St. Columban

History of St. Columban

In 1857 Father John Hogan founded St. Columban Parish in Chillicothe, Missouri, with 12 families. The first permanent church was dedicated on May 17, 1860. As Chillicothe's Catholic community grew, the original small frame church in the south of town proved inadequate, and in 1878 Fr. Francis Moenning — the first Franciscan to serve Chillicothe — purchased the present block across from the Convent-Academy of the Sisters of St. Joseph for $550. The cornerstone of the current Gothic church was laid on May 25, 1879, by the Most Rev. John Joseph Hogan (then Bishop of St. Joseph), and the new church was dedicated on November 23, 1879, the Feast of St. Columban. It cost $12,000 and used local brick and native stone hauled from Utica, Missouri, by the Bonderer family.

Architecture & Building History

St. Columban combines old and new Gothic forms, with pointed arches, high vaulted ceilings, reddish local brick, and a native-stone foundation. By 1894, with 250 families, the parish added the transept, sanctuary and sacristy, becoming one of the largest and most beautiful churches in northern Missouri. A 35-foot main altar, built by Henry Dreisoerner of Quincy, Illinois, was installed in 1904 and crowned with a statue of St. Columban carved by M. Schneiderhahn of St. Louis, holding a scale model of the church. In 1913 artist Thomas Bush painted six murals — Christ healing the afflicted in the north transept, Christ with Mary and Martha in the south, and cherubs, Ascension, and Assumption images around the sanctuary. A new roof was added to the church and rectory in 2014, and a 2017 grand interior restoration returned the church to its 1913 mural-era appearance.

• 1879 cornerstone laid by Bishop John Joseph Hogan; church dedicated Nov 23, 1879
• 1892 present rectory built
• 1894 transept, sanctuary and sacristy added
• 1904 35-foot main altar installed
• 1913 Thomas Bush murals added
• 2014 new roof on church and rectory
• 2017 grand interior restoration to 1913 appearance
• 2009 25-foot copper-clad steeple added to replace 1937 lightning-damaged original

Clergy & Pastoral Succession

St. Columban was founded by Father (later Bishop) John Hogan and has been served by diocesan priests, the Franciscan order, and the Benedictines of Conception Abbey across its history. Father Ryan Koster currently serves as pastor; Kathy Baxter is the parish Office Manager. The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM.

• 1857–: Fr. John Hogan (founder, later Bishop of St. Joseph)
• 1878–1914: Franciscan Fathers (led by Fr. Francis Moenning from 1878)
• 1914–1971: Diocesan priests
• 1971–1998: Benedictines of Conception Abbey
• 1998–present: Diocesan priests of the Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph
• Current pastor: Father Ryan Koster ([email protected])

Parish Organizations & Ministries

Parish life at St. Columban is carried by a wide range of lay organizations, from the Knights of Columbus and the St. Ann's Altar Society to the Blue Army prayer cell and the Choir & Music Ministry. The Altar Society prepares funeral dinners for grieving families (more than 300 meals in early 2022 alone) and hosts the annual Salad Luncheon in June, whose proceeds buy liturgical supplies for the church.

• Knights of Columbus — meets 1st Monday at 7:00 PM, Knights Hall, 919 Easton Street
• Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary — carry-in dinners select 1st Mondays at 6:30 PM
• St. Ann's Altar Society — meets 2nd Thursday at 10:00 AM in the Knights Hall
• Funeral Dinners (Altar Society) — parish-wide outreach at times of bereavement
• Annual Salad Luncheon (Altar Society fundraiser, each June in Bishop Hogan gym)
• Blue Army — World Apostolate of Fatima prayer cell, rosary every Wednesday after 8:15 AM Mass
• Choir & Music Ministry — rehearses every other Tuesday 6:45 PM; sings at 10:00 AM Sunday Mass
• RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults

Bishop Hogan Memorial School

Bishop Hogan Memorial School, directly across the street from the church, is the primary educational ministry of St. Columban Parish. Founded as a Catholic school by Father John Hogan in 1861, it is a fully accredited Preschool-through-8th-grade program (with an Early Learning Center accepting children from 6 weeks old) and is subsidized by the parish. Bishop Hogan is a member of the Missouri Athletic Association and is accredited by the Missouri Nonpublic School Accrediting Association and AdvancEd. Students receive daily religion class, attend weekly Mass and prayer services, and participate in Music, PE, Band, Computers, and Project Lead the Way STEM programming. A current 'Connected in Faith' campaign is raising funds to renovate and expand the campus.

• Preschool through 8th grade (Early Learning Center from 6 weeks old)
• Fully accredited (MNSAA, AdvancEd)
• Member, Missouri Athletic Association
• Daily religion class and weekly Mass
• Enrichment: Music, PE, Band, Computers, Project Lead the Way STEM
• Connected in Faith — campus renovation and expansion campaign

Stewardship, Donations & Restoration

St. Columban parishioners are invited to give through Sunday envelopes, online recurring giving, or one-time gifts. Donations support the parish's missions, ministries, and community outreach. A separate 'St. Columban Campaign' fund is dedicated to ongoing restoration and maintenance of the historic 1879 church building, preserving the sacred space for future generations. Checks may be made payable to 'St. Columban Catholic Church' or 'St. Columban Campaign' and mailed or brought to the parish office at 1111 Trenton Street.

• Sunday envelopes and online giving
• St. Columban Campaign — restoration and maintenance fund
• Checks payable to 'St. Columban Campaign' for restoration gifts

Visit, Contact & Join

New parishioners are warmly welcomed. Registration forms are available on the parish website and may be returned to the office Tuesday–Friday between 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM, dropped in the collection basket at Mass, or mailed to 1111 Trenton Street, Chillicothe, MO 64601. The parish office phone is (660) 646-0190; the office email is [email protected]. Pastor Father Ryan Koster can be reached at [email protected].

• Address: 1111 Trenton Street, Chillicothe, MO 64601
• Phone: (660) 646-0190
• Email: [email protected]
• Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM
• RCIA inquiries via the parish office