About Immaculate Conception · Louisburg, Kansas
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (ICCC) is a small, family-oriented Roman Catholic parish located in the town of Louisburg, Kansas, in Miami County. A parish of the (Arch)Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas, it has served Catholic families in eastern Kansas since the late 1880s and traces its roots to the wave of Catholic settlers who founded Louisburg — once nicknamed 'Little St. Louis' — after the Civil War. The parish community worships in the church built in 1954 at 606 South Elm Street, offers daily and weekend Masses, a School of Religion, a Knights of Columbus council, and a variety of lay-led liturgical ministries that keep its 600-odd families connected.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Father John Torrez
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception offers the rare combination of a real small-town Catholic parish feel with a full weekly schedule: three Sunday Masses' worth of options (Saturday 5:00 p.m., Sunday 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.), a daily 8:00 a.m. Mass Tuesday through Friday, twice-weekly confession, and Stations of the Cross each Friday in Lent. Families with children can enroll in the parish School of Religion (Sunday mornings during the USD 416 school year) and the summer Vacation Bible School, while adults serve through the Liturgy ministries — Cantor, Eucharistic Minister, Greeter/Usher, Lector, Sacristan, Server, Money Counter — or through the parish choir, Knights of Columbus Council #12437, and the Pipers Project. It's a place where the same pastor knows your name, the same building has gathered generations, and the ministries are sized so that anyone willing to volunteer can actually make a difference.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday, 4:00 – 4:45 p.m.
- Wednesday, 7:30 a.m.
- Available upon request or by appointment
Our History
Immediately following the close of the Civil War, a flourishing little town came into being on the east side of Miami County. Nicknamed 'Little St. Louis,' Louisburg quickly became a thriving town along the railroad track. Early settlers of this town were primarily Catholic, having a large influence in the founding of Immaculate Conception Church in 1887. In 1954, the church that now stands at 606 East Elm Street was built after twelve long years of raising funds. Immaculate Conception Church continues to be the 'nucleus' of our parish community, and serves as the meeting place of many generations of Louisburg Catholics. The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas lists the parish's founding year as 1886.
- Founded by post–Civil War Catholic settlers (parish records: 1887; archdiocesan directory: 1886)
- Originally served as a mission of Paola and later of Wea
- Current church building completed in 1954 after 12 years of fundraising
- Located at 606 S. Elm Street, Louisburg, KS 66053
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by a small but committed team. Father John Torrez is the current pastor, and Deacon George Karnaze assists him. Catie Lemke staffs the Parish Office. The School of Religion is directed by Holly Kuhlman, and the parish choir is led by Choir Director Cindy See. Jeanette Urbom coordinates the Pipers Project ministry.
- Father John Torrez — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Mr. George Karnaze — Deacon ([email protected])
- Catie Lemke — Parish Office (913-837-2295)
- Holly Kuhlman — School of Religion Director ([email protected])
- Cindy See — Choir Director
- Jeanette Urbom — Pipers Project Coordinator
- Very Rev. Bruce Ansems — listed as Pastor in the April 2024 parish bulletin
Liturgical Ministries
The Immaculate Conception Liturgy program allows parishioners to be a vital part of weekly and daily Masses. The parish publishes a monthly Mass Ministries Schedule (PDFs available on the website) so that lay men and women can serve in a specific role at a specific Mass. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact the Parish Office.
- Cantor
- Eucharistic Minister
- Greeter / Usher
- Lector
- Money Counter
- Musician / Choir Member
- Sacristan
- Server (altar server)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Immaculate Conception is dedicated to educating the parish's young Catholics to build their faith. Because the parish does not operate a parochial school, children attend Louisburg USD 416 public schools and then come to the parish's School of Religion on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. during the academic year. Each summer, the parish also hosts a multi-day Vacation Bible School where children learn about the Rosary, the Beatitudes, the Corporal Works of Mercy, and other Catholic lessons.
- School of Religion — Sundays, 9:00 a.m., during USD 416 school year
- Director: Holly Kuhlman — [email protected] / 913-645-6967
- Registration accepted for the 2025–2026 school year
- Vacation Bible School — summer mornings (2026: July 13–16)
- Bible studies and youth-group activities offered
- Adult Virtus certification required for VBS adult volunteers
Music & Choir
Music at weekend and daily Masses is led by the parish choir under the direction of Cindy See. The choir is part of the parish's Liturgy program and welcomes new members; instrumentalists are also listed among the liturgy volunteers.
- Church Choir Director: Cindy See
- Musicians and choir members serve through the Liturgy program
Parish Organizations
Immaculate Conception hosts several lay organizations that form the backbone of parish life, from the Knights of Columbus fraternal council to the parish's signature outreach effort, the Pipers Project.
- Knights of Columbus Council #12437 — Catholic fraternal service organization
- Pipers Project — parish outreach coordinated by Jeanette Urbom; donations accepted at Mass offerings
- Church Choir — liturgical music ministry
- School of Religion — parish faith formation for children
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for and celebrates each of the seven sacraments. Baptisms and Weddings require advance preparation, and a wedding-policy PDF is published on the parish website. Confession is offered weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays and by appointment. Mass Intentions may be requested for the living and the deceased with a $10 suggested offering.
- Baptism — preparation necessary; call the parish office weekdays to schedule
- Reconciliation — Saturday 4:00–4:45 p.m., Wednesday 7:30 a.m., or by appointment
- Marriage — 6 months of preparation required; contact Fr. John Torrez
- Mass Intentions — $10 suggested offering; contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — available upon request
Contact & Visit
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Visitors and new parishioners are warmly welcomed — the bulletin invites anyone who is new or visiting to 'stop by or call the Parish Office to register as soon as possible'.
- Physical address: 606 S. Elm Street, Louisburg, KS 66053
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 118, Louisburg, KS 66053
- Parish Office phone: 913-837-2295
- Fax: 913-837-3309
- Church Hall phone: 913-837-5264
- General email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
- Website: http://www.iccclouisburg.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. Bruce Ansems
Listed as pastor in the parish bulletin of April 14, 2024; succeeded by Father John Torrez.