About Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary · Solomon, Kansas
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish in Solomon, Kansas, in the Diocese of Salina. Founded in 1868 by frontier Catholics who had been gathering for Mass in homes since 1861, it serves the rural Solomon area and serves as the mother parish for the mission church of St. Patrick in nearby Gypsum. The parish worships in a brick church built in 1883, complete with a 1899 bell tower, and continues the daily-Mass and rosary traditions of a classic Kansas rural Catholic community.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Fr. Peter O'Donnell (appointed 2026, in addition to his duties at St. Andrew, Abilene; St. Francis Xavier, Junction City; and St. Michael). Fr. John Wolesky had served as Priest Supervisor and was granted full retirement in 2026.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception offers the rhythms of a classic Catholic rural parish — daily Mass several days a week, a regular Sunday schedule, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and a Holy Rosary devotion each weekday morning, and a close-knit community that knows each other by name. As the mother parish for the mission church of St. Patrick in Gypsum, it serves a wide swath of central Kansas and welcomes new families and visitors who want to belong, pray and serve alongside fellow Catholics in Dickinson County.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 3rd Sunday of the month at 9:30 AM (before the 10:00 AM Mass)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Friday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (Adoration; Holy Rosary at 9:10 AM; Mass to follow)
Parish History
Immaculate Conception traces its roots to 1861, when Jesuit missionary Father Louis Dumortier began visiting Catholic homesteaders in the Solomon area and celebrating Mass in the home of widow Margaret Riordan. The community grew quickly enough that by 1866 it was planning a church of its own, but Father Dumortier died in 1867 at Fort Harker tending cholera victims. The first church was completed in late 1867 or early 1868; the current brick church was dedicated in 1883 after a prairie fire nearly destroyed the original, with the bell tower added in 1899 and an annex in 1903. The parish has remained continuously active since, marking its 150th anniversary in 2018.
- 1861 — First Mass offered in the home of Margaret Riordan
- 1867/1868 — First church built
- 1883 — Present brick church dedicated
- 1884 — Brick rectory completed
- 1899 — Bell tower added
- 1903 — Annex added
- 1966 — New parish hall built
- 1967 — Parishioner John Lahey ordained to the priesthood
- 1994–1999 — Fr. Lahey pastors his home parish until retirement
Mission Parish: St. Patrick, Gypsum
Immaculate Conception is paired with the mission parish of St. Patrick in Gypsum, Kansas, southeast of Solomon. Mass was first offered in Catholic homes around Gypsum beginning in 1882, and the first church there was built in 1902. Floods repeatedly damaged the structure; it was rebuilt in 1948 six feet higher to withstand flooding, which allowed it to survive the great flood of 1951. The two parishes share pastoral leadership and a single Parish Life Coordinator.
- St. Patrick Parish, Gypsum — founded 1902
- Current St. Patrick church dedicated 1948
- New parish hall completed in Gypsum in 2007
- Sunday Mass at St. Patrick: 8:00 AM
Clergy and Parish Staff
Following the Diocese of Salina's 2026 priestly appointments, Fr. Peter O'Donnell was named pastor of Immaculate Conception while continuing as pastor of parishes in Abilene, Junction City and elsewhere. His predecessor as Priest Supervisor was Fr. John Wolesky, who was granted full retirement in 2026 after serving Immaculate Conception and St. Patrick together. Mrs. Daylene Tracy has served as Parish Life Coordinator, a key staff role in rural Salina-diocese parishes, and her appointment was also concluded in 2026.
- Fr. Peter O'Donnell — Pastor (appointed 2026)
- Fr. John Wolesky — Priest Supervisor, retired 2026
- Mrs. Daylene Tracy — Parish Life Coordinator
The Church Building
The present church is a brick structure dedicated in 1883, the third important building on the parish grounds. Its 1899 bell tower and 1903 annex are still part of the active building, and the adjacent brick rectory was built the year the church debt was paid (1884). A new parish hall was added in 1966 to provide space for parish life and gatherings. The grounds sit at 3599 N Field Road, Solomon, at the corner of Field Road and 4th Street — 'the last church on the left side as you leave town.'
- Brick church dedicated 1883
- Bell tower added 1899
- Annex added 1903
- Brick rectory built 1884
- Parish hall built 1966
Visit, Contact and Giving
Parishioners and visitors can reach Immaculate Conception at 3599 N Field Rd., Solomon, KS 67480, by phone at (785) 655-2221, or by email at [email protected]. The Diocese of Salina accepts online donations on behalf of the parish, and the parish's own website (immaculateconceptionsolomon.org) maintains the current bulletin and announcements.
- Address: 3599 N Field Rd., Solomon, KS 67480
- Phone: (785) 655-2221
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: immaculateconceptionsolomon.org
- Donate: via the Diocese of Salina parish page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Louis Dumortier, SJ1861–1867
Jesuit missionary from St. Mary's Indian Mission east of Manhattan; first celebrated Mass in the area at the home of Margaret Riordan. Died at Fort Harker in 1867 while caring for cholera victims.
- Fr. John (John H.) Lahey1994–1999 (retirement)
Native son of the parish, ordained in 1967; returned to pastor his home parish from 1994 until his retirement in 1999.
- Fr. John Wolesky
Listed by the Diocese of Salina as the Priest Supervisor of Immaculate Conception (Solomon) and St. Patrick (Gypsum); granted full retirement in the 2026 diocesan appointments.