About Saint Joseph · Bison, Oklahoma
Saint Joseph Catholic Church is a small parish in the tiny rural community of Bison, Oklahoma (population around 56), on US Highway 81 about 12–15 miles south of Enid in Garfield County. The parish is best known as the home of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, the only Fatima shrine in Oklahoma, which has stood on the church grounds since 1951 and welcomes pilgrims around the clock. The parish is canonically a mission of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hennessey, within the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and is currently served by Reverend Joseph H. Arledge.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- Saint Joseph
- Rector
- Reverend Joseph H. Arledge
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Why belong here
St. Joseph in Bison is a small parish with an outsized spiritual life: it is the home of the only Fatima shrine in Oklahoma, open 24/7 with outdoor Stations of the Cross and votive candles for personal prayer. Visitors and parishioners alike are invited to leave their prayer intentions in the shrine's guest book, which are then remembered in the prayers of the Sunday Mass. For anyone in northwest Oklahoma seeking a quiet, devotional Catholic community rooted in more than a century of faith, this parish offers a uniquely prayerful place to worship and visit.
Mass times at Saint Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Saint Joseph Catholic Church — Parish Overview
Saint Joseph Catholic Church is the Catholic parish serving the small farming community of Bison, Oklahoma, on US Highway 81 about 12 miles south of Enid. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and is canonically administered as a mission of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hennessey. The current pastor is Reverend Joseph H. Arledge.
- Location: 101 1st Street, Bison, OK 73720
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
- Parish status: Mission of St. Joseph, Hennessey
- Pastor: Rev. Joseph H. Arledge
- Phone: (405) 853-2158
- Email: [email protected]
History of the Parish
The parish traces its roots to the Catholic families who settled in the Bison area after the 1893 opening of the Cherokee Outlet. The church was erected and dedicated to Saint Joseph on May 3, 1909 by Bishop Theophile Meerschaert, the first Catholic bishop of Oklahoma. In 1911, a two-story brick school was built beside the church and staffed by the Sisters of the Divine Providence; in 1934 the Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC) took over operation of the school. The Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima was dedicated on the parish grounds in 1951, giving this small-town parish a statewide reach as a place of pilgrimage.
- 1909 — Church erected and dedicated to St. Joseph by Bishop Theophile Meerschaert
- 1911 — Two-story brick school built, staffed by the Sisters of the Divine Providence
- 1934 — School operation transferred to the Adorers of the Blood of Christ
- 1951 — Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima dedicated on parish grounds
Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
The Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima is the centerpiece of St. Joseph's identity and is the only Fatima shrine in the state of Oklahoma. Dedicated in 1951 and lovingly maintained by the parishioners of St. Joseph's, the shrine is a peaceful, inspiring place of prayer that is open to visitors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Votive candles are available, and visitors are invited to write their joys, sorrows, and prayer requests in a guest book; every entry is included in the prayers and petitions of the Sunday Mass.
- Dedicated in 1951
- The only Fatima shrine in Oklahoma
- Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
- Votive candles available for visitors
- Guest book entries are prayed at Sunday Mass
- Pilgrimages and processions welcomed
Outdoor Stations of the Cross & Pilgrimage Grounds
Forming a half-circle around the shrine, outdoor Stations of the Cross provide visitors an enhanced opportunity for prayer and meditation. The circle drive and quiet streets surrounding the church are ideal for processions, and the parish welcomes organized pilgrimages to the shrine.
- Outdoor Stations of the Cross encircling the shrine
- Circle drive suitable for processions
- Welcomes organized pilgrimages
Visiting the Parish & Shrine
Pilgrims and casual visitors are warmly welcomed. The shrine itself is open around the clock, and the church grounds offer a quiet, contemplative setting for personal prayer, walking the outdoor Stations of the Cross, and leaving prayer intentions. The parish is located on US Highway 81, approximately 12 miles south of Enid, and is easy to reach by road.
- Address: 101 1st Street, Bison, OK 73720
- On US Highway 81, ~12 miles south of Enid
- Circle drive and quiet streets for processions
- Contact for pilgrimages: (405) 853-2158
Pastoral Leadership
The parish is currently served by Reverend Joseph H. Arledge, who also pastors the parent parish of St. Joseph in Hennessey within the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
- Pastor: Rev. Joseph H. Arledge