About Saint Francis of Assisi · Newkirk, Oklahoma
Saint Francis of Assisi is a small Catholic mission church in the rural community of Newkirk, Oklahoma, that is served from St. Mary Catholic Church in nearby Ponca City. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and is closely tied to the agricultural life of the area — fittingly named for the patron saint of animals, with an annual Blessing of the Pets on the weekend of St. Francis's feast day (October 4). Father Carson Krittenbrink, pastor of St. Mary's, ministers to the mission along with Deacon Bill Horinek, and the parish has been marking its Catholic presence in Newkirk for more than 130 years.
- Established
- c. 1894
- Patron
- Saint Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Carson Krittenbrink (pastor of St. Mary, Ponca City, who also serves this mission)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Why belong here
Saint Francis of Assisi is a small, warm rural mission where the bond between faith, family, and farm life is lived out year-round. Parishioners gather for Mass on Sundays and Thursdays, gather each fall for the beloved Blessing of the Pets, and come together as a community across generations of founding families (Horinek, Schieber, Vap, Voegele, and Leven). If you're looking for an intimate Catholic community in the Newkirk area with deep local roots and a tangible love of creation, this mission offers a faithful home.
Mass times at Saint Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Saint Francis of Assisi, Newkirk
The parish traces its roots to around 1894 — some 130 years before its October 2024 anniversary celebration reported by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. In its earliest decades the faithful of Newkirk worshipped together in private homes before a first church building was raised at Eighth and Magnolia. A second church was later built in the 400 block of South Main Street, and the present church stands at Ninth and Academy. The mission is a living link to the Catholic families — including the Horinek, Schieber, Vap, Voegele, and Leven families — who settled and sustained the faith in this rural stretch of north-central Oklahoma.
- Early Masses celebrated in parishioners' homes
- First church: Eighth and Magnolia
- Second church: 400 Block of South Main Street
- Current church: Ninth and Academy (610 W 9th St)
- 130th anniversary celebrated October 2024
Parish Identity and Rural Character
Saint Francis of Assisi is, in the words of Deacon Bill Horinek, 'somewhat of a rural parish,' and that rural identity is embraced rather than apologized for. Many of its families are involved in agriculture — including livestock shown through 4-H and FFA — which makes the patron saint of animals a particularly apt patron. The blessing of farm animals, family pets, and other creatures has become a signature community moment each fall.
- Strong agricultural/rural identity
- Many parishioners connected to livestock and 4-H/FFA
- Annual Blessing of the Pets as a signature parish event
Feast Day and Annual Blessing of the Pets
Each year on the weekend closest to October 4 — the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi — the mission gathers for its annual Blessing of the Pets. Father Carson Krittenbrink and Deacon Bill Horinek lead the blessing of a wide variety of animals, from dogs and cats to goats and rabbits. The 2024 celebration also doubled as the parish's 130th-anniversary weekend, expanding the event with a potluck dinner, pumpkins, straw bales, and corn for the children, and a special blessing of the parish's memorial stone for the unborn outside the church.
- Annual Blessing of the Pets (around October 4–5)
- 130th-anniversary celebration held in October 2024
- Potluck dinner, family activities, and blessing of the memorial stone for the unborn
Clergy and Staff
Because Saint Francis of Assisi is a mission of St. Mary Catholic Church in Ponca City, pastoral care is provided by the pastor and deacon of the parent parish. The current pastor is Rev. Carson Krittenbrink, who also serves as pastor of St. Mary's. Deacon Bill Horinek assists at the Newkirk mission and is a familiar pastoral presence at the annual Blessing of the Pets.
- Rev. Carson Krittenbrink — Pastor (St. Mary, Ponca City)
- Deacon Bill Horinek — assists at the Newkirk mission
Outreach and Community Life
Community life at Saint Francis of Assisi is driven largely by an active outreach committee of lay volunteers. For the 130th-anniversary celebration in 2024, the committee — including Kelsey Vap, Michelle Vap, Kayla Bernsten, Kally Smith, and Anna Hendrickson — spent about a month coordinating food, family activities, and the blessing ceremonies. The parish's stated goal, in Kelsey Vap's words, is to 'bring everyone together to celebrate our patron saint and have community togetherness' — a mission that defines the small church throughout the year, not just on its feast day.
- Outreach Committee plans parish events and feast-day celebrations
- Committee members: Kelsey Vap, Michelle Vap, Kayla Bernsten, Kally Smith, Anna Hendrickson
- Emphasis on intergenerational, all-ages community
Contact and Visiting
Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is located at 610 W 9th Street in Newkirk, Oklahoma. Because the parish is administered from St. Mary Catholic Church in Ponca City, visitors with questions about scheduling, sacraments, or parish life are welcome to call the parish office line at (580) 362-3320 or email [email protected]. The parish's web page is hosted at stmarypc.com/st-francis-parish.
- Address: 610 W 9th St, Newkirk, OK 74647
- Phone: (580) 362-3320
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stmarypc.com/st-francis-parish