About Our Lady of Perpetual Help · Concordia, Kansas
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church is a parish in Concordia, Kansas, belonging to the Diocese of Salina. It is the historic mother parish of north-central Kansas — the church that once served as the Cathedral of the original Diocese of Concordia (1887–1945) and continues to be a vital faith community of roughly 450 households in Cloud County. The parish is led by Father Joseph Kieffer, with Father Songa Mohanrao (Thomas Steven) serving as Parochial Vicar, and is united in ministry with St. Peter Parish in Aurora. Worship is offered in a distinctive limestone church built of post rock and Cloud County shell rock, with a Saturday Vigil Mass, Sunday Mass, daily weekday Masses Tuesday–Friday, Eucharistic Adoration, and a full sacramental and formation program.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Rector
- Fr. Joseph Kieffer
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
OLPH is a vibrant, family-friendly parish in the heart of north-central Kansas with deep historic roots — the former Cathedral church of the original Diocese of Concordia. Parishioners can worship at a daily 7:15 AM Mass Tuesday through Friday, attend Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, spend time in Tuesday all-day Eucharistic Adoration, and gather for parish brunches, faith formation, the Knights of Columbus (Council #1142, established 1906), a thriving thrift store, the Cloud County Resource Center food bank, and active youth and family ministries including confirmation, First Communion, faith formation, and a Living Rosary with students. The community also reaches out to students at Cloud County Community College and residents in five local health-care centers.
Mass times at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: 6:40 AM – 7:00 AM
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
History of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Catholic life in Concordia traces to French-Canadian settlers in Cloud County in the late 1860s. Father Joseph Rimmele first visited in 1869, and Father Louis M. Mollier began building the first church in 1877; it was completed in 1879. Father Joseph Perrier became the first resident pastor in 1880, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia were founded here in the 1880s, and on August 2, 1887 the church became the Cathedral of the new Diocese of Concordia. The cathedral was enlarged in 1902 — gaining a bell tower, narthex, transept, galleries and sacristy — and was at that point rededicated under its present name.
- 1877 – Construction of first church begins under Fr. Louis M. Mollier
- 1879 – First church completed and used for services
- 1880 – Fr. Joseph Perrier appointed first resident pastor
- 1882 – Rectory completed
- 1883 – Lay-teacher school opens
- 1887 (Aug 2) – Diocese of Concordia erected; OLPH becomes its Cathedral
- 1887 (Dec) – Bishop Richard Scannell, first bishop, arrives
- 1880s – Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia founded by Mother Stanislaus Leary and five sisters
- 1902 – Church enlarged with bell tower, narthex, transept, galleries, sacristy; rededicated as Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- 1908 – Grade school erected
- 1944 – Cathedral Catholic High School opens (East 7th Street)
- 1945 (April) – Diocesan See transferred to Salina; Sacred Heart, Salina becomes Cathedral
- 1955 – Grade school expanded
- 1962 – New Notre Dame Catholic High School opens
- 1968 – High school closes
- 1969–1971 – Building serves as grade school
- 1971 – Grade school closes; East 5th Street school building retained as parish hall and Religious Education Center
- 1992 – New rectory built at 420 Kansas
- 1994 – St. Mary's Parish, Jamestown closes after 121 years; members join OLPH
- 1996 – New parish hall built and attached to church
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor and parochial vicar, with a small lay staff handling parish administration, finances and music ministry. Phone and email for staff go through the parish office.
- Fr. Joseph Kieffer — Pastor (785-243-1099)
- Fr. Songa Mohanrao (Thomas Steven) — Parochial Vicar
- Lori Halfhide — Parish Secretary (785-243-1099)
- Glenda Schreiber — Bookkeeper & Music Coordinator (785-243-1099)
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
OLPH runs an active Faith Formation program for children and youth, with an annual kick-off meal and parent meeting in late August. The parish celebrated 36 confirmandi in 2026 and a recent First Holy Communion class. Students from 8th grade through high school lead the parish's Living Rosary each year.
- Faith Formation classes K–8 and high school
- Annual Faith Formation Kick-Off (meal, parent meeting, classroom visits, child care)
- Confirmation preparation (36 confirmandi in 2026)
- First Holy Communion preparation
- Living Rosary led by 8th–12th graders
- Religious Education Center (former grade school on East 5th St.)
Parish Life & Organizations
The parish supports a number of organizations and ongoing groups that bring parishioners together for worship, service and fellowship.
- Knights of Columbus Council #1142 (founded June 24, 1906); Grand Knight: TJ Lamb; meetings in the K of C room in the basement of the Religious Education Center
- Altar Society
- Cemetery Board
- Parish brunches (monthly Sunday after Mass, hosted by the Office Staff)
- Online and automatic tithing program
Outreach & Charity
OLPH and its parishioners support several local outreach efforts, including the parish Thrift Store, an Emergency Response Team, and referrals to community resources for those in need.
- OLPH Thrift Store — Monday volunteer workdays; serves local families with affordable goods; boxes excess donations for shipment to neighbors in need
- OLPH Emergency Response Team — bi-annual meetings, next session January 29, 2026, 7 PM in the Parish Hall
- Cloud County Resource Center / Food Bank — (785) 243-1065
- Manna House of Prayer — (785) 243-4428
- Catholic Charities — (785) 825-0208; 'Hope' faith-based emotional/mental-health chatbot
- Laundry Love — community free laundry support, sponsored by OCCK, Inc.
- Birthright support (through Knights of Columbus)
- Tootsie Roll program for developmentally challenged citizens (Knights of Columbus)
Architecture & Buildings
The church itself is built of regionally distinctive stone — both post rock and Cloud County shell rock — and has been remodeled several times, most recently after Vatican II. New parish facilities were added in the 1990s to serve a growing parish.
- Original 1879 church of post rock and Cloud County shell rock
- 1902 enlargement: bell tower, narthex, transept, galleries, sacristy
- Post-Vatican II remodel updating the sanctuary for the modern liturgy
- 1992 new rectory at 420 Kansas
- 1996 new parish hall attached to the church
- Religious Education Center in the former grade school (East 5th Street)
Devotions & Special Events
Alongside the regular Mass schedule, OLPH keeps several annual traditions and devotions alive.
- Eucharistic Adoration every Tuesday, 8 AM – 8 PM
- Annual Pet Blessing on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (Saturday in early October)
- Life Chain — annual public witness for the sanctity of life (first Sunday of October)
- Living Rosary led by Faith Formation students
- Monthly Parish Brunch after Sunday Mass
Supporting the Parish
Parishioners and visitors can support Our Lady of Perpetual Help through online and automatic tithing, which the parish has set up to make stewardship easier.
- Online / automatic tithing available through the parish website
- Weekly bulletin available for download on the parish news page
- Donate Online link from the parish homepage
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Louis M. Mollier1877–1879 (built the first church)
Oversaw construction of the first church; it was completed in 1879.
- Father Joseph Perrier1880–
First resident pastor (1880); invited the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia; later named Vicar General by Bishop Scannell.