About St. Francis Xavier · Junction City, Kansas
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church is a historic parish in Junction City, Kansas, founded in 1867 in the Catholic Diocese of Salina. The parish serves a diverse community drawn from Junction City, Fort Riley, and surrounding communities, and is the home of St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, a PreK-12 institution recently recognized as the first private school in Kansas to receive the Purple Star designation for its support of military-connected families. The parish offers Mass in both English and Spanish, runs a school that has educated local children since 1871 (the first parochial school in what would become the Diocese of Salina), and maintains a rich schedule of adoration, confession, faith formation, and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1867
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Rev. Peter O'Donnell
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
St. Francis Xavier is the spiritual heart of Catholic life in Junction City and welcomes parishioners from the city, Fort Riley, and surrounding communities, with weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, daily weekday Masses, and extended hours of Eucharistic Adoration four days a week. Families can educate their children from preschool through 12th grade at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School — recently recognized as the first private school in Kansas to receive the Purple Star designation for its support of military-connected families. The parish offers a full range of formation and outreach, including OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), Religious Education, youth groups, the Knights of Columbus, a Respect Life Ministry, Spanish Ministry, Rosary Group, Prayer Chain, and Living Water Ministries.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday — 6:00 p.m. (following the 5:30 p.m. Mass)
- Friday — 9:00 a.m. (following the 8:30 a.m. Mass)
- Saturday — 4:00–5:00 p.m. (no confessions on Holy Saturday)
- Always by appointment — call the parish office
Adoration times
- Tuesday — following the 5:30 p.m. Mass until 1:00 a.m. Wednesday
- Wednesday — all day
- Thursday — following the 8:00 a.m. Mass until 8:00 p.m.
- Friday — following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until 2:00 p.m.
- First Saturday — following Mass until noon
Parish History
Catholic life in Junction City dates to 1861, when Jesuit Father Louis Dumortier first celebrated Mass for local residents — six months after Kansas statehood. The parish itself was formally founded in 1867 when Father Fogarty became the first resident pastor. The congregation grew with Irish immigrants working on the Kansas Pacific Railway and built a stone church in 1867, a school in 1871, and the present Romanesque native-stone church dedicated May 9, 1906.
- 1861 — Father Louis Dumortier, SJ, celebrates the first Mass in Junction City
- 1867 — Parish founded; first stone church built
- 1871 — First parochial school in what would become the Diocese of Salina opens
- 1876 — Native-stone rectory constructed
- 1905–1906 — Present native-stone Romanesque church built and dedicated May 9, 1906
- 1907 — Larger school staffed by Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia
- 1920 — High school opened
- Early 1950s — New grade-school rooms, auditorium and gymnasium
- 1961 — New high school built for $298,000; peak enrollment over 500
- 1991 — Last Sister of St. Joseph departs; lay staff take over schools
- 1992 — New rectory built
- 1997 — Parishioners raise $200,000 in days to save the schools from diocesan closure
- 2010 — Right to Life Memorial Wall dedicated (funded by Knights of Columbus)
Parish Staff
The parish is served by a pastor who also pastors two other Salina-diocese parishes, two or more parochial vicars, and a deacon, along with a small lay staff in the parish office. The parish website's staff page lists Father Kerry Ninemire as pastor, but diocesan announcements in 2025 named Father Peter O'Donnell as the new pastor following Fr. Ninemire's retirement; the most recent bulletins (February 2026) list Fr. Peter O'Donnell, Fr. Kade Megaffin, and Deacon Ed Souza.
- Rev. Peter O'Donnell — Pastor, Judicial Vicar & Diocesan Archivist
- Rev. Kade Megaffin — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. James Alaya — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Vincent John, CMI — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Edward Souza
- Amber Davis — Evangelization Coordinator ([email protected])
- Alexa Saucedo / Annemarie Charland — Parish Secretary ([email protected], 785-238-2998)
- Carol Tomson — Business Manager ([email protected])
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School (PreK–12)
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, located at 200 N. Washington Street (right across from the church), has educated Junction City children since 1871 — making it the first parochial school in what would become the Diocese of Salina. Its mission is 'Educating for eternity through faith and reason,' and the school offers full-day and half-day preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds, a kindergarten, and full elementary, middle, and high school grades. In March 2026 the school was unanimously recognized by the Kansas State Board of Education as a Kansas Purple Star School — the first private school in Kansas to receive that designation — for its strong support of military-connected students and families tied to nearby Fort Riley. Open enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year began March 23, 2026.
- Address: 200 N. Washington St., Junction City, KS 66441
- Phone: 785-238-2841
- Website: saintxrams.org
- Principal: Shawn Augustine ([email protected])
- Business Administrator: Carol Tomson
- Pastor & Superintendent: Fr. Peter O'Donnell
- PreK-12 enrollment; full-day and half-day preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds
- Recognized March 10, 2026 as a Kansas Purple Star School — first private school in Kansas to receive the designation
- Open enrollment for 2026-2027 began March 23, 2026
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
The parish runs Religious Education classes for school-age children preparing for First Communion and Confirmation, an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for adults exploring Catholicism, and youth ministry programs through high school. SPARK is the high school youth group (grades 9–12), with a JR. CYO program for junior-high students; the annual SPARK Kenosis Retreat is held at Prairie Star Ranch near Williamsburg, Kansas. Adult formation is offered in addition to weekly Bible Study.
- Religious Education — Wednesday evening classes (sacramental prep for First Communion and Confirmation)
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Sundays, 1:00 p.m., Bldg C Rm 239; contact Amber Davis
- SPARK High School Youth Group — led by Sharon Engstrom ([email protected], 785-210-7729)
- JR. CYO Junior Youth Group
- SPARK Kenosis Retreat — April 10–12, 2026 at Prairie Star Ranch, Williamsburg, KS
- Confirmation Retreat (annual)
- Adult Formation — Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m.
- Bible Study — Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., Rm 239
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Beyond worship and formation, the parish supports a wide network of ministries and outreach groups — spiritual, social, charitable, and cultural. The parish bulletin lists contact persons for each ministry, making it easy for newcomers to get involved.
- Knights of Columbus — funded the 2010 Right to Life Memorial Wall
- Respect Life Ministry — Janet Hahn, 785-461-5996
- Christian Service — Mary Ann Vieyra, 785-375-9906
- Living Water Ministries — Sandy Leistner
- CALLED
- Prayer Chain — Frannie Torrez, 915-497-4570
- Circle I — Wanita Hulett, 785-238-8656
- Circle IV — Shirley Allen, 785-375-7305
- Spanish Ministry — Ricardo Gutierrez, Sergio Rubio
- Liturgical Coordinators (EMHC, Ushers, Altar Servers, Gift Bearers, Lectors) — Mary Guttieri
- Arts and Environment — Ellie Dillon (Weddings), Ellen Westerhaus (Funerals)
- Music Ministry / Choir — Katie Wiley
- Rosary Group — Colleen Henney, 785-238-2618
- Adoration Coordinators — Alexa Saucedo, Sr. D.J. Rak
Visit & Contact
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and is staffed by the parish secretary and evangelization coordinator. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed — the parish home page extends 'a special welcome to you as you join our parish family' — and online registration is available through the parish website.
- Parish address: 218 N. Washington St., Junction City, KS 66441
- Parish phone: 785-238-2998
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Parish Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Website: http://www.saintxparish.org/
- School address: 200 N. Washington St., Junction City, KS 66441
- School phone: 785-238-2841
- School website: saintxrams.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Louis Dumortier, SJ1861–1867
Jesuit missionary who first celebrated Mass in Junction City in 1861 and founded the parish; died of cholera July 26, 1867 at Fort Harker shortly before the first Mass in the new 1867 stone church.
- Rev. John Fogarty1867
First resident pastor, appointed by Leavenworth Bishop John Miege; also served missions from Manhattan to Chapman.
- Rev. John O'Brienearly 1900s–1927
Oversaw construction of the present native-stone Romanesque church, dedicated May 9, 1906; his 1927 funeral Mass closed all the city's businesses.
- Rev. Kerry Ninemire2013–2025
Returned as pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in 2023 (after a previous stint 2013–2014, when he also served as Vicar General); granted full retirement in 2025.
- Rev. Peter O'Donnell2025–present
Appointed pastor of St. Francis Xavier in 2025 while retaining pastorates of St. Andrew, Abilene, and St. Michael, Chapman; also serves as Judicial Vicar and Archivist of the Diocese of Salina. Ordained May 22, 2010; previously parochial vicar at St. Francis Xavier 2013–2016.