About St. Bridget · Scammon, Kansas
Saint Bridget Parish is a small Roman Catholic community in Scammon, Kansas, in the Diocese of Wichita. Founded in 1868 by Father Philip Colleton, SJ as a mission for coal miners and farmers in what was then called Scammonville, it remains a tight-knit rural parish of about 126 families and 195 individual Catholics, gathered around a 1908 brick church on Keith Street. Today the parish belongs to the Cherokee County Catholic cluster (ckcocatholics.org) and is served by Father Christopher J. Martin. Bishop Carl Kemme celebrated the 150th anniversary Mass on November 14, 2021, recognizing more than a century and a half of Irish-American Catholic faith in southeast Kansas.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. Bridget of Ireland
- Rector
- Reverend Christopher J. Martin
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wichita
Why belong here
Saint Bridget offers exactly the kind of faithful, multigenerational rural Catholic community that is hard to find today: a parish rooted in southeast Kansas since 1868, with Sunday and weekday Mass, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Confirmation that has been celebrated on this ground since 1872. Active groups like the Altar Society (which funds a scholarship for high-school seniors) and a parish Building Committee currently stewarding a major church renovation give members a tangible way to contribute. Visitors and parishioners alike are welcomed into a small but vibrant faith family that is actively investing in its 1908 brick church so it can serve generations to come.
Mass times at St. Bridget
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before Mass
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Parish History
Saint Bridget Parish was founded in 1868 when Father Philip Colleton, SJ, established the Scammonville mission 'in favor of coal miners and farmers.' The first Mass was celebrated in the home of John O'Malley, east of where the parish's first church would be built the following year, and Father Dougherty became the first resident priest. Irish family names appear throughout the early record — the Murphy house hosted the first Confirmation in 1872 and the Kennedy family donated the land on which the church was built, roughly half a mile east of Scammon (then Scammonville). The current large brick church was completed in 1908. A Jesuit, Father Eugene Bonocini, had earlier built and enlarged a larger mission structure at the west end of the present cemetery, twice expanding it to include a parochial school room; Father M.J. Casey later enlarged the school as the community grew. Father T.J. Hurley, pastor from 1903 to 1912, oversaw the construction of the rectory. A two-story brick parish hall with classrooms, kitchen, and auditorium was built in 1948. The church received a complete renovation in 1985 and a new addition was added to the parish hall. The 100th anniversary of the present church was celebrated on October 25, 2009, and on November 14, 2021 Bishop Carl Kemme of the Diocese of Wichita celebrated Mass for the parish's 150th anniversary.
- Founded 1868 by Father Philip Colleton, SJ, as Scammonville mission
- First Mass in John O'Malley home
- First resident priest: Father Dougherty
- 1872: first Confirmation, in the Murphy home
- Land from Kennedy family; church completed 1908
- Parochial school expanded by Fathers Eugene Bonocini, SJ and M.J. Casey
- Rectory built under Father T.J. Hurley (1903–1912)
- Brick parish hall built in 1948
- Church renovated 1985
- 150th Anniversary Mass: November 14, 2021, with Bishop Carl Kemme
Clergy and Staff
Saint Bridget's current pastor is Reverend Christopher J. Martin. The parish is part of the Cherokee County Kansas Catholic cluster, which shares pastoral and administrative resources through ckcocatholics.org. Saint Bridget's long line of pastors begins with the founding Jesuit Father Philip Colleton and includes Fathers Dougherty (the first resident priest), Eugene Bonocini, M.J. Casey, and T.J. Hurley, who served during the construction of the rectory.
- Reverend Christopher J. Martin — current pastor
- Father Philip Colleton, SJ — founder (1868)
- Father Dougherty — first resident priest
- Father Eugene Bonocini, SJ — built early mission structures and school
- Father M.J. Casey — enlarged the school
- Father T.J. Hurley — pastor 1903–1912, built rectory
Parish Ministries and Groups
Saint Bridget's active lay ministries are centered on building community and stewarding the parish's historic buildings. The Altar Society administers the St. Bridget Altar Society Scholarship, awarded each year to high-school seniors, with an annual deadline of April 15. The St. Bridget Building Committee is currently shepherding a major capital project to renovate and preserve the 1908 church.
- St. Bridget Altar Society Scholarship for high school seniors (deadline April 15)
- St. Bridget Building Committee (capital campaign / church renovation)
- St. Bridget Building Committee Prayer (published on the parish cluster website)
Altar Society Scholarship
The Altar Society of Saint Bridget Parish maintains a scholarship fund for high school seniors connected to the parish. Applications are due each year by April 15, and information is linked from the parish's page on ckcocatholics.org.
- Eligibility: high school seniors
- Application deadline: April 15
Building Committee and Church Renovation
In its anniversary vision statement, Saint Bridget's leadership identified approximately $1.1 million in deferred-maintenance and renewal work needed to restore the 1908 brick church for future generations. The parish was already about one-third of the way to its goal at the time of the survey. A Building Committee Prayer has been published on the cluster site, and the committee invited feedback through [email protected].
- New flooring
- HVAC work
- Plasterwork and paint
- Lighting upgrades
- New entry doors
- Choir loft renovation
- Baptismal font relocated to front of church
- Stairway made more accessible
- Pew repair
- Roof replacement to address water leakage
- Estimated project cost: ~$1.1 million
Sacraments
Saint Bridget's sacramental life centers on the Sunday and Thursday Mass schedule, regular Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and the availability of Reconciliation before Mass or by appointment. The parish notes the historical significance of Confirmation having been celebrated on these grounds as early as 1872.
- Sunday and weekday Mass
- Reconciliation before Mass / by appointment
- Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Facilities and Buildings
The parish campus is anchored by the 1908 brick church at 406 N. Keith Street in Scammon. A two-story brick parish hall built in 1948 provides classrooms, a kitchen, and an auditorium for parish gatherings and programs. A rectory was added during the tenure of Father T.J. Hurley (1903–1912). Most of the early mission structures stood in what is now the west end of the parish cemetery.
- 1908 brick church (renovated 1985, now the focus of a new renovation)
- Two-story brick parish hall, built 1948 (classrooms, kitchen, auditorium)
- Rectory built under Father T.J. Hurley (1903–1912)
- Cemetery on the parish grounds
Contact Information
Saint Bridget Parish shares contact information with the Cherokee County Catholic cluster. The parish office can be reached by phone, and the cluster email handles general correspondence.
- Address: 406 N. Keith St., Scammon, KS 66773
- Mailing: PO Box 68, Scammon, KS 66773
- Parish phone: 620-429-2639
- Rectory phone: 620-479-2246
- Email: [email protected]
- Cluster website: https://ckcocatholics.org/saint-bridget-scammon-kansas/
Anniversary Milestones
Saint Bridget has marked several significant anniversaries that anchor its identity as one of the older parishes in southeast Kansas. The 100th anniversary of the present church building was celebrated on Sunday, October 25, 2009. On November 14, 2021, Bishop Carl Kemme of the Diocese of Wichita celebrated Mass on the occasion of the parish's 150th anniversary, receiving a gift from some of the parish's younger members in a sign of generational continuity.
- 100th Anniversary of present church: October 25, 2009
- 150th Anniversary of parish: November 14, 2021 (Mass with Bishop Carl Kemme)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Philip Colleton, SJ1868–
Jesuit founder of the Scammonville mission for coal miners and farmers; established the first Mass in the John O'Malley home.
- Father Dougherty
First resident priest of Saint Bridget.
- Father Eugene Bonocini, SJ
Jesuit who built the larger pre-permanent-church structure in the west end of the cemetery and enlarged it twice, adding a parochial school room.
- Father M.J. Casey
Enlarged the parochial school.
- Father T.J. Hurley1903–1912
Built the fine new rectory.