. She was given the honor
because of her role as the Mother of God.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8.
O Mary, Mother of God,
endowed in your glorious Immaculate Conception with the fullness of grace;
unique among women in that you are both mother and virgin; Mother of Christ and
Virgin of Christ, we ask you to look down with a tender heart from your throne
and listen to our prayers as we earnestly ask that you obtain for us the favor
for which we now plead... (State your intention here...) O Mary of the
Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son
while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us
and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine
Will. Amen.
There were three Catholic churches in Wichita 2nd Street St. Francis St.
The Cathedral is made of Bedford
stone and columns of Vermont gray granite support a copper dome and the
entrance porch. The Cathedral’s bronze
doors were designed and created by the Italian company Domus Dei and were installed in 1997. The center doors depict the Sorrowful
Mysteries of the Rosary, the west and east doors depict saints, including
native son, Father Emil Kapaun, a candidate for canonization. Above the doors is a bas-relief of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
The top picture is from flickr and the bottom from pinterest.
The Cathedral’s stained glass windows were designed by the
Franz Mayer Company of Munich, Germany, and were installed in 1927. The east windows depict the Joyful Mysteries
of the Rosary and the west windows depict the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary. At the transepts, to the west is a statue of
Mary and Joseph and to the east a crucifix.
Both are the work of Oregon artist, Rip Caswell. Above is the dome which depicts God the
Father with arms outstretched in blessing and welcome. Seven stars represent the seven churches of
the Book of Revelation. At the top of
each column supporting the dome is a depiction of an evangelist.
The Cathedral has two shrines. The dominant feature of the Paschal Mystery
Shrine is a large (13.5 by 9 foot) crucifix.
The front of the cross is made of pine wood from Israel and the 12
stones at the base come from the Jordan River and represent the twelve apostles
and the twelve tribes of Israel. The
crucifix was delivered by the Oregon artist in the back of his pick-up truck. The Mary Shrine has statues of Mary and
Joseph (showing Mary as pregnant with Our Lord), Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Our
Lady of La Vang.
The Cathedral website, www.wichitacathedral.com, has an
extensive description of the Cathedral including explanations of many of the
features. Also see the Diocesan website
at catholicdioceseofwichita.org. The
Cathedral is located in downtown Wichita and has five weekend masses—including
two in Spanish—to serve 600 parish families.
All are by me.
Diocese of Dodge City
The diocese consists of 28 counties in southwestern Kansas
Bishops of Dodge City
John B. Franz (1896-1992), first Bishop of Dodge City
(1951-1959).
- Born in Illinois and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Alton (now Springfield), Illinois, in 1920.
- Also served as Bishop of Peoria, Illinois (1959-1971).
Bishop Franz built almost three dozen new parish
buildings. He was named Bishop of
Peoria, Illinois, in 1959, at which time the Diocese of Dodge City had a Catholic
population of 26,000 in 49 parishes and 11 missions.
Marion F.
Forst (1910-2007), Bishop of Dodge City (1960-1976).
- Born in St. Louis and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1934.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Kansas City, Kansas (1976-1986).
[From Wikipedia.]
Bishop Forst attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
and was a strong advocate of the Council.
He established several new offices and ministries, including Catholic
Social Services, the Office of Religious Education, the Family Life Office, the
Religious Education for the Handicapped program, the Southwest Kansas
Register diocesan newspaper, the Office of Mexican American Affairs, and
the Youth/Young Adults Office. He was a
proponent of federal aid to private schools. Bishop Forst resigned as Bishop in 1976 due to
poor health and became auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City the
same year.
Eugene J.
Gerber (1931- ), Bishop of
Dodge City (1976-1982).
- Born in Kingman County, Kansas, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita in 1959.
- Also served as Bishop of Wichita (1982-2001).
Bishop Gerber started the RENEW program in the Diocese. [I was not able to find much on this Bishop.]
He was named by Pope John Paul II to be
Bishop of Wichita in 1982.
- Born in Belleville, Illinois, and ordained a priest for Diocese of Belleville in 1958.
- Also served as auxiliary bishop of Belleville (1979-1983).
[From Wikipedia.]
Bishop Schlarman recruited Burmese, Filipino, and Vietnamese priests;
established a Diocesan vocations office; a Diocesan pastoral council; and an
Office of Aging and Parenting. He also
promoted the Pastoral Ministry Training Program, the Teens Encounter Chirst
program, and the Cursillo movement. Bishop
Schlarman resigned in 1998 at the age of 64 because the responsibility of being
Bishop “depleted my energies even for the pastoral ministry of the Church."
Ronald M. Gilmore (1942- ), Bishop of Dodge City (1998-2010).
- Born in Pittsburg, Kansas, and ordained a priest for Diocese of Wichita in 1969.
Bishop Gilmore built the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
in Dodge City and spoke out on rural and agricultural issues. He created workshops and parish gatherings to
promote Faith renewal. Gilmore also
reached out to the 60 percent of Diocesan Catholics who speak Spanish as their
first language. He attended a
three-month alcohol treatment program in 2009.
Bishop Gilmore resigned in 2010 at the age of 68, according to the
Diocesan newspaper, because being a bishop had become “a burden” and the
Diocese needed new leadership.
Current Bishop
John B. Brungardt was appointed Bishop of Dodge City by Pope
Benedict XVI in 2010. He was born in Salina
in 1958 and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita in 1998. He previously served in several capacities
with the Diocese of Wichita, including chancellor and pastor.
The Cathedral
Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
3231 N. Fourteenth Street
Dodge City, Kansas 67801
3231 N. Fourteenth Street
Dodge City, Kansas 67801
In December 1531, our Blessed Mother appeared to a Mexican
peasant named Juan Diego and told him that she wanted a church built on that
spot (Tepeyac hill). Juan Diego went to
the local bishop and delivered Our Lady’s message, but the bishop did not
believe him and asked for a sign. When
Juan Diego told Our Lady of the bishop’s request, she told him to gather some
nearby roses (which bloomed despite the rocky soil and the winter season) and
wrap them in his cloak. Our Lady
rearranged the roses and told Juan Diego to take them to the bishop. When he met with the bishop, he unfurled his
cloak and a picture of our Blessed Mother appeared—as a pregnant teenaged
Mexican girl. The bishop and his aides
were the first to venerate this miraculous picture, and millions continue to do
so today at the basilica built on Tepeyac hill and around the world. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is
celebrated on December 12.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mystical Rose, make
intercession for the holy Church, protect the Sovereign Pontiff, help all those
who invoke thee in their necessities, and since thou art the ever Virgin Mary
and Mother of the true God, obtain for us from thy most holy Son the grace of
keeping our faith, sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life, burning
charity and the precious gift of final perseverance. Amen.
Sacred Heart was established as the first parish in Dodge
City in 1879 and the parishioners built the first church on Central Avenue in
1882. This small frame church was
replaced by a Spanish Colonial Revival church in
1916 at the same location. This church
became the Cathedral for the new Diocese of Dodge City in 1951. It was replaced by the new Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2001. The old Cathedral is now used by Sacred Heart
School and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Dodge City is one of only 7 diocesan sees in
which the Cathedral parish is the only parish.
Old Sacred Heart Cathedral from Wikipedia.
Current Cathedral from the Diocesan website.
The Cathedral is an octagon shaped
building made primarily of Silverdale limestone. A bell tower rises 77 feet with a cross
adding another 29 feet. The cooper roof
rises to a central point that is in the shape of a lantern rising over 20 feet
above the roof. The Cathedral seats
1,400 people.
The Cathedral is entered through
cooper doors that are 14 feet high. Two
chapels are located off of the gathering space.
Sacred Heart Chapel is named in honor of the prior cathedral and is the
location of daily mass. The Shrine of
Our Lady of Guadalupe has an image of the Virgin Mary made by Mexican artist
Tobias Villaneuvo. The baptismal font is
made of bronze in the shape of a cross.
The water bubbles up like an artesian well—commonly found in this part
of Kansas. The square sanctuary has a
limestone floor and contains a square granite altar and a granite ambo. The cathedra (bishop’s chair) is made of
Cuban mahogany and zircote—a wood from Mexico.
The dark rose chair was hand-crafted.
The tabernacle is made of polished bronze, Cuban mahogany, and mirrors,
and is seen feet tall. It sits on a
granite pedestal.
The Stations of the Cross were
crafted by Colorado artist Hubero Maestas, who also designed the main crucifix. Around the outer ambulatory are shrines. These include a shrine to eleven saints
representing the many religious communities who have served or who are serving
in the Diocese; the Holy Family with a statue of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph carved
from linden wood; St. Therese of Lisieux; St. Isidore and St. Maria de la
Cabeza, who were a 12th Century Spanish married couple; and St.
Maria Goretti, martyred in the early 20th Century.
The Cathedral website, www.dodgecitycathedral.com, has an extensive description of the Cathedral. The Diocesan website, www.dcdiocese.org,
has an audio tour of the cathedral. The Cathedral is located
two miles northwest of downtown Dodge City and has four weekend
masses—including two in Spanish—to serve 3,400 parish families. The parish elementary school has an
enrollment of 300.
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