About St. Boniface · Koeltztown, Missouri
St. Boniface Chapel is a historic rural Catholic chapel in Koeltztown, Missouri, served as one half of the two-church parish of St. Aloysius and St. Boniface in Osage County. The brick church that stands today was begun in 1877 on land originally donated to Archbishop Peter Kenrick of St. Louis, and the community has worshipped here continuously since. Today the parish is pastored by Reverend Basil R. Tigga and is part of the Diocese of Jefferson City.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- St. Boniface
- Rector
- Rev. Basil R. Tigga
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jefferson City
Why belong here
St. Boniface offers a quiet, traditional Catholic worship experience in rural Osage County, with Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. and a weekly Tuesday evening Mass, alongside a full sacramental life that includes Baptism and Marriage Preparation, Confirmation Preparation, RCIA, and Eucharistic Adoration. As part of the combined St. Aloysius–St. Boniface parish, visitors and parishioners share a pastor and staff with the neighboring Argyle church, while the chapel itself preserves a 19th-century German-Catholic heritage.
Mass times at St. Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment anytime
- At communal services during Advent and Lent
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration (times listed on parish liturgical resources page)
About St. Aloysius and St. Boniface Parishes
St. Boniface Chapel is one of two worship sites of a single combined parish in Osage County, Missouri. St. Aloysius Church is located at 260 Pine Street in Argyle, while St. Boniface Chapel stands at 3982 Highway T in Koeltztown. The two churches share one pastor, one parish office, and one staff, with the mailing address for both being PO Box 6, Argyle, MO 65001. The parish office can be reached at (573) 728-6922 and the diocesan chancery at (573) 635-9127.
- St. Aloysius Church — 260 Pine Street, Argyle, MO 65001
- St. Boniface Chapel — 3982 Highway T, Koeltztown, MO 65048
- Parish Office — PO Box 6, Argyle, MO 65001
- Parish Office Phone — (573) 728-6922
History of St. Boniface, Koeltztown
The Catholic mission that became St. Boniface began before any church building existed, when Jesuit Father Helias would ride by mule to celebrate Mass at the Hermann Sandbothe home. A log church was completed in 1861 and Father John Goelding offered the first Mass there. The community had been organized around land donated to Archbishop Peter Kenrick of St. Louis by Miss Eremline Koeltze, a Protestant landowner who wanted German Catholic settlers in the area. The present brick church was begun in 1877, with a school added in 1891 and a new rectory in 1910.
- First Mass: celebrated by Father Helias, S.J., at the Sandbothe home
- Log church completed: 1861; first Mass there by Father John Goelding
- Current brick church: construction began 1877
- Parish school: 1891
- Rectory: 1910
- Parish founded: 1866 (per GCatholic and Diocese of Jefferson City)
Pastoral Care and Priests from Koeltztown
Pastoral care of St. Boniface began with the Jesuit Fathers (1858–1867) and then passed to diocesan clergy. The parish has been served by a long and well-documented succession of priests, including 32 years under Reverend J.H. Kellersmann (1882–1914) and 29 years under Monsignor Ralph Kutz (1970–1999). Reverend Basil R. Tigga has served as pastor since 2020. The parish history also notes priests who originally came from the Koeltztown community itself.
- 1858–1867: Jesuit Fathers
- 1882–1914: Rev. J.H. Kellersmann (longest tenure)
- 1970–1999: Monsignor Ralph Kutz
- 1999–2002: Fr. Michael Murphy & Msgr. Bernard Boessen
- 2002–2005: Fr. John Schmitz
- 2005–: Monsignor Marion Makarewicz
- 2020–Present: Rev. Basil R. Tigga
Mass and Worship Schedule
St. Boniface Chapel celebrates Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. and a Tuesday evening Mass at 6:00 p.m. The sister church of St. Aloysius in Argyle offers Saturday Mass at 4:30 p.m., a Wednesday morning Mass at 8:00 a.m., and a Monday morning Prayer Service at 7:30 a.m. Confessions are available by appointment at any time, with communal penance services offered during Advent and Lent.
- Saturday 4:30 p.m. — St. Aloysius, Argyle
- Sunday 10:00 a.m. — St. Boniface, Koeltztown
- Monday 7:30 a.m. — Prayer Service, St. Aloysius
- Tuesday 6:00 p.m. — St. Boniface, Koeltztown
- Wednesday 8:00 a.m. — St. Aloysius, Argyle
- Confessions: by appointment; communal services during Advent and Lent
Parish Staff
The combined parish is served by a small staff headed by the pastor and supported by a deacon, Director of Religious Education, parish secretary, and bulletin coordinator. Callers needing assistance are invited to contact the parish office at (573) 728-6922 or the general email [email protected].
- Rev. Basil R. Tigga — Pastor
- Deacon Michael Brooks
- Mr. Frank Neutzler — Director of Religious Education
- Mrs. Elaine Brandt — Parish Secretary & Sacrament Coordinator
- Mrs. Juliana Loaiza — Bulletin Coordinator
Parish Ministries
The parish website lists ministries organized around worship, formation, and family life, following the scriptural call of Galatians 6:10 to do good 'especially to those who belong to the family of the faith.' Volunteers are especially needed in music ministry; St. Aloysius has an open call for organ or guitar players to help lead Mass.
- Baptism Preparation
- Youth Choir
- Confirmation Preparation
- Eucharistic Adoration
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- Marriage Preparation
- Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- Pastoral Parish Council
- Parish Organizations
Liturgical Resources and Parish Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish maintains a Liturgical Resources section that helps enhance the spiritual life of the community with Roman Catholic liturgical and devotional resources, as well as a Parish Organizations page for those seeking broader ways to get involved beyond the formal ministries.
- Pastoral Parish Council
- Liturgical Resources
- Parish Organizations
Parish Bulletins
Weekly bulletins are posted on the parish website and include Mass announcements, liturgical notes, and finance council minutes. Recent bulletins have included special notices — for example, a Christmas Day 2025 note that the St. Boniface Mass was moved to 8:00 a.m. instead of the usual 10:00 a.m.
- Bulletins published weekly and archived online
- Includes Mass times, announcements, and finance details
Pastors & rectors through the years
- The Jesuit Fathers1858–1867
Earliest pastoral care of the Koeltztown mission.
- Reverend Edward Holthaus1867–1868
- Reverend William Klevinghaus1868–1871
- Reverend John Gruender1871–1875
- Reverend Joseph Hellwing1875–1878
- Reverend Bernard Hillner1878–1882
- Reverend J.H. Kellersmann1882–1914
Longest-serving pastor in parish history; oversaw construction of the 1877 brick church.
- Reverend Hubert Eggemann and Reverend Adelricus Thum1914
- Reverend Joseph Peter Wigger1915–1925
- Reverend Arnold Acker1925–1928
- Reverend John S. Kelley1928
- Reverend James Denner1928–1950
- Reverend Richard C. Reichling1950–1962
- Reverend Jacques Wenting1962
- Reverend Robert Chenowith1963
- Reverend Joseph Busald1963–1966
- Reverend Ignatius Beran1966–1967
- Reverend Brendan Doyle1967–1970
- Reverend Liam Fay1970
- Monsignor Ralph Kutz1970–1999
Second-longest tenure; long era of stability.
- Father Michael Murphy and Monsignor Bernard Boessen1999–2002
- Father John Schmitz2002–2005
- Monsignor Marion Makarewicz2005–
- Father James Finder
- Father Greg Meystrik
- Father Matthew Flatley
- Reverend Basil R. Tigga2020–Present
Current pastor.