About St. Francis Xavier · Mayetta, Kansas
St. Francis Xavier is a Catholic parish in the small community of Mayetta, Kansas, established in 1914 and now part of the unified "Jackson County Catholics" collaborative alongside St. Dominic in Holton and the Shrine of Our Lady of Snows on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation. The parish sits within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and has historically been served from St. Dominic in Holton. Its mission statement proclaims the community's commitment 'to continue the mission of Jesus Christ by bringing God's love and mercy to our community and to all people.' St. Francis Xavier celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2015 and remains an active worship site with Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, faith formation, and a long Catholic tradition in northeast Kansas.
- Established
- 1914
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Rev. Jonathan Dizon
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
St. Francis Xavier offers a close-knit Catholic community in the heart of Jackson County, with Sunday Mass and two weekday Masses right in Mayetta, plus a faith formation program run by a Director of Parish Life and Faith Formation. As part of the Jackson County Catholics family, parishioners also have full access to the resources of St. Dominic in Holton (Saturday Vigil Mass, additional weekday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration and confessions) and the Shrine of Our Lady of Snows on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, giving the parish a unique combination of small-parish warmth and broader community reach.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:30 PM @ St. Dominic (before Vigil Mass)
- Eucharistic Adoration + Confessions are offered together — schedule listed under St. Dominic
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00–7:00 PM @ St. Dominic (Eucharistic Adoration + Confessions)
About St. Francis Xavier & the Jackson County Catholic Community
St. Francis Xavier in Mayetta, Kansas is one of three Catholic sites that together make up the Jackson County Catholics community. According to the parish's About page: 'The Catholic Community of Jackson County in the State of Kansas is comprised of two parishes, St. Dominic in Holton and St. Francis Xavier in Mayetta, and a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Snows located within the Potawatomi Indian Reservation in Mayetta.' The parish's mission is 'to continue the mission of Jesus Christ by bringing God's love and mercy to our community and to all people.' Mayetta-area and Hoyt-area visitors are directed to St. Francis Xavier; Holton-area visitors to St. Dominic; and the Shrine of Our Lady of Snows serves visitors to the Potawatomi Reservation. All are welcome at any site.
- St. Francis Xavier — 301 James St, Mayetta, KS 66509
- St. Dominic — 416 Ohio Avenue, Holton, KS 66436
- Shrine of Our Lady of Snows — 5971 166th Road, Mayetta, KS 66509
- Parish Office (mailing): 115 E. 5th St, Holton, KS 66436
Parish History
The parish was founded in 1914, with the first church built the year before and formally dedicated that same year. In 1918 the parish purchased and furnished a house for Fr. Geinitz, the first and only resident pastor in its history. Upon his retirement in 1936, St. Francis Xavier became a mission church of St. Dominic in Holton — a relationship that continues today. On November 11, 1958, fire destroyed the church, sparing only the cornerstone; the present church was built on the same site and dedicated by Archbishop Edward Hunkeler. In 1960 Archbishop Ignatius Strecker dedicated a multi-level parish hall and religious education center. The parish marked its centennial in 2015.
- 1914 — Parish founded; first church dedicated
- 1918 — House provided for Fr. Geinitz, first resident pastor
- 1936 — Becomes a mission of St. Dominic, Holton
- 1958 (Nov. 11) — Original church destroyed by fire (cornerstone survives)
- Late 1950s — New church built on same site; dedicated by Archbishop Edward Hunkeler
- 1960 — Parish hall / religious education center dedicated by Archbishop Ignatius Strecker
- 2015 — Centennial anniversary celebrated
Mass & Worship Schedule
Mass at St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in English. The parish offers Sunday Mass and two weekday Masses on its own, with additional opportunities through the wider Jackson County Catholic community at St. Dominic in Holton and the Shrine of Our Lady of Snows. Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass at the Shrine round out the weekend schedule across all three sites.
- Sunday 8:30 AM @ St. Francis Xavier, Mayetta
- Tuesday 8:30 AM @ St. Francis Xavier
- Thursday 8:30 AM @ St. Francis Xavier
- Saturday 5:30 PM @ St. Dominic, Holton (weekend vigil)
- Sunday 8:30 AM @ Our Lady of Snows, Potawatomi Reservation
- Wednesday 5:30 PM @ St. Dominic (weekday)
- Friday 8:30 AM @ St. Dominic (weekday)
Parish Staff & Leadership
The Jackson County Catholic community is led by a small staff that serves all three sites (St. Dominic, St. Francis Xavier, and Our Lady of Snows). The Finance Council for St. Francis Xavier is a separate body. Office hours for the parish are Tuesday–Thursday 8:30 AM–1:30 PM and Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM.
- Rev. Jonathan Dizon — Pastor
- Dyann Parks — Pastoral Associate
- Angie Reith — Director of Parish Life and Faith Formation (785) 364-5941
- Marilyn Atkinson — Accountant
- St. Francis Xavier Finance Council: Mary Lou Koch, Farrell Holthaus, Sharon Cole, Donald Sunday
- Parish office phone: (785) 364-3262
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation across the Jackson County Catholic community is coordinated by Angie Reith, Director of Parish Life and Faith Formation. The 1960 multi-level structure at St. Francis Xavier houses a parish hall and religious education center, providing dedicated space for ongoing catechesis and parish-life programming.
- Director of Parish Life and Faith Formation: Angie Reith — (785) 364-5941
- Parish hall & religious education center dedicated in 1960 by Archbishop Ignatius Strecker
Parish Councils & Getting Involved
Parishioners are invited to participate through several advisory and ministry bodies that support the pastor in both spiritual and temporal matters. The Pastoral Council is reflective of the diversity of the parish and its ministries and serves in an advisory capacity on spiritual and pastoral needs; the Finance Councils advise on temporal matters including finances and facilities. The Parish Leadership Team manages weekly concerns.
- Pastoral Council — advisory to the pastor on spiritual and pastoral needs
- Finance Council (per parish) — advises on temporal resources, finances, and facilities
- Parish Leadership Team — manages weekly parish concerns
- Contact the parish office to learn about current ministry openings
Contact, Location & Visiting
St. Francis Xavier is located at 301 James Street in Mayetta, Kansas. The unified parish office, which serves all three Jackson County Catholic sites, is at 115 E. 5th St, Holton, KS 66436 (mailing address). Office hours are Tuesday through Thursday 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM and Friday 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
- St. Francis Xavier — 301 James St, Mayetta, KS 66509
- Parish Office (mailing) — 115 E. 5th St, Holton, KS 66436
- Phone: (785) 364-3262
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Tue–Thu 8:30 AM–1:30 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Geinitz (Fr. Geintz)serving 1918; retired 1936
First and only resident pastor in the history of Saint Francis Xavier; upon his retirement the parish became a mission church of Saint Dominic in Holton.