About Sacred Heart · Emporia, Kansas
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Emporia, Kansas, founded in 1870 and serving the wider Lyon County community under the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The parish is home to Sacred Heart School (preschool through Grade 5) and to the John & Frances Ice Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry, one of the largest emergency-food ministries in the region. Over its 150+ year history it has been served by more than ninety Franciscan priests and, since 1993, by diocesan clergy. Today it offers weekend and weekday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation for children and youth, and active outreach to the poor of Emporia.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Fr. Colin Haganey
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a long-established Catholic community in downtown Emporia with a school that has served families since 1881, a lively parish school of faith formation for children and youth, and the John & Frances Ice Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry that feeds the hungry of Lyon County every Sunday. With weekend and weekday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration from Tuesday morning through Wednesday evening, and a wide range of parish organizations (Altar Society, Abundant Harvest Foundation, cemetery board, youth ministry, Totus Tuus, and evangelization), there are many ways to belong and serve. It is also the home of the Didde Catholic Campus Center, supporting Emporia State University students, which makes Sacred Heart a parish that spans cradle Catholics, longtime families, college students, and those in need.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:00-6:30 PM
- Saturday 3:00-3:50 PM
- Fifteen minutes before each Mass or by appointment
Adoration times
- Tuesday 8:00 AM through Wednesday 5:00 PM (weekly)
Parish History
Catholic life in Emporia began in March 1870 when Jesuit Father Paul Ponziglione celebrated the first Mass in the home of T. L. Ryan. The parish grew quickly: a wood-frame church was built in 1874, the Franciscans from Cincinnati took charge in 1880, and within seven years Sacred Heart School had 120 pupils. The present church dates to 1911, and the parish has continued to expand its buildings — most recently with a parish hall (2000) and a major post-fire renovation (2004). After more than a century of Franciscan leadership, the parish has been served by diocesan priests since 1993.
- 1870 — First Mass celebrated by Fr. Paul Ponziglione, SJ
- 1874 — First wood-frame church built at 2nd Ave. & Cottonwood St.
- 1880 — Franciscan friars from Cincinnati assume responsibility
- 1881 — Sisters of St. Francis arrive; brick church built
- 1883 — Sacred Heart School opens (120 students by 1887)
- 1911-1912 — Present church completed and dedicated
- 1926 — Current school building completed and dedicated
- 1993 — First diocesan pastor, Fr. Peter O'Sullivan, appointed
- 1999-2000 — Parish hall built and dedicated
- 2004 — Church renovated and rededicated after January fire
- 2021 — Fr. Carter Zielinski appointed pastor by Archbishop Naumann
Franciscan Heritage
From 1880 until 1993, Sacred Heart was entrusted to the Franciscan friars of the Cincinnati Province. More than ninety Franciscan priests served the parish in some capacity over those 113 years, and the order's emphasis on preaching, simplicity, and care for the poor continues to shape the parish's identity, especially its strong outreach through the John & Frances Ice Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry.
- Franciscan friars from Cincinnati took charge in 1880
- Sisters of St. Francis of Lafayette, Indiana, arrived in 1881 to teach
- Franciscans returned to Cincinnati in 1993; parish transitioned to diocesan clergy
Sacred Heart School
Sacred Heart School, founded in 1883, is the parish's parochial school and one of the oldest Catholic schools in Kansas. It currently serves preschool through Grade 5 at 102 Cottonwood Street, with strong academics, daily PE, weekly art, and a music program that begins with keyboarding in kindergarten and continues with strings and band in the upper grades. The school is a member of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and is currently the focus of a parish capital campaign for a new school building.
- Founded 1883 (present building dedicated 1926)
- Grades: Preschool through Grade 5
- Address: 102 Cottonwood St., Emporia, KS 66801
- Phone: 620-343-7394
- Member of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
- Subjects include music (keyboard, strings, band), art, and daily PE
- Capital campaign underway for a new school building
Sacred Heart Child Center
The parish also operates the Sacred Heart Child Center, a preschool and daycare directed by Stephanie Perez, sharing the school campus at 102 Cottonwood Street.
- Director: Stephanie Perez
- Phone: 620-343-7395
- Email: [email protected]
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith formation for the parish's children and young people is led by Joan Dold, Director of Catholic Youth Formation. The parish hosts the Totus Tuus summer program each year — a week-long, faith-filled camp for children and youth focused on topics such as the Commandments and the Luminous Mysteries.
- Director of Catholic Youth Formation: Joan Dold (ext. 255)
- Annual Totus Tuus summer program
- Director of Evangelization: Shawn Gerleman (ext. 205)
Outreach: John & Frances Ice Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry
The John & Frances Ice Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry is one of the most visible ministries of Sacred Heart Parish. Founded in 2020 from a generous bequest by John and Frances Ice — loyal parishioners for more than 50 years who left their entire estate to Sacred Heart to benefit the poor — it is staffed by parish volunteers under Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry Coordinator Laura Kneib. The pantry serves hot meals Sundays from 4-5 PM via drive-thru and offers pre-packaged food bags at that time; choice-style food selection is available Thursdays 4-6 PM by appointment.
- Founded 2020 from the bequest of John and Frances Ice
- Coordinator: Laura Kneib
- Hot meals: Sundays 4-5 PM (drive-thru)
- Pre-packaged food bags distributed Sundays
- Choice food selection: Thursdays 4-6 PM by appointment (call 620-208-4507)
- No ID required; one food bag per week per client
Parish Organizations
Sacred Heart lists several lay organizations that serve different aspects of parish life, from liturgical care to long-term facility stewardship and outreach to those in need.
- Altar Society
- Abundant Harvest Foundation
- Cemetery Board / Building Committee
- Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry Operations Committee
Didde Catholic Campus Center
The Didde Catholic Campus Center is an extra-parochial Catholic ministry affiliated with Sacred Heart that serves the students, faculty, and staff of Emporia State University. It supports worship, formation, and community life for the campus Catholic community.
- Serves Emporia State University
- Affiliated with Sacred Heart Parish
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Fr. Colin Haganey as pastor and served by Permanent Deacon Dan Vehige, along with a staff that oversees faith formation, evangelization, the school, the child center, the food pantry, and parish administration.
- Pastor: Fr. Colin Haganey — [email protected], ext. 201
- Permanent Deacon: Dcn. Dan Vehige — [email protected]
- Director of Catholic Youth Formation: Joan Dold — [email protected], ext. 255
- Director of Evangelization: Shawn Gerleman — [email protected], ext. 205
- Business Manager: Lois Symmonds — [email protected], ext. 204
- Pastoral & Administrative Assistant: Debra Williams — [email protected], ext. 200
- Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry Coordinator: Laura Kneib — [email protected]
- Child Center Director: Stephanie Perez — [email protected], 620-343-7395
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
The church building is at 102 Exchange Street in Emporia. The parish office is a few blocks away at 27 Cottonwood Street, open Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM. The rectory is at 101 Cottonwood Street, and Sacred Heart School and the Child Center share 102 Cottonwood Street.
- Church: 102 Exchange St., Emporia, KS 66801
- Parish Office: 27 Cottonwood St., Emporia, KS 66801
- Rectory: 101 Cottonwood St., Emporia, KS 66801
- School / Child Center: 102 Cottonwood St., Emporia, KS 66801
- Phone: 620-342-1061 (parish office)
- Fax: 620-342-0450
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon-Thu 8:00 AM-4:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Paul Ponziglione, SJ1870
Jesuit missionary; celebrated the first Mass in Emporia in March 1870 at the home of T. L. Ryan.
- Fr. Joseph Perrier1872
First priest officially assigned to the Emporia mission.
- Franciscan Fathers (Cincinnati Province)1880-1993
Over 90 Franciscan priests served Sacred Heart in some capacity during this period.
- Fr. Peter O'Sullivan1993-2000
First diocesan pastor; also served St. Catherine Parish.
- Fr. Dan Gardnerafter 2000
Diocesan pastor.
- Fr. Darren Henson
Diocesan pastor.
- Fr. Rich Warsnak
Diocesan pastor.
- Fr. Tom Dolezal
Diocesan pastor.
- Fr. Brandon Farrar
Diocesan pastor.
- Fr. Carter Zielinski2021
Appointed pastor on July 1, 2021 by Archbishop Naumann.
- Fr. Colin Haganey
Current pastor; listed on the parish staff page.