About St. Isidore · Cuba, Kansas
St. Isidore Parish is a small, historic Roman Catholic parish in the rural farming town of Cuba, Kansas, within the Diocese of Salina. Founded in 1873 by Czech, German, and Irish Catholic settlers, it is one of the oldest faith communities in Republic County and now belongs to a three-parish cluster — called the Catholic Churches of Republic County (RepCo Catholic) — together with St. Edward in Belleville and St. George in Munden. Mass is celebrated twice a month (2nd and 4th Saturdays at 4:00 pm), and the parish is currently served by Fr. Joseph Kieffer as pastor and Deacon Steve Heiman as parish administrator. It is a fitting setting for its patron, St. Isidore the Farmer, the universal patron of farmers.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- St. Isidore the Farmer
- Rector
- Fr. Joseph Kieffer
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
St. Isidore is a small, multi-generational farming parish whose very existence dates to the first Catholic homesteaders of Republic County in the 1870s. It now shares sacramental life and faith formation with two sister parishes (St. Edward, Belleville and St. George, Munden) under one pastor and one Director of Religious Education, so even a tiny congregation offers the full sacramental life of the Church — weekly and Vigil Mass options across the cluster, faith formation K-12, Confirmation and OCIA preparation, infant baptism, First Communion, and marriage preparation. Visitors and newcomers are explicitly welcomed, and the parish fits its patron, St. Isidore the Farmer, beautifully: a quiet, prayerful Catholic home in the middle of Kansas wheat country.
Mass times at St. Isidore
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish History
St. Isidore Parish was founded in 1873, just three years after Catholics of Czech, German, and Irish descent first settled in the Cuba area in 1870. According to the Diocese of Salina, the settlers built a small stone church in 1873 with donations from 95 contributors ranging from 25 cents to $60. The parish grew, and in the late 1880s an addition was built onto the original stone structure; a further addition was added in 1968. All three phases of construction are still part of the building used today.
- 1870 — Czech, German, and Irish Catholic settlers arrive in Cuba
- 1873 — Small stone church built; parish founded
- 1874 — Fr. Louis Mollier becomes the pioneer priest, visiting twice a month from St. Joseph
- Late 1880s — First addition built to accommodate growth
- 1893–1921 — Period when the parish had a resident priest
- 1968 — Second addition built onto the church
Parish Cluster: RepCo Catholic
St. Isidore is one of three parishes that together form the Catholic Churches of Republic County (RepCo Catholic), a rural cluster of small parishes in the Diocese of Salina. The other two parishes in the cluster are St. Edward in Belleville (the main church and parish office, 1827 Q Street) and St. George in Munden. Together the three parishes share one pastor, one Director of Religious Education, and joint sacramental preparation programs. The cluster's website, repcocatholic.com, serves as the online home for all three communities.
- St. Edward — Belleville (main church, parish office at 1827 Q St.)
- St. Isidore — Cuba
- St. George — Munden
- Shared pastor: Fr. Joseph Kieffer
- Shared Deacon/Parish Administrator: Deacon Steve Heiman
- Shared Director of Religious Education: Micayla Walden
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation for grades K-12 is offered jointly across the three parishes, led by Director of Religious Education Micayla Walden (who also serves as Safe Environment Coordinator). Families are expected to participate actively in Family Faith Formation, including Family Faith-sharing sessions, and parents are encouraged to attend Adult Faith Formation opportunities. As the parish website puts it, parents are the primary educators of their children in the faith, and parish programs exist to support them in that mission.
- Faith Formation K-12
- Family Faith Formation
- Adult Faith Formation
- Safe Environment program
- Director: Micayla Walden
Sacraments
St. Isidore, together with its sister parishes, takes a readiness-based approach to the seven sacraments of the Church. Students preparing for sacraments are expected to be registered, active members of the parish and to be enrolled in Faith Formation. The cluster provides preparation for Baptism (infant, children ages 7-17, and adults), First Reconciliation and First Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony, with the catechumenate process (OCIA, formerly RCIA) for those not yet baptized.
- Infant Baptism (ages 0-6)
- Baptism for Children Ages 7-17 (via OCIA Adapted for Children & Adolescents)
- Baptism for Adults (OCIA)
- First Reconciliation and First Communion (readiness-based)
- Confirmation (readiness-based, middle-school and high-school teens, or adult via OCIA)
- Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, Matrimony
Confirmation Preparation
Confirmation preparation across the cluster is readiness-based. Teens prepare for Confirmation as part of the youth ministry process, alongside general Faith Formation. Parents and students attend additional parent/child meetings and sessions, and candidates are expected to be baptized, able to renew their baptismal promises, open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, having already received First Communion, and participating actively in Sunday Mass and the sacramental life of the Church. Adults preparing for Confirmation follow the OCIA process.
- Readiness-based, not grade-based
- Parent and student must both commit
- Active Sunday Mass participation required
- Adults go through OCIA
Clergy and Staff
St. Isidore is currently served by Fr. Joseph (Joe) Kieffer as pastor and Deacon Steve Heiman as Deacon and Parish Administrator. Faith formation across the cluster is led by Director of Religious Education Micayla Walden. The parish office for the cluster is located at St. Edward in Belleville (1827 Q St., Belleville, KS).
- Fr. Joseph Kieffer — Pastor
- Deacon Steve Heiman — Deacon | Parish Administrator
- Micayla Walden — Director of Religious Education
- Parish office: 1827 Q St., Belleville, KS
Contact & Visit
St. Isidore is located at 603 Linden Street in Cuba, Kansas 66940, in the heart of the small farming community. The parish phone (which rings at the cluster office in Belleville) is (785) 527-5559. Whether you are visiting, new to the area, or seeking a church home, the parish invites you to join them for Mass and become part of the Republic County Catholic community.
- Address: 603 Linden St., Cuba, KS 66940
- Phone: (785) 527-5559
- Website: repcocatholic.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/repcocathlic (and facebook.com/republiccountycatholic)