About Cheyenne Manor (nursing home served by Sacred Heart Church) · Cheyenne Wells, Colorado
Cheyenne Manor is a Medicare-certified nursing home and assisted-living community in the small, rural town of Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, established in 1978 as a Special District within Cheyenne County. The nursing home is served by Sacred Heart Parish (Roman Catholic, Diocese of Colorado Springs), which celebrates a weekly Mass on the premises for residents and visitors. Sacred Heart Parish has ministered in Cheyenne County since 1909 and provides Catholic pastoral care — including the regular Mass at Cheyenne Manor — to residents and the wider Eastern Colorado community.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Vijay Kumar Bonagiri (Parochial Administrator, assigned October 1, 2022)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Colorado Springs
Why belong here
Cheyenne Manor brings consistent Catholic pastoral care to elderly residents of Eastern Colorado who otherwise would have limited access to the sacraments. A weekly Mass is celebrated inside the nursing home (Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., per the Diocese of Colorado Springs) by the priests of Sacred Heart Parish, giving residents a familiar and dignified setting for the Eucharist, prayer and devotions. Family members and friends are warmly welcomed to attend the Mass with their loved ones, and the same pastoral team serves the broader Sacred Heart parish community in Cheyenne Wells, the mission church of St. Augustine in Kit Carson, and Keefe Memorial Hospital — a true rural Catholic family of faith.
Mass times at Cheyenne Manor (nursing home served by Sacred Heart Church)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday, 8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. (Sacred Heart, before Mass)
- Saturday, 4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. (Sacred Heart, before the 5:00 p.m. anticipated Mass)
- By appointment
- After Mass or by appointment at St. Augustine, Kit Carson
Adoration times
- Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. — Adoration with Scriptural Rosary (Diocese of Colorado Springs listing)
- Saturday — 9:00 a.m. Mass, then Adoration until 10:00 a.m. (per parish / third-party listings)
- Thursday, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. — Rosary, Adoration and Benediction (per third-party listings)
Overview — Cheyenne Manor Catholic Chapel
Cheyenne Manor is a Medicare-certified nursing home and assisted-living community in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, established in 1978 as a Special District within Cheyenne County. The home, which can host up to 38 elders, is served by Sacred Heart Parish of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. A weekly Catholic Mass — celebrated on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. — is offered inside the facility for residents, their families and friends, ensuring elderly parishioners in this rural Eastern Colorado community have consistent access to the Eucharist and the sacraments.
- Type: Nursing home chapel served by Sacred Heart Parish
- Resident capacity: up to 38 elders
- Operator: Cheyenne Manor Special District (est. 1978)
- Pastoral care: Sacred Heart Parish, Diocese of Colorado Springs
Parish History
Catholic life in Cheyenne Wells began in 1909 when Fathers Godfrey Raber, Anthony Abel and George Fenske began ministering to local families. Bishop Nicholas Chrysostom Matz of Denver purchased 24 lots of land for the parish for $1 in 1912; the original church was completed by October 1913. Father Alfonso Keiffer — the beloved 'Padre of the Plains' — became the parish's first permanent pastor in 1918, built the rectory still in use, organized Sacred Heart School in 1921, and built Columbine Hall in 1949 for parish social life. After Father Keiffer's retirement in 1952, the Bethlehem Fathers cared for the parish until Father John Canjar arrived in 1955, oversaw the conversion of Columbine Hall into the present church (dedicated 1957), and saw the old church demolished in 1958. Over the following decades pastors continued to remodel, expand and renew parish life, including a complete renovation completed in 2005 under Father Jaimes Ponce and a subsequent pastoral succession that continues today under Fr. Vijay Kumar Bonagiri.
- 1909: First priests (Raber, Abel, Fenske) minister in Cheyenne Wells
- 1912: Bishop Matz purchases 24 lots from H.M. Schumm for $1
- 1913: Original church completed
- 1918: Fr. Alfonso Keiffer becomes first permanent pastor
- 1921: Sacred Heart School constructed
- 1949: Columbine Hall built for parish events
- 1957: Columbine Hall converted into the current church; old church demolished 1958
- 1971: Sacred Heart School closes after 58 years
- 2005: Complete church renovation completed and rededicated
- 2022: Fr. Vijay Kumar Bonagiri assigned as parochial administrator
Pastor and Clergy
Sacred Heart Parish, which ministers to Cheyenne Manor, is currently led by Fr. Vijay Kumar Bonagiri, who was assigned as parochial administrator on October 1, 2022. He also serves St. Augustine mission church in Kit Carson. His name appears on the Diocese of Colorado Springs' official clergy finder as the priest assigned to Sacred Heart – Cheyenne Wells / St. Augustine.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Vijay Kumar Bonagiri (since Oct. 1, 2022)
- Diocese: Colorado Springs
Sacraments
Through Sacred Heart Parish, residents of Cheyenne Manor, families and the wider Cheyenne County Catholic community can arrange the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage and Anointing of the Sick. The parish office can be reached at (719) 767-5272.
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses
- Reconciliation — before Mass and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — on request
- Baptism, Marriage, First Communion, Confirmation — by arrangement with the parish office
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Sacred Heart Parish maintains a small but faithful ministry portfolio focused on the rural Eastern Colorado community. The parish runs a community food pantry (founded in the 1990s by Fr. Thomas Kloppenborg), provides regular Catholic ministry to elderly residents of Cheyenne Manor and to patients at Keefe Memorial Hospital, and supports the mission church of St. Augustine in Kit Carson. An annual Stewardship Renewal program invites parishioners to commit their time, talent and treasure.
- Community food pantry
- Catholic ministry at Cheyenne Manor nursing home
- Monthly Mass at Keefe Memorial Hospital
- St. Augustine mission church in Kit Carson
- Stewardship renewal program
- Altar-server program (originated 1959 under Fr. George Kearney)
Visiting Cheyenne Manor
Family members and friends of residents are warmly welcomed to attend the Wednesday Mass at Cheyenne Manor, and to visit the chapel / quiet room on other days by checking in at the nursing-home front desk. The facility is located at 561 West 1st Street North in Cheyenne Wells, just four-tenths of a mile from Sacred Heart Church.
- Address: 561 West 1st Street North, Cheyenne Wells, CO 80810
- Facility phone: (719) 767-5602
- Administrator: Tammy Freeman
- Parish office: (719) 767-5272
Sources and Further Information
Verified information for this profile was drawn from the Sacred Heart Parish website (cheyennecountycatholicco.org), the Diocese of Colorado Springs parish directory and clergy finder, the Cheyenne Manor nursing-home website (cheyennemanor.org), the Colorado Health Care Association directory, and GCatholic.
- Sacred Heart Parish website: cheyennecountycatholicco.org
- Diocese of Colorado Springs: diocs.org
- Cheyenne Manor: cheyennemanor.org
- GCatholic entry (Sacred Heart, Cheyenne Wells)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Godfrey Raber, Fr. Anthony Abel, Fr. George Fenske1909–1912
First priests ministering to the Cheyenne Wells Catholic congregation.
- Fr. Alfonso Keiffer1918–1952
First permanent pastor; known as the 'Padre of the Plains.' Built the rectory still in use; organized construction of Sacred Heart School (1921); built Columbine Hall (1949); launched the 'Living Rosary Crusade' to pay off parish debt. Retired due to failing eyesight; died Oct. 7, 1971.
- Bethlehem Fathers1952–1955
Took over the parish during Father Keiffer's retirement.
- Fr. John Canjar1955–
Converted Columbine Hall into the present Sacred Heart Church; sanctuary dedicated 1957.
- Fr. George Kearney1959–
Organized an altar-boy program.
- Fr. Clement DeWall1966–1969
- Fr. Gerald Stremmelpost-1969
- Fr. Daniel Balzereit1971–
Remodeled the church using funds from a good wheat crop and a bequest from Father Keiffer (d. 1971).
- Fr. Leonard Hoeffler1973–1982
- Fr. James Morgan1982–1984
- Fr. James Halloran1984–1987
- Fr. Thomas Kihn1988–1991
- Fr. Edward Sullivan1991–
Remodeled the church balcony and added classrooms behind the front of the church.
- Fr. Thomas Kloppenborg (C.M., Vincentian)1993–
Responsible for the new church entrance; started a community food pantry.
- Fr. Khanh Pham NguyenJune 2002–2004
Left in 2004 due to poor health.
- Fr. Jaimes PonceAugust 2004–2007
Parish administrator; organized a complete renovation of the church, completed July 2005 and rededicated September 2005; later went to Rome to study canon law.
- Fr. Boleslaw Kuzma2007–2009
Parish administrator.
- Fr. Kirk SlatteryOctober 2009–March 2012
Pastor.
- Fr. Carlos Gallardo-MoralesMarch 2012–August 2012
Temporary administrator.
- Fr. Alfredo GarciaAugust 2012–June 2013
Pastor.
- Fr. Rafael Torres-RicoJune 2013–June 2015
Pastor.
- Fr. Jason KeasAugust 30, 2015–2019
Installed as pastor.
- Fr. Roylan RecioAugust 19, 2019–August 2020
Installed as pastor.
- Fr. Dan AyersSeptember 2020–
Parochial administrator.
- Fr. Vijay Kumar BonagiriOctober 1, 2022–present
Current parochial administrator of Sacred Heart, Cheyenne Wells / St. Augustine, Kit Carson.