About Our Lady of Lourdes · La Cygne, Kansas
Our Lady of Lourdes is a small Roman Catholic parish in La Cygne, Kansas, situated in the southeast corner of Linn County. It is part of a three-parish cluster served from St. Philip Neri in Osawatomie alongside Sacred Heart in Mound City, and belongs to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The parish was founded in 1981 and its church was dedicated on November 28, 1982 by Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker, bringing the regular celebration of the Mass back to the town of La Cygne for the first time since 1941. Today the parish is led by Fr. Barry Clayton, who pastors all three cluster parishes.
- Established
- 1981
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes
- Rector
- Fr. Barry Clayton
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes is a close-knit rural parish where a small but devoted congregation gathers weekly to celebrate the Eucharist, adore the Blessed Sacrament, and serve the wider La Cygne community. Members take part in a structured food-pantry ministry that supplies neighbors in need year-round, walk the Stations of the Cross together in Lent, and are linked through the Miami-Linn cluster to fellow Catholics in Osawatomie and Mound City. It is a place where the Faith is lived simply, faithfully, and together — under the patronage of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:00 – 8:30 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes (before the 8:30 AM Mass)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Sunday 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Adoration of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist)
Parish History
Our Lady of Lourdes grew out of decades of Catholic life in Linn County, Kansas, where Sacred Heart in Mound City had been the only Catholic church since 1941. A 1979 census identified sixty Catholic families with seventy children in La Cygne, and the first Mass in town was offered in the American Legion Hall on May 3, 1980. After fundraising and construction, the new church at 5th and Grand was blessed and dedicated by Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker on November 28, 1982, and named Our Lady of Lourdes.
- July 22, 1979 – House-to-house census finds 60 Catholic families and 70 children in La Cygne
- April 20, 1980 – Parishioner meeting called by Fr. Fitzgerald
- May 3, 1980 – First Mass celebrated in the American Legion Hall
- August 10, 1981 – Archbishop Strecker visits La Cygne to scout a church site
- February 21, 1982 – Ground breaking at 5th and Grand
- November 28, 1982 – Archbishop Strecker blesses and dedicates the new church
Clergy
Our Lady of Lourdes is pastored as part of the Miami-Linn cluster by Fr. Barry Clayton, who was assigned to the three parishes in January 2018. Fr. Clayton discerned his vocation as a student at Kansas State University, later transferred to Conception Seminary College, and completed his formation at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis. He was ordained a deacon on May 22, 2010 (the feast of St. Rita) and a priest on May 28, 2011.
- Fr. Barry Clayton — Pastor since January 2018
- Previous assignments: associate at Holy Trinity, Lenexa; pastor of Sacred Heart–Sabetha, St. Augustine–Fidelity, and St. James–Wetmore
Lenten Devotions
During Lent, the cluster gathers for the Stations of the Cross at the three parish churches, with Our Lady of Lourdes hosting the Thursday morning devotion. Penance services and other Lenten opportunities are shared across the cluster and announced in the bulletin.
- Stations of the Cross — Thursdays at 9:00 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes
- Penance Services — shared with the cluster during Lent
Food Pantry and Outreach
Our Lady of Lourdes keeps a year-round food pantry, with parishioners donating specific categories of items on a rotating monthly schedule. The structure helps ensure a steady supply of essentials for neighbors in need in the La Cygne area.
- January & July — Soup & Crackers
- February & August — Canned Meats & Fish
- March & September — Cereal / Breakfast Food
- April & October — Peanut Butter & Jelly
- May & November — Pasta & Sauce
- June & December — Laundry / Cleaning / Personal Hygiene
The Miami-Linn Cluster
Our Lady of Lourdes is one of three parishes in the Miami-Linn cluster, which is served from St. Philip Neri Church in Osawatomie. The cluster shares a single pastor, a coordinated Mass and confession schedule, and joint Holy Day and Lenten celebrations. The cluster mailing address is in Osawatomie, KS 66064.
- St. Philip Neri — 514 Parker Ave, Osawatomie, KS 66064
- Our Lady of Lourdes — 819 N. 5th St, La Cygne, KS 66040
- Sacred Heart — 729 W Main St, Mound City, KS 66056
- Cluster Pastor: Fr. Barry Clayton (since January 2018)
Contact and Location
Parish mail and inquiries are handled through the cluster office in Osawatomie, while the church itself sits on North 5th Street in La Cygne. Visitors and parishioners can reach the cluster by phone or email using the contacts published on the parish website.
- Church address: 819 N. 5th Street, La Cygne, KS 66040
- Mailing address: PO Box 4, Osawatomie, KS 66064
- Phone: (913) 755-2652
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.miamilinncatholics.org/OLL
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Barry ClaytonJanuary 2018 – present
Pastors the three-parish Miami-Linn cluster: St. Philip Neri (Osawatomie), Our Lady of Lourdes (La Cygne), and Sacred Heart (Mound City). Ordained a priest May 28, 2011.