About St. Francis · Saint Paul, Kansas
St. Francis de Hieronymo Catholic Church is a historic parish on the east edge of St. Paul, Kansas, on Highway K47, in Neosho County. It is one of the oldest Catholic congregations in Kansas, with roots in the 1847 Catholic Osage Mission established by the Jesuits as a school for Osage children. The current sandstone church was dedicated in May 1884 on the site of that original mission, and the parish shares a two-parish family with St. Ambrose in nearby Erie, nine miles to the northwest. Both parishes are part of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita and describe themselves as stewards of one of the richest Roman Catholic heritages in southeast Kansas and the four-state region.
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- St. Francis de Hieronymo (Francis de Geronimo, S.J.)
- Rector
- Father Matthew Davied
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Wichita, Kansas
Why belong here
St. Francis de Hieronymo offers a small-town Catholic home with deep roots, weekly Mass in English with a daily Mass schedule, Saturday and Wednesday confessions, and an exceptionally rich Catholic heritage that parishioners actively tend. The parish grounds include the Passionist-built church gardens with the Stations of the Cross, stone bell tower, and meditation spaces, all open for personal prayer. The community also welcomes families through its joint Parish School of Religion (with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd), Catholic Youth Ministry for grades 9–12, RCIA, an informal Bible study, Altar Society, Knights of Columbus, Daughters of Isabella, and a thrift store, all shared with sister parish St. Ambrose in Erie.
Mass times at St. Francis
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30–5:15 p.m.
- 30 minutes before each daily and weekend Mass
Our Heritage and History
St. Francis de Hieronymo is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in Kansas. The Catholic Osage Mission was founded on April 28, 1847, by Jesuit missionaries led by Father John Schoenmakers, who established the Osage Manual Labor School on a hill near the convergence of Flat Rock Creek and the Neosho River. Four Sisters of Loretto arrived that October to open the girls' department. By the late nineteenth century the mission's St. Ann's Academy and St. Francis Institute drew students from many states and Mexico. The Kansas legislature renamed the town from Osage Mission to St. Paul in 1895.
- 1847: Jesuits Father John Schoenmakers, Father John Bax, and three lay brothers arrive and open the Osage Manual Labor School.
- 1847 (Oct. 10): Sisters of Loretto arrive to open the female department.
- 1880: Father Paul Ponziglione's two-month 'begging expedition' by rail raises funds to finish the church.
- 1884: Current sandstone church dedicated May 11, on the feast of St. Francis de Hieronymo.
- 1894: Passionists assume the Jesuit holdings; formal possession ceremony September 9.
- 1895: Town of Osage Mission renamed St. Paul.
- 1913: New Passionist monastery/retreat house dedicated in November.
- 1936–1966: St. Paul serves as the Passionist Novitiate of the West.
- 1983: Passionists close the monastery and retreat house (February 23).
- 1987: Father Luke Connolly, the last Passionist parish priest, turns the parish over to a diocesan priest.
The Building and Its Engineering Feat
The Romanesque Revival church was cut from native sandstone quarried near St. Paul and took twelve years to complete. It features three large front altars (with center-side altars also used at times), a suite of stained glass windows, and a steeple raised to its present 130-foot height in 1900. The building holds three bells, including the 1847 bell brought by Father Schoenmakers and a memorial bell installed in his honor after his death in 1883.
- Cathedral-sized sandstone church completed in 1884.
- Five altars (three large front altars and two center-side altars).
- Steeple extended 30 feet in 1900 to 130 feet.
- 1909–1910: entire 7,000-ton structure lifted on screw jacks to install new foundation and a winter basement.
- Three bells in the tower, including Father Schoenmakers' 1847 bell — believed to be the first church bell in Kansas.
Parish Gardens and Bell Tower
Built by Passionist priests and students, the parish gardens sit on the original Osage Mission grounds. They include a beautiful stone bell tower, a winding paved path with the Stations of the Cross, a screened-in shelter and meditation building, several statues, and a small cemetery holding the remains of several Passionist priests and brothers. The gardens are open year-round for personal prayer and meditation by local people and travelers, and they host several services and celebrations during the year.
- Stone bell tower built in 1947 to house Father Schoenmakers' original 1847 bell.
- Stations of the Cross walkway.
- Screened-in shelter and meditation building.
- Cemetery with graves of Passionist priests and brothers.
- Used throughout the year for parish services and celebrations.
Our Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Father Matthew Davied, who joined the St. Francis – St. Ambrose family in June 2024 after assignments at Church of the Magdalen in Wichita and St. Isidore's Student Center at Kansas State University. He resides in the St. Francis Rectory in St. Paul. The parish secretary, Jackie Harmon, works from the rectory office; Bridget Cordell Paisley serves as Director of Religious Education (with former DRE Suzie Diskin assisting); and Tim Harmon handles maintenance of the church, gardens, rectory, PSR building, and parish hall.
- Pastor: Father Matthew Davied (ordained May 26, 2018; joined June 2024)
- Parish Secretary: Jackie Harmon
- Director of Religious Education: Bridget Cordell Paisley (assistant: Suzie Diskin)
- Maintenance: Tim Harmon
- Emergency phone for Father Davied: 620-236-0705
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education for both St. Francis and St. Ambrose parishes is run from the Religious Education Center located one block west of St. Francis on the south side of K-47. The two-story PSR building was originally a convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph who served the parish schools. The program includes RCIA for adults, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children, and an informal Bible Study group.
- Parish School of Religion (joint with St. Ambrose)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
- Informal Bible Study Group
- Religious Education Center: 311 Washington, St. Paul, KS 66771 — (620) 449-2783
Catholic Youth Ministry
The joint St. Francis – St. Ambrose Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) brings together high school students in grades 9–12, adult leaders, and parent volunteers. The group participates in monthly CYM Sunday Masses as servers, lectors, and gift bearers, runs community-service projects including adopting families for Christmas and assembling food boxes for the elderly, and hosts an annual Valentine's Day dinner for senior and disabled citizens. Fundraisers include the fall mum sale and the CYM Fall Harvest Festival Cow Patty Bingo game.
- Adult leaders: Kayla and Dylan Treiber; Carly and Jason O'Brien
- Monthly CYM Sunday Mass participation
- Annual Valentine's Day senior and disabled community dinner
- Fall mum sale and Cow Patty Bingo fundraisers
- Annual major field trip plus shorter outings
Parish Organizations and Stewardship
St. Francis shares a joint pool of organizations with St. Ambrose, including a Stewardship Council, Church Council, Knights of Columbus, Daughters of Isabella, Harvest House, Catholic Youth Ministry, and the St. Francis Thrift Store. The parish specifically maintains its own St. Francis Altar Society because of the unique resources on the St. Paul grounds.
- Altar Society (separate for each parish)
- Church Council (joint)
- Stewardship Council (joint)
- Catholic Youth Ministry (joint)
- Daughters of Isabella Circle 239 (includes members from Girard and Parsons)
- Knights of Columbus Council 760 (includes members from Walnut and Galesburg)
- Harvest House (joint)
- St. Francis Thrift Store (joint)
Stewardship Council
The Stewardship Council implements the diocesan-wide, parish-based stewardship way of life in the two-parish family. It meets monthly, usually on the first Sunday in the rectory basement meeting room. Father Matthew Davied serves as Council Leader, Mike Carter is President, and the council includes leadership for liturgy, youth, communications, parish hall, garden, and outreach ministries.
- Council Leader: Father Matthew Davied
- President: Mike Carter
- Vice President: Rodney Noe
- Secretary: Marcia Gard
- Director of Liturgy: Suzie Diskin
- Youth Leaders: Anthony Albertini, Katelin O'Brien
- Outreach: Melinda Ewan, Seth Born, Laura Hoppas
- Garden: Noah Smith, Emily Winter
St. Francis Parish Hall and Facilities
The St. Francis Parish Hall sits at the northeast corner of 1st and Lafayette, about one block west of the church. The building has two large multi-purpose rooms, each capable of seating more than 100 people, and the west hall features a well-equipped restaurant-quality kitchen. The hall is available for church and community events; inquiries about rentals and scheduling should go through the St. Francis rectory.
- Two multi-purpose rooms, each seats more than 100.
- Restaurant-quality kitchen in the west hall.
- Available for church and community events; contact the rectory to reserve.
St. Francis Cemetery
St. Francis Cemetery lies within the parish gardens and holds graves dating back to 1852, including those of Jesuit missionary priests, Sisters of Loretto, and many Osage Indians. The parish office handles all inquiries about funerals and burials, the purchase or sale of cemetery plots, and cemetery maintenance.
- Graves dating to 1852.
- Includes Osage Indians, Jesuit missionaries, Sisters of Loretto.
- Inquiries through the parish office at (620) 449-2224.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Schoenmakers, S.J.1847–1883
Jesuit founder of the Catholic Osage Mission; arrived April 28, 1847; died July 28, 1883, ten months before the current church's dedication.
- Father Paul Ponziglione, S.J.active 1880s
Jesuit who led the 1880 rail 'begging expedition' that raised funds to complete the present sandstone church dedicated May 11, 1884.
- Rev. Bononcinithrough early 1894
Secular priest who performed the last marriage at Osage Mission on January 30, 1894, before turning parish affairs over to the Passionists.
- Rev. Raymond O'Keefe, C.P. and Rev. Fr. Sebastian, C.P.1894–
First Passionist priests stationed in St. Paul; arrived February 1894; formal possession ceremony September 9, 1894.
- Father Luke Connolly, C.P.through 1987
Last Passionist parish priest; in 1987 turned the parish and church property over to a diocesan priest, ending more than 90 years of Passionist presence.
- Father Matthew DaviedJune 2024–present
Ordained in the Diocese of Wichita on May 26, 2018; first assignment as Parochial Vicar at Church of the Magdalen, Wichita; 2021 assigned on loan to Diocese of Salina for St. Isidore's Student Center at Kansas State University; joined the St. Francis – St. Ambrose family in June 2024.