About Sacred Heart · Arkansas City, Kansas
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a bilingual (English and Spanish) parish serving Arkansas City, Kansas, and the surrounding Cowley County area in the Diocese of Wichita. With about 353 registered families and just over 1,000 individual Catholics, the parish combines a historic 1920 church, an active K-8 Catholic school, and a robust Hispanic ministry anchored by a weekly Spanish Mass and the annual Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration. Under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Samuel Brand, Sacred Heart is known across Ark City for its parish-and-school partnership, its strong youth and family life programs, and its visible presence in community events such as the Arkalalah Festival.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Samuel R. Brand (Fr. Sam Brand)
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Wichita
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a place where the parish and school are inseparable — Pastor Fr. Sam Brand and Principal Kellie Hull work as a single formation team to raise children academically, morally, and spiritually. The community is bilingual, with both English and Spanish Masses each weekend, and is well known across Ark City for its annual turkey dinner, its award-winning Arkalalah Festival float, and its December 12 celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. With active Knights of Columbus, Catholic Bullpups (middle school) and Catholic Bulldogs (high school) youth groups, a PTO that builds the school culture, and a parish hall that serves as a hub for funeral dinners and parish events, Sacred Heart is described by its own members as a place that 'very quickly feels like home.'
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 5:00 PM – 5:50 PM
- Sunday: 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM
- Sunday: 10:30 AM – 10:50 AM
- Tuesday: 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- Thursday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Friday: 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
- 1st Friday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 8:00 AM through Wednesday 8:00 AM (24-hour exposition, per Diocese of Wichita parish directory)
- Tuesday 8:30 AM – 12:00 AM (per parish aggregator listing)
Parish History
Catholic mission activity in the Arkansas City area began in the 1870s, when Jesuit priest Father Paul Ponziglione traveled by horse and buggy from Osage Mission (St. Paul, Kansas) to minister to the Osage and to scattered Catholic settlers in southeastern Kansas. The parish itself dates to 1886, when German-born Catholics Florian 'Fred' and Christina Trimper offered their home for worship and a small frame church was built on what is now the 900 block of North A Street. From that modest beginning grew the present-day parish of more than 350 families — a story preserved in detail on the City of Arkansas City's history pages and in diocesan records.
- 1870s — Jesuit Fr. Paul Ponziglione visits early Catholic settlers from Osage Mission
- 1886 — Fred and Christina Trimper offer their home; first frame church built on N. A Street
- Oct 1886 — Fr. Bernard McKernan (pastor of Winfield) serves Ark City as a mission church
- 1898 — Second wood-frame church built at A Street & Fifth Avenue
- Oct 1900 — Fr. Martin Degnan arrives as the parish's first resident priest (served 28 years)
The 1920 Church Building
By 1919 the congregation had outgrown the A Street church, and construction began on a new building at the northeast corner of B Street and Adams Avenue. The resulting church, dedicated on November 11, 1920, is the building the parish still worships in. Its Richardsonian Romanesque and Romanesque Revival architecture, twin 85-foot towers, and stained-glass windows — many memorializing named parishioners — give the downtown landmark its distinctive silhouette and serve as a visual reminder of more than a century of Catholic life in Ark City.
- Dedicated November 11, 1920 (feast of St. Martin de Tours)
- Richardsonian Romanesque / Romanesque Revival style
- Copper Chief brick; 120 × 42 feet
- Two 85-foot towers
- Memorial stained-glass windows honoring generations of parishioners
Sacred Heart School
Sacred Heart School was built in 1926 just to the north of the church and has been a cornerstone of parish life ever since. Taught for generations by the Sisters of St. Joseph, it now serves preschool through fifth grade under Principal Kellie Hull and pastor Fr. Sam Brand. According to the Diocese of Wichita's coverage of the parish, the school is widely respected across Ark City for producing students known for both academic excellence and strong character — so much so that it draws financial support from non-Catholic benefactors who appreciate its virtues-based formation. About 41% of students receive free or reduced lunch support, and the parish leans on the diocesan St. Katharine Drexel Fund to keep Catholic education affordable for parish families.
- Founded 1926
- Preschool through Grade 5
- Principal: Mrs. Kellie Hull
- Pastor: Fr. Samuel Brand
- School Secretary: Mrs. Tabatha Lake ([email protected])
- School Office: (620) 442-6550
- Faculty includes Mrs. Cindy Meeks (Preschool & Music), Mrs. Nancy Orr (Art), Mrs. Riley Middleton (Kindergarten & 1st Grade), Mrs. Elisa Calvo (2nd & 3rd Grade), Mrs. Linda Lies (4th & 5th Grade), Ms. Maria Romero (Paraprofessional)
- Historically staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph
- About 41% of students on free/reduced lunch; supported through the St. Katharine Drexel Fund
Parish School of Religion (PSR)
Children whose families do not enroll them in Sacred Heart School receive catechetical formation through the parish's Public School Religion (PSR) program. PSR is the standard pathway to First Holy Communion (customarily received in 2nd grade) and to Confirmation (celebrated by the bishop every other year for Sacred Heart students in 5th and 6th grade). The parish's sacramental preparation policy stresses that 'prayer and education' are essential components of readiness to receive the sacraments.
- First Holy Communion preparation for 2nd graders
- Confirmation preparation for 5th and 6th graders
- Celebrated by the Bishop every other year for the parish
Sacramental Life
Sacred Heart celebrates the full sacramental life of the Church and provides clear preparation pathways for each sacrament. Infant baptism is encouraged within three months of birth, while older children and adults enter the Easter Vigil through the standard catechumenate. First Communion is received in 2nd grade and Confirmation in 5th or 6th grade. The parish encourages parishioners to begin sacramental conversations by contacting the office.
- Infant Baptism — ages 6 and under; within 3 months of birth; preparation classes arranged via the office
- Baptism for ages 7+ — received only at the Easter Vigil; 1–2 years of formation
- First Holy Communion — age 7–8 (2nd Grade)
- Confirmation — by the Bishop every other year (5th & 6th grade)
- Marriage — arranged through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick and Funeral Ministry — by request through the parish office
Parish Life & Community Outreach
Sacred Heart is deeply woven into the life of Arkansas City. The parish builds a (often prize-winning) float each year for the Arkalalah Festival in October, hosts an annual turkey dinner each November, and presents one of the area's largest Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations each December 12 — featuring a Juan Diego reenactment, traditional dancers in costume, and special pastries. According to the Diocese of Wichita's own reporting, these community events and a visible culture of family stewardship are part of what makes Sacred Heart a place where 'you feel a little spark, and see everyone moving and working in the same direction.'
- Arkalalah Festival float (October)
- Annual parish turkey dinner (November)
- Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration (December 12)
- Parish recreation building in the 300 block of South C Street
- Stewardship model of 8% of gross income to parish + 2% to favorite charities
Youth Ministry
Sacred Heart's youth ministry is organized around two school-year groups named for local athletic teams: Catholic Bullpups for middle-schoolers in grades 6–8 and Catholic Bulldogs for high-schoolers in grades 9–12. The programs accompany the sacramental track and PSR formation to keep older students engaged in the life of the parish.
- Catholic Bullpups — Middle School, Grades 6–8
- Catholic Bulldogs — High School, Grades 9–12
Parish Organizations
Beyond the school, Sacred Heart is supported by an active Knights of Columbus council, a parish PTO that underwrites school fundraisers and building projects, and a Hispanic ministry that gives visible expression to the parish's bilingual life. The PTO is led by elected officers and includes the pastor, principal, faculty, and any parish parent as voting members.
- Knights of Columbus — meets at the parish
- Sacred Heart PTO — President Lakin Waggoner; Vice President Kelsey O'Daniel; Secretary Mariah Rippe; Treasurer Sarrah Metzinger
- Hispanic Ministry — supports Spanish Masses, Dec. 12 Guadalupe celebration, and family outreach
- RCIA — for adults preparing to enter the Church
Staff & Clergy
Sacred Heart's parish and school teams work as one formation community. Fr. Samuel R. ('Sam') Brand serves as pastor; Mrs. Kellie Hull serves as school principal; and Mrs. Tabatha Lake staffs the school office. The diocese's parish directory lists Sacred Heart with 353 families and approximately 1,008 individual Catholics.
- Pastor — Rev. Samuel R. Brand
- School Principal — Mrs. Kellie Hull
- School Secretary — Mrs. Tabatha Lake ([email protected])
- Parish Office — (620) 442-0566 / [email protected]
- School Office — (620) 442-6550
- Parishioners — 353 registered families; ~1,008 individual Catholics (Diocese of Wichita directory)
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach Sacred Heart through its parish office at 302 South B Street, Arkansas City, KS 67005, or by phone at (620) 442-0566. The email [email protected] reaches the parish office; the school secretary is available at [email protected]. The parish sits in the downtown core of Arkansas City and is part of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita.
- Address: 302 South B Street, Arkansas City, KS 67005
- Parish Phone: (620) 442-0566
- School Phone: (620) 442-6550
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sacredheartarkcity.org
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Wichita
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Bernard McKernan1886 –
Pastor of Winfield who also served Arkansas City as a mission church from October 1886.
- Father Martin Degnan1900 – 1928
First resident priest of the Ark City parish; served 28 years.
- Father Arthur HoltzNov 1944 – Sep 1961
Longtime pastor; named administrator of the parish in November 1944.