About Immaculate Conception · Claflin, Kansas
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is a small, family-friendly Roman Catholic parish in the rural community of Claflin, Kansas, in the Diocese of Dodge City. The parish is twinned with Holy Family Catholic Church in Odin, and both share a pastor, office staff, religious education program, and liturgical ministries. With 152 registered households, Immaculate Conception worships in a red-brick Romanesque church built in 1949, carries on a faith tradition that began in 1902, and offers weekday and Sunday Mass, Reconciliation, PSR (Parish School of Religion), Knights of Columbus, pro-life and welcome committees, and a calendar of seasonal fundraisers and events that knit the surrounding agricultural community together.
- Established
- 1902
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Benjamin Dande (Fr. Ben)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dodge City
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a small, hands-on rural parish where nearly every member matters — there are 152 registered households drawn from across this stretch of central Kansas. The parish celebrates Mass and the full sacramental life from a beautiful 1949 red-brick Romanesque church, shares a priest with neighboring Holy Family in Odin, and runs a complete PSR (Parish School of Religion) for grades 1–8 plus a Youth Ministry for high schoolers. Visitors and new members are welcomed by an active Welcome Committee, supported by a Knights of Columbus council, called to serve through Pro-Life and other parish ministries, and drawn into a genuine faith community with deep roots stretching back to 1902.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before each Mass
- Anytime by appointment (call the parish office at 620-587-3628)
About Immaculate Conception & Holy Family
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Claflin, Kansas, and Holy Family Catholic Church in Odin, Kansas, are twinned rural parishes that share a pastor, office staff, and many ministries under the Diocese of Dodge City. The parish website is iccholyfamily.com, and the parish office (with Administrative Assistant Carla Liebl) can be reached at 620-587-3628, Mon–Fri, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. The parishes together serve roughly 152 registered households in this stretch of central Kansas.
History
The parish of Claflin was organized in the midsummer of 1902 with Bishop Hennessy's permission from the Diocese of Wichita. A lot was purchased for $177.68 in July 1902, and construction of the first church began October 22, 1903 — sand hauled from the Arkansas River and rock from the D.E. Hogan quarry five miles northeast of town. The first church cost $4,000, and the first pastor, Rev. Francis P. Joyce, celebrated the inaugural Mass on August 7, 1904; Bishop Hennessy dedicated the building May 3, 1905. A parochial school opened in 1918 under the Sisters of St. Joseph, Wichita. The present red-brick Romanesque church was begun September 15, 1948; its cornerstone was laid April 12, 1949 by Bishop Mark K. Carroll and it was dedicated October 11, 1949 — total cost $144,945 with many furnishings donated. The parish shifted to the new Diocese of Dodge City in 1951. The Golden Jubilee in 1954 included the blessing of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception; the Diamond Jubilee was celebrated October 14, 1979; and '100 Years of Faith on the Plains' was observed August 7–8, 2004.
- 1902 — parish organized under Bishop Hennessy, Diocese of Wichita
- 1903–1904 — first church built (cost $4,000); first Mass August 7, 1904
- 1905 — Bishop Hennessy dedicates the first church (May 3)
- 1918 — parochial school opens under Sisters of St. Joseph, Wichita
- 1948–1949 — second church built; cornerstone April 12, 1949; dedicated October 11, 1949
- 1951 — parish enters the new Diocese of Dodge City
- 1954 — Golden Jubilee; Shrine of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception blessed
- 1959 — new Sisters of St. Joseph convent completed ($27,300)
- 1970 — parochial school closes
- 1979 — Diamond Jubilee celebrated (October 14)
- 2000 — parish center groundbreaking after 10:00 Mass (August 13)
- 2004 — '100 Years of Faith on the Plains' celebration (August 7–8)
Parish Life & Ministries
Immaculate Conception and Holy Family share an active calendar of ministries and organizations that draw the small rural community together. The Welcome Committee reaches out to new parishioners with welcome packets and parish directory items to help families feel a sense of belonging. Two Knights of Columbus councils (Immaculate Conception Council and Holy Family Council) host fundraisers, auctions, an annual golf tournament, and other events, support parish center upkeep, donate funds to the church, and provide scholarships for high school students. A Pro-Life committee and other parish organizations round out the parish's mission and service arm.
- Welcome Committee — outreach to new parishioners
- Knights of Columbus — Immaculate Conception Council and Holy Family Council
- Pro-Life committee
- Parish fundraising events, auctions, and the annual golf tournament
- Holy Family Memorial fund
Faith Formation — PSR & Youth Ministry
Immaculate Conception and Holy Family children in grades 1–8 meet weekly for PSR (Parish School of Religion) under the Director of Religious Education, with volunteers sharing the faith. Second graders focus on the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation; the other grades cover topics such as the Bible, the sacraments, the Mass, and making good decisions. New students register by calling the Parish Office at 620-587-3628. High school students (grades 9–12) take part in Youth Ministry, encompassing social, spiritual, service, and catechetical activities; registration is also handled through the parish office.
- Elementary PSR (grades 1–8) — weekly classes; 2nd-grade Sacramental prep
- High School Youth Ministry (grades 9–12) — social, spiritual, service, catechetical
- Director of Religious Education: Keeley Hipp
Sacraments
Reconciliation (Confession) is offered 30 minutes before each Mass and any time by appointment. The parish follows the standard Rite of Reconciliation and notes that the sacrament can be celebrated at any time by calling the church office. Sacramental preparation for First Eucharist and First Reconciliation is offered as part of the 2nd-grade PSR program. For all Sacramental inquiries, the parish directs the faithful to contact Fr. Ben by email ([email protected]) or phone (620-587-3628).
- Reconciliation — 30 minutes before each Mass or by appointment
- First Eucharist and First Reconciliation preparation (2nd-grade PSR)
- General Sacramental inquiries: Fr. Ben, 620-587-3628, [email protected]
Clergy, Staff & Office
Immaculate Conception and Holy Family are served by a single pastor and a small, dedicated office staff. Pastor is Rev. Benjamin Dande ('Fr. Ben'); Carla Liebl serves as Administrative Assistant / Parish Secretary; Keeley Hipp serves as Director of Religious Education. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm, at 620-587-3628 (fax 620-588-3628), and the mailing address is PO Box 197, Claflin, KS 67525.
- Pastor: Rev. Benjamin Dande (Fr. Ben)
- Administrative Assistant: Carla Liebl ([email protected])
- Director of Religious Education: Keeley Hipp
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Phone: 620-587-3628 • Fax: 620-588-3628
Contact & Directions
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is located at 310 Main St, Claflin, KS 67525, on the corner of Main St & Williamson St; the Parish Center is at 101 Williamson St. The mailing address is PO Box 197, Claflin, KS 67525-0197. Office hours are Monday–Friday 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. The twinned Holy Family Church in Odin is located at 1387 NE 90 Ave, Odin, KS 67525.
- Immaculate Conception — 310 Main St, Claflin, KS 67525
- Parish Center — 101 Williamson St, Claflin
- Holy Family — 1387 NE 90 Ave, Odin, KS 67525
- Mailing: PO Box 197, Claflin, KS 67525
- Phone: 620-587-3628 • Fax: 620-588-3628
- Email: [email protected]
Architecture & Notable Features
The present Immaculate Conception church, built 1948–1949, is a Romanesque edifice of red brick, 112 by 40 feet, with a full finished basement used for parish gatherings. The nave seats 336 people, with a choir loft above the vestibule and a special room off the vestibule reserved for mothers with small children. The original electric Wurlitzer organ (later replaced by a $21,000 organ in 1995) sits in the choir loft. The stained-glass windows depict the Mysteries of the Rosary in a simple panel design with central figures, donated by parish members and school children. The sacristy is immediately behind the altar with entrances on either side. Outside, the Shrine of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception — built by parish schoolchildren with Father Stremel — was blessed at the 1954 Golden Jubilee.
- Style: Romanesque; red brick; 112 × 40 ft
- Capacity: 336 in the body of the church
- Choir loft with Wurlitzer organ (replaced 1995)
- Stained-glass windows — Mysteries of the Rosary
- Full finished basement for parish gatherings
- Shrine of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (blessed 1954)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis P. Joyce1904–
First pastor of the Claflin parish; a native of New York State; arrived July 1904. First Mass in the new church was celebrated August 7, 1904; Bishop Hennessy dedicated the church May 3, 1905.