About Saint Anthony of Padua · Leoti, Kansas
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church is a small rural parish in Leoti, Kansas, part of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City. With about 95 registered households, it is one of three linked parishes — alongside St. Mary in Marienthal and St. Joseph the Worker in Tribune — that share a single pastor, Rev. Bernard Felix, VF, and a tri-parish office in Marienthal. The parish offers daily Mass on Wednesdays and Thursdays, weekend Masses that rotate monthly with St. Mary, and a Sunday evening Spanish Mass that serves the wider Western Kansas Catholic community. Rooted in the homesteading Catholicism of the late 19th century and shaped by its move from rural St. Theresa into Leoti in the 1960s, St. Anthony of Padua continues as a tight-knit faith community for Wichita and Greeley Counties.
- Established
- 1880s (parish origins); current Leoti church dedicated 1965-66
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. Bernard Felix, VF
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Dodge City
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Padua is the Catholic home for Catholics living in and around Leoti in Wichita County, Kansas — a place where, even with only about 95 registered households, the full sacramental and devotional life of the Church is celebrated. The tri-parish arrangement with St. Mary (Marienthal) and St. Joseph the Worker (Tribune) means parishioners share a dedicated pastor, a Parish School of Religion for grade-school children, a Youth Ministry for high-schoolers, an RCIA process for adults becoming Catholic, and Confirmation preparation for 7th- and 8th-graders — resources that no single small rural parish could sustain on its own. With a regular weekday Mass, a weekly Holy Hour, monthly rotating weekend Masses, and even a Spanish Mass, St. Anthony offers a true sense of Catholic community for families spread across the wide-open landscape of western Kansas.
Mass times at Saint Anthony of Padua
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Approximately 30 minutes before each weekend Vigil or Sunday Mass
- By appointment with the pastor
- Confessions also rotate among the three parishes (St. Anthony-Leoti, St. Mary-Marienthal, St. Joseph the Worker-Tribune); consult the parish calendar
Adoration times
- Thursday following the 8:00 am Mass, approximately 8:30 am until 9:30 am (Eucharistic Adoration at St. Anthony of Padua, Leoti)
Welcome & Identity
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Leoti, Kansas, is a small but active Catholic parish of the Diocese of Dodge City serving the western-Kansas town of Leoti and the surrounding agricultural community. The parish belongs to a tri-parish grouping — the Catholic Parishes of Wichita & Greeley Counties — that also includes St. Mary in Marienthal and St. Joseph the Worker in Tribune. Together, the three parishes share one pastor, one parish secretary, and a unified sacramental and faith-formation program, so even with just 95 registered households, St. Anthony's offers the full rhythm of Catholic life: weekday Mass, a Sunday vigil or morning Mass that rotates monthly with St. Mary's, a Spanish Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, and sacramental preparation for Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick.
Parish History
Catholic families first organized the parish in the late 1880s, when homesteaders from German, Irish, and other Catholic backgrounds settled the open plains of what is now Wichita and Greeley Counties. The first church was built not in Leoti but in the small rural community of St. Theresa, which served as the area's original Catholic center for generations. By the early 1960s the Catholic population of Leoti itself had grown large enough that the parish was formally transferred out of St. Theresa and a new St. Anthony of Padua church was constructed at 600 S. Fourth Street. The present church was dedicated in 1965-66 and has served as the parish's home ever since. Today, declining rural populations have led the parish to share clergy and staff with neighboring parishes, but its identity and worship continue in Leoti.
- Late 1880s — parish organized by Catholic homesteaders
- First church built in the rural community of St. Theresa
- Early 1960s — parish transferred from St. Theresa to Leoti
- 1965-66 — current church constructed and dedicated at 600 S. Fourth Street
- Today — part of the tri-parish of Wichita & Greeley Counties
Clergy, Staff & Parish Leadership
St. Anthony of Padua is served by Rev. Bernard Felix, VF, who is also pastor of St. Mary in Marienthal and St. Joseph the Worker in Tribune. He additionally serves as the Director of Christian Initiation for the tri-parish, coordinating the RCIA journey for adults becoming Catholic. The tri-parish office in Marienthal is staffed by parish secretary Gail Hunt, who handles inquiries for all three parishes. Tara Biermann is the Director of Religious Education, and Stephanie Berning is the PSR (Parish School of Religion) Coordinator. The 'VF' designation after Fr. Felix's name indicates he holds the rank of Vicar Forane (Dean) within the Diocese of Dodge City.
- Pastor — Rev. Bernard Felix, VF (also pastor of St. Mary-Marienthal and St. Joseph the Worker-Tribune; Director of Christian Initiation)
- Parish Secretary — Gail Hunt (serves Marienthal, Leoti, and Tribune)
- Director of Religious Education — Tara Biermann
- PSR Coordinator — Stephanie Berning
- Diocese — Catholic Diocese of Dodge City
Sacramental Information
All seven sacraments are available to parishioners, with most preparation handled by the tri-parish staff in coordination with Fr. Felix. Baptisms must be scheduled at least six weeks in advance, and first-time parents are required to take an Introduction to Baptism class with the pastor. The Sacrament of Confirmation is conferred on youth every two years, following a year of preparation in the 7th and 8th grades. Engaged couples are asked to begin marriage preparation at least six months before the wedding, including an Engaged Encounter retreat, discussions on Natural Family Planning, and an online preparation module. The Anointing of the Sick is offered to anyone facing serious illness, major surgery, or the end of life; in an emergency, callers can reach the pastor directly.
- Baptism — 6 weeks' advance notice; first-time parents must attend a Baptism class
- Confirmation — every two years for youth after a year of preparation (7th-8th grade)
- Marriage — minimum 6 months preparation, including Engaged Encounter and NFP discussion
- Anointing of the Sick — by request or in emergency; call 620-379-4431 (pastor) or 620-401-9246 (secretary)
- Reconciliation — 30 minutes before weekend Masses, by appointment, or on the rotating tri-parish schedule
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at St. Anthony of Padua is organized as part of the tri-parish program for Wichita and Greeley Counties, under the direction of DRE Tara Biermann and PSR Coordinator Stephanie Berning. The Parish School of Religion (PSR) welcomes grade-school-age children and meets on Wednesday afternoons and/or evenings from September through May. Youth Ministry is open to all high-school-aged students and gathers on Wednesday evenings during the school year. The parish sees faith formation as a partnership: classroom instruction is one part of a fuller family life that includes regular Mass attendance, sacramental preparation, and active parish involvement.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) — grade-school children, Wednesday afternoons/evenings, September through May
- Youth Ministry — high-school students, Wednesday evenings during the school year
- Confirmation preparation — 7th and 8th graders, year-long, sacrament every two years
- Family faith formation — encouraged through Mass attendance, sacramental prep, and parish life
Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
Adults who wish to become Catholic — whether unbaptized, baptized in another Christian tradition, or already Catholic and seeking Confirmation or Eucharist — are invited into the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). Classes begin each fall and conclude at the Easter Vigil, when candidates receive the Sacraments of Initiation. Fr. Bernard Felix serves as the tri-parish Director of Christian Initiation.
- RCIA — fall classes, culminating at Easter Vigil
- Open to unbaptized adults, baptized Christians seeking full communion, and Catholics needing Confirmation/Eucharist
- Director of Christian Initiation — Rev. Bernard Felix, VF
Tri-Parish Office & Practical Information
Because St. Anthony of Padua shares staffing with St. Mary (Marienthal) and St. Joseph the Worker (Tribune), the central point of contact for the parish is the tri-parish office, located at the Marienthal address (208 N 2nd St, Marienthal, KS 67863). Office hours are Monday and Friday, 1:00-5:00 pm, and the office phone is 620-379-4427. The pastor can be reached directly at the rectory line, 620-379-4431. Sacramental records are maintained by the parish office. A custom tri-parish mobile app — 'Parishes of Wichita & Greeley Co.' — is available by texting the word 'App' to 55321 on iOS or Android devices.
- Tri-parish office — 208 N 2nd St, Marienthal, KS 67863 (620-379-4427)
- Office hours — Monday and Friday, 1:00-5:00 pm
- Rectory / pastor line — 620-379-4431
- Parish app — text 'App' to 55321
- Sacramental records — request from the parish office