About St. Benedict · Bendena, Kansas
St. Benedict Catholic Church is a rural parish near Bendena in Doniphan County, Kansas, with roots reaching back to 1856 when Benedictine missionary Fr. Henry Lemke, OSB, began celebrating Mass for area settlers. The present Gothic Revival brick church, built in 1903 after a tornado destroyed its 1895 predecessor, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and remains the spiritual center of a small farming congregation. Today St. Benedict is part of the Tri-Parish Catholic Community of Doniphan County and welcomes parishioners and visitors to Sunday Mass and the sacraments.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. Benedict
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
Join St. Benedict for a close-knit rural Catholic community rooted in Benedictine tradition, centered on the Eucharist, and committed to caring for a nationally recognized historic church. Parishioners share faith through Sunday Mass, religious education, adult formation, seasonal events, and partnership with neighboring parishes in the Tri-Parish Catholic Community of Doniphan County.
Mass times at St. Benedict
Weekly Mass schedule
History
St. Benedict's traces its origins to 1856, when Fr. Henry Lemke, OSB, arrived on foot from Doniphan to celebrate Mass in settlers' homes. A stone church begun in 1861 was replaced by a brick church in 1895, which was destroyed by a tornado in 1903; the present church was rebuilt that same year and dedicated in 1904. The parish was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
Historic Church
- Gothic Revival brick church built in 1903
- Seven life-size statues and three altars
- Stained-glass windows and a 101-foot bell tower
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998
Community & Ministries
- Religious Education / CCD classes
- RCIA and adult faith formation
- St. Benedict's Day fish fry
- Tri-Parish Vacation Bible School and shared Triduum liturgies
- Cemetery care and Unity Center gatherings
Mass & Location
St. Benedict is located in rural Doniphan County about 4.5 miles southwest of Bendena. From US-36, take KS-7 South to KS-20 West, then south on Elgin Road and east about a quarter mile.
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 a.m.