About Saint Mary · Marienthal, Kansas
St. Mary Catholic Church is a small rural parish in the village of Marienthal, Kansas, founded by German Volga immigrants who named their community — and their church — after the village of Marienthal ('the valley of Mary') on the Volga River in Russia. The parish is one of three clustered churches sharing a single pastor and parish office, the 'Catholic Churches of Wichita and Greeley Counties,' alongside St. Anthony of Padua in Leoti and St. Joseph the Worker in Tribune. Today it serves roughly 95 registered households under the Diocese of Dodge City, with weekend Masses that rotate among the three churches.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Bernard Felix, VF
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dodge City
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a warmly personal, small-parish experience in the heart of western Kansas wheat country, where families have worshipped for more than 130 years. Because it is clustered with St. Anthony of Padua in Leoti and St. Joseph the Worker in Tribune, parishioners receive the spiritual care of a full-time priest and active faith-formation program while worshiping in an intimate rural community. Whether you are a Volga-German descendant, a farm family, or simply someone drawn to a quieter way of Catholic life, St. Mary's welcomes you to register, attend Mass, and join the cluster's PSR program, RCIA, and family activities.
Mass times at Saint Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before Sunday / Vigil Mass (per Western Kansas Catholic schedule)
- Saturday 6:00–6:20 pm or by appointment (per Discover Mass listing)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration scheduled on a rotating basis with the tri-parish cluster (consult the parish bulletin or call the office)
History of St. Mary Parish
St. Mary's is one of several Catholic communities founded in western Kansas by German Volga immigrants in the late 1800s. The Volga Germans had originally settled along the Volga River in Russia beginning in the 1760s under Catherine the Great; a wave of them emigrated to the Great Plains beginning in the 1870s, eventually founding colonies such as Marienthal, Liebenthal, Herzog (Victoria) and Catharine. The 1893 construction of the first St. Mary's Church — served at first by priests from Olmitz — marked the institutional permanence of the Catholic community in Marienthal.
- Late 1800s: German Volga immigrants settle the Marienthal area and name it for their Volga-Russian hometown.
- 1893: First St. Mary's Church constructed; served by priests from Olmitz.
- 1905: Capuchin friars arrive to serve a five-county mission district headquartered in Marienthal.
- 1977: New St. Mary's Church dedicated, replacing the 1893 building.
- 2017: St. Mary's Christian School and the Marienthal post office both close.
Tri-Parish Cluster: Catholic Churches of Wichita and Greeley Counties
St. Mary is now grouped with two neighboring parishes into the 'Catholic Churches of Wichita and Greeley Counties,' a single pastoral and administrative cluster that lets three small rural communities sustain a full Catholic life together. The three churches — St. Mary (Marienthal), St. Anthony of Padua (Leoti) and St. Joseph the Worker (Tribune) — share one pastor, one parish secretary (Gail Hunt), and one parish office located at the St. Mary campus in Marienthal. Weekend Masses rotate monthly between Marienthal and Leoti, while Tribune hosts a 10:30 am Mountain Time Sunday Mass.
- St. Anthony of Padua — Leoti, KS (Wichita County)
- St. Joseph the Worker — Tribune, KS (Greeley County)
- Shared pastor: Rev. Bernard Felix, VF
- Shared parish secretary: Gail Hunt
- Shared parish office: 210 N. 2nd St., Marienthal
Parish Staff & Leadership
Day-to-day sacramental and administrative ministry is provided by a small team of clergy and lay staff serving all three clustered parishes. The pastor is also the Director of Christian Initiation (RCIA) for the cluster, while PSR (Parish School of Religion) coordination is handled locally.
- Rev. Bernard Felix, VF — Pastor (also Director of Christian Initiation for the cluster)
- Gail Hunt — Parish Secretary (Marienthal / Leoti / Tribune)
- Stephanie Berning — PSR Coordinator, Marienthal
Sacraments & Faith Formation
Sacramental preparation for baptism, marriage, and adult initiation is coordinated through the cluster office. The Parish School of Religion (PSR) provides faith formation for the parish's children, with Stephanie Berning serving as the local coordinator. Adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church are welcomed into the RCIA program under the direction of the pastor.
- Baptism and marriage preparation — contact the parish office
- Christian Initiation / RCIA — Rev. Bernard Felix, VF
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) — Stephanie Berning, Coordinator
Visiting & Contact Information
St. Mary's sits on N. 2nd Street (at Grand Avenue) in the small farming village of Marienthal. Office hours at the St. Mary campus are Mondays and Fridays, 1:00–5:00 pm. Because Mass locations rotate among the three clustered parishes, visitors should call ahead to confirm where Mass will be celebrated.
- Address: 210 N. 2nd Street (rectory: 208 N. 2nd St.), Marienthal, KS 67863
- Parish Office phone: 620-379-4427
- Rectory phone: 620-379-4431
- Office hours: Mondays & Fridays, 1:00–5:00 pm
- Cluster website: https://westernkansascatholic.com/
- Diocese listing: https://www.dcdiocese.org/directory/parishes/89-st-mary-church-marienthal