About St. Columba Mission · Elmo, Kansas
St. Columba Mission is a small Roman Catholic mission parish in the farming community of Elmo, Kansas, part of the Diocese of Salina. Worship has been offered in the Elmo area since at least 1872, when a priest from Solomon began celebrating Mass in settlers' homes; the present church dates to 1954, built largely by parishioners from materials salvaged from the original 1886 church. The parish has been a mission since 1967 and today counts 24 registered families who share clergy and ministry with neighboring St. Philip (Hope) and St. John the Evangelist (Herington) under the 'Highway 4 Catholics' cluster. Weekend Mass is celebrated Saturday evening or Sunday morning on alternating weekends, with confession heard 30 minutes before Mass.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- St. Columba of Iona
- Rector
- Fr. George Chalbhagam, CMI
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
St. Columba is a small but living rural Catholic community of 24 families with deep roots going back to the 1880s, where Mass is still celebrated every weekend and parishioners know one another by name. The cluster with St. Philip (Hope) and St. John the Evangelist (Herington) means visitors benefit from shared adult education, Bible study, Knights of Columbus meetings and Sacramental preparation, while keeping the intimacy of a mission parish. The church's 1954 sanctuary, native-stone bell tower and Shrine of Our Lady of the Farmland give it a distinctive local identity, and the Altar Society's annual Soup Luncheon each year near the feast of St. Patrick is a long-standing tradition of fellowship. For Catholics in southern Dickinson County and neighboring Morris and Marion counties looking for an authentic small-town parish, St. Columba offers weekly Mass, confession before every Mass, and a pastor (Fr. George Chalbhagam, CMI) willing to visit the homebound and anoint the sick.
Mass times at St. Columba Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes prior to weekend Masses
History of St. Columba Parish
Catholic life in the Elmo area began in 1872, when a priest from Solomon celebrated Mass in the homes of Irish and German immigrant settlers and in the Dublin Schoolhouse. The church was constructed in 1885 or 1886, and a bell installed in 1897 was blessed by Bishop John Cunningham. Fr. Thomas O'Reilly built the rectory in 1899 and became the parish's first resident pastor. A new church, built largely from the old church's lumber and dedicated on October 27, 1954, replaced the 1886 building, and the bell tower and Shrine of Our Lady of the Farmland followed during Fr. Vincent LeMoine's pastorate (1955–1960). A Centennial Mass was celebrated in 1985 with Bishop George Fitzsimmons.
- 1872 — Mass first celebrated in settlers' homes and Dublin Schoolhouse by Fr. Francis Hayden of Solomon
- 1885–1886 — Original church constructed
- 1897 — Bell installed; blessed by Bishop John Cunningham
- 1899 — Rectory built; Fr. Thomas O'Reilly becomes first resident pastor
- 1904 — Original church enlarged
- 1953–1954 — Current church built from salvaged materials; dedicated October 27, 1954
- 1955–1960 — Bell tower and Shrine of Our Lady of the Farmland completed under Fr. Vincent LeMoine
- 1967 — Becomes a mission of St. Philip Parish, Hope
- 1984 — Hope also becomes a mission; both served from Herington by Fr. Richard Lutgen
- 1985 — Centennial Mass celebrated September 22 with Bishop George Fitzsimmons
Patron: St. Columba of Iona
The parish is named for St. Columba (Colmcille), the Irish abbot and missionary born c. 521 in Gartan, County Donegal, who died on June 9, 597 on the island of Iona. Credited with a central role in the conversion of Scotland and one of the three patron saints of Ireland (with St. Patrick and St. Brigid), he is also patron of Derry, of poets and of bookbinders, and is invoked against floods. His feast day is celebrated on June 9.
- Patron of Ireland, Scotland and Derry
- Feast day: June 9
- Founder of the abbey on Iona; 'Apostle of the Picts'
Clergy & Staff
The mission is served by the pastor of the three-parish Highway 4 cluster together with parish deacons. Fr. George is available day or night for emergencies and visits the homebound for Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion.
- Fr. George Chalbhagam, CMI — Pastor (serves St. John – Herington, St. Philip – Hope, and St. Columba – Elmo)
- Deacon Kramer — assists with Baptism preparation
- Parish Pastoral Council — Elmo representatives meet roughly every three months
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments in the rural parish tradition: Baptisms are welcomed soon after birth with preparation; marriages are arranged through Fr. George (the parishes do not charge a fee but welcome donations); and the Anointing of the Sick is offered to the seriously ill, often preceded by Reconciliation and followed by the Eucharist. Fr. George also brings Holy Communion to those who are homebound.
- Baptism — contact Fr. George or Deacon Kramer
- Marriage — contact Fr. George about preparation and booking
- Anointing of the Sick — for those seriously ill, before surgery, or in need of healing
- Holy Communion to the Homebound
- Confirmation
- Emergency line for the sick: 785-258-2013 (forwards to Fr. George's cell when he is out)
Parish Life & Ministries
Despite its small size, St. Columba maintains an active parish life centered on the Altar Society, the Pastoral Council and shared ministries with the other Highway 4 parishes. Adult education, Bible study and Knights of Columbus gatherings are offered across the cluster.
- Altar Society — organizes the Annual Soup Luncheon each year near the feast of St. Patrick
- Knights of Columbus — meet the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm
- Elmo Pastoral Council — meets roughly every 3 months
- Holy Communion to the Homebound
- Adult education and Bible study (cluster-wide)
Buildings, Grounds & Cemetery
The 1954 church has been continually maintained and improved by parishioners. Recent work includes a new balcony organ, tiled kitchen floor, new carpeting, repainted basement, new curtains, angel statues above the altar, and ongoing landscaping and grass reseeding. The parish also maintains the Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery, which has received new fencing.
- Current church dedicated October 27, 1954
- Native-stone bell tower and Shrine of Our Lady of the Farmland (1955–1960)
- Basement parish hall
- Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery (new fencing installed)
Highway 4 Catholics Cluster
St. Columba shares clergy and many ministries with St. John the Evangelist Parish in Herington and St. Philip Parish in Hope under the 'Highway 4 Catholics' banner (highway4catholics.org). The three autonomous parishes in southern Dickinson County often cooperate on adult education, Bible study, social events and Sacramental preparation, and Catholics from neighboring Marion and Morris counties regularly join them.
- St. John the Evangelist — Herington, KS (parish office)
- St. Philip — Hope, KS
- St. Columba — Elmo, KS
- Cluster contact: 712 N. Broadway, Herington, KS 67449
Visit & Contact
St. Columba welcomes visitors, returning Catholics and those inquiring about the faith. Fr. George encourages anyone exploring the Church to 'come and see.' All correspondence, phone calls and emails for the three-cluster parishes are handled through the Herington parish office.
- Address: 890 Main St, Elmo, KS 67451
- Rectory phone (Herington, serves all three parishes): 785-258-2013
- Parish line listed by Diocese of Salina: 785-258-3358
- Bulletin: published weekly, available on highway4catholics.org/news/bulletin
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Francis Haydenpre-1885–c.1886
Pastor of Solomon, KS; first to celebrate Mass for Elmo settlers in homes and Dublin Schoolhouse starting 1872.
- Fr. O'Learyc.1886–1893
Of Solomon, KS; continued weekly or bi-monthly Mass after the church was built.
- Fr. John McNamara1893–1898
Based in Abilene; attended Hope, Elmo and Herington from there.
- Fr. Thomas O'Reilly1898–
Appointed to Abilene in 1898; built the Elmo rectory in 1899 and became Elmo's first resident pastor.
- Fr. William Fitzgerald1931–1951
Longest assignment at St. Columba's (20 years).
- Fr. Richard Kerr1951–
Proposed the new church building, constructed 1953–1954.
- Fr. Vincent LeMoine1955–1960
Completed the Shrine of Our Lady of the Farmlands with the native-stone bell tower.
- Fr. Richard Lutgen1984–
Pastor of Herington; from 1984 also served Hope and Elmo after Hope itself became a mission.
- Fr. Donal Pfannenstiel1986–1998
Served the mission cluster.
- Fr. Randy Weber1998–1999
One-year assignment.
- Fr. Mark Wesely1999–
Long-tenured pastor referenced in the 2012 parish history as 'continues currently.'
- Fr. George Chalbhagam, CMI
Current pastor (Diocese of Salina and highway4catholics.org), serving the three-parish 'Highway 4 Catholics' cluster.