About Saint Mary · Ponca City, Oklahoma
St. Mary Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Ponca City, Oklahoma, in the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The parish traces its roots to the original Saint Felix Catholic Church and the founding of Saint Mary's Academy in 1901; by 1916 the parish was consecrated to Saint Mary. Today it serves the Catholic faithful of Ponca City and the wider Kay County area, including bilingual (English/Spanish) liturgy, a parish school (Saint Mary's Catholic School, founded in 1901), and a mission relationship with St. Francis of Assisi in Newkirk. The parish is known for its Italian Renaissance-style church built in the 1950s, its pipe organ tradition (a 1981 instrument refurbished and re-dedicated at the Easter Vigil), and its long-standing Catholic education ministry.
- Established
- 1895
- Patron
- Saint Mary (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Why belong here
St. Mary Catholic Church welcomes Catholic families, Spanish-speaking Catholics, and anyone seeking the sacraments in Ponca City. The parish offers a bilingual Sunday liturgy (English and Spanish), regular weekday Masses in its chapel, Friday and Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration, and Saturday and Friday confession times. It is paired with Saint Mary's Catholic School (founded 1901), giving parish families a true K-8 Catholic education rooted in the parish's mission to Worship, Learn, and Serve, and it partners with St. Francis of Assisi in Newkirk as a mission.
Mass times at Saint Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Friday: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Adoration times
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
History of Saint Mary Parish
The parish's Catholic missionary roots in Kay County go back to 1895, when priests stationed here served Native American mission stations including the Otoe and Kaw (Kansa) reservations, the Tonkawa station, Lillivole (Ponca), the Chilocco Government Indian School, and White Eagle. The parish itself was originally named Saint Felix Catholic Church and was located nearer to what is now downtown Ponca City. After a fire destroyed that first facility, a second church was constructed and consecrated under the name Saint Mary by 1916. Catholic education began almost immediately: Saint Mary's Academy was founded in 1901, and by 1912 it enrolled roughly 200 students across all grades, taught by communities of religious sisters including the Sisters of Divine Providence.
- 1895: Priests from the parish serve Native American stations in Kay and Noble Counties.
- Original name: Saint Felix Catholic Church (downtown Ponca City).
- By 1916: Second church consecrated under the name Saint Mary.
- 1901: Saint Mary's Academy founded.
- 1912: Academy enrolls ~200 students across all grades.
- Mid-20th century: Larger Italian Renaissance-style church built (1954).
Saint Mary's Catholic School
Saint Mary's Catholic School is the parish's K-8 Catholic school, founded in 1901 as Saint Mary's Academy and rooted in the parish's mission to Worship, Learn, and Serve. The school has served the Catholic community of Ponca City through every major change in the region — including the oil and gas boom that shaped Ponca City in the 1920s — and once even held classes in the 1960s at the historic Marland Mansion. The school currently serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Annual events like Fall Fest raise funds for teacher professional development, classroom supplies, and school programs, and the wider community (parishioners, alumni, and families) gathers at school functions throughout the year.
- Founded 1901 as Saint Mary's Academy.
- Currently serves PreK through 8th grade.
- Annual Fall Fest fundraiser.
- 125th anniversary celebration held February 14, 2026 at the Marland Mansion.
- First-ever school-wide alumni reunion held June 2024 with Bishop Taylor.
Unity School & the Marland Mansion
Saint Mary Catholic School once attempted to extend Catholic education through high school with a brief venture called Unity School. The gymnasium from that effort — known today as Unity Gym — still stands and is open to the community, especially for youth league basketball games. In the 1960s, during a period of growth, school classes were held at the Marland Mansion, the "Palace on the Prairie" built by oilman E.W. Marland, who shaped Ponca City during the oil boom of the 1920s.
- Unity School: brief Catholic high school affiliated with Saint Mary.
- Unity Gym: the last remnant of Unity School, still in community use.
- 1960s classes held at the Marland Mansion.
Architecture & the Pipe Organ
The current Saint Mary church was built in the Italian Renaissance style in 1954, replacing the earlier 1916-era structure. The parish first used an electric Hammond organ, and when it failed after 26 years, the parish installed a pipe organ in 1981. That organ served the parish for decades until mechanical issues forced a refurbishment; the original 1981 case was kept, while the internal chests were replaced. The refurbished organ — 24 ranks of pipes including 5 new ranks and 13 ranks of digital voices — was re-dedicated in time for the Easter Vigil, in keeping with Catholic teaching that the organ is the highest instrument for worship.
- 1954: Current church built in Italian Renaissance style.
- 1981: Pipe organ installed (replacing a Hammond electric organ).
- Refurbished and re-dedicated for the Easter Vigil; original 1981 case retained.
- 24 ranks of pipes (5 new, 13 digital), all-new internal chests.
Sacraments & Devotions
The parish offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation twice weekly, Eucharistic Adoration twice weekly, and pastoral preparation for the other sacraments (Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, First Communion, Confirmation) through the parish office.
- Confessions: Saturday 3:30-4:30 PM; Friday 10:30-11:30 AM.
- Adoration: Friday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Wednesday 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick: contact parish office.
Parish Life, Mission & Outreach
Saint Mary Catholic Church is the spiritual home for Catholic families across Ponca City and Kay County. It partners with St. Francis of Assisi in Newkirk as a mission and supports Saint Mary's Catholic School as the principal work of Catholic education in the parish. The parish's outreach includes hosting school-wide alumni gatherings, supporting annual fundraisers like Fall Fest, and fostering intergenerational bonds among parishioners and school families — including alumni from the 1940s and 1950s who remain deeply connected to the parish community.
- Mission partnership with St. Francis of Assisi, Newkirk.
- Saint Mary's Catholic School as the parish's education ministry.
- Annual Fall Fest fundraiser.
- Alumni reunion ministry (first held June 2024).
Visit & Contact
Saint Mary Catholic Church is located at 707 E Ponca Avenue in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and can be reached by phone at (580) 765-7794 or by email at [email protected]. The parish office shares the Saint Mary's Catholic School campus, with the school located at 415 S. 7th Street, Ponca City, OK 74601. From US-77, visitors are directed west onto South Avenue, then north on 7th Street four blocks to Ponca Street.
- Address: 707 E Ponca Ave., Ponca City, OK 74601.
- Phone: (580) 765-7794.
- Email: [email protected].
- Website: https://stmarypc.com.
- School (separate address): 415 S. 7th Street, Ponca City, OK 74601 — (580) 765-4387.