About St. John the Evangelist · Hoisington, Kansas
St. John the Evangelist is a Roman Catholic parish serving the community of Hoisington, Kansas, and the surrounding Barton County area within the Diocese of Dodge City. The parish worships at a church located at 122 East Fifth Street, at the corner of 5th and Main Streets, and shares a pastorate with Holy Family Parish in Odin and St. Ann's in Olmitz. Weekend Mass is celebrated Saturday evening at 5:00 pm and Sunday morning at 9:00 am, with weekday Masses offered in the chapel of the parish center and at the local Country Place Living (Credo Senior Living Center) for those who cannot easily come to church. The parish mission statement describes it as "a Catholic community called by God to share in the mission of Jesus," and its roughly 250 registered households are served by a small staff led by a pastor, a parish secretary, and a Director of Religious Education.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Warren Stecklein
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dodge City
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist is a small, family-sized parish in rural central Kansas where nearly every household has a role in keeping the community alive. Weekend Mass is preceded by a communal Rosary, and weekday life extends into Friday morning Eucharistic Adoration, a parish Prayer Network (coordinated through Nancy Kirmer), and a vibrant faith-formation program that includes RCIA and sacramental preparation. The parish shares its worship and ministry with neighboring St. Ann's in Olmitz (Sunday 10:30 am Mass), hosts joint parish missions and retreats, and welcomes visitors and newcomers into a community that has been gathering around the Eucharist on this same prairie since 1879.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15 pm – 4:45 pm (in the church) or by appointment
Adoration times
- Friday 9:30 am – 10:30 am (in the chapel, parish center, following morning Mass)
- Eucharistic Adoration and Procession for the Feast of Corpus Christi (annual)
History of St. John the Evangelist Parish
Catholic life in this part of central Kansas goes back to 1879, when settlers on the prairie gathered for the first Masses celebrated by a visiting priest. The Feb. 27, 1926 Catholic Advance described how 'the Catholic people were all there – from the high country north and east of Deception Creek, from the lonesome looking little homes scattered over the country they came as best they could, for the word had traveled fast during the night that "the priest had come."' In the generations that followed, families such as the Mollekers — refugees from Russia after World War I — put down roots in Hoisington and built the parish that worships at 122 East Fifth Street today.
The New Parish Center (2009)
After six years of feasibility studies, fundraising, and design work, parishioners broke ground in June 2009 for a new 8,640-square-foot parish center east of the church and rectory. The project was co-chaired by Harland Rupp and Kathy Hoffman and blessed by Bishop Ronald M. Gilmore. During demolition of the old convent/parish offices, workers uncovered a cornerstone time capsule whose contents — prayer cards, photos, a 1926 Catholic Advance article, and small statues — were displayed for the dedication dinner at the Knights of Columbus hall. The completed center includes a hall, kitchen, four staff offices, six meeting rooms, a conference room, and restrooms.
- Capital campaign co-chairs: Harland Rupp and Kathy Hoffman
- Bishop Ronald M. Gilmore, celebrant
- Father Dwight Birket, pastor at the time of groundbreaking
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
Religious education for children and youth is coordinated by Director of Religious Education Rose Debes. The parish also runs RCIA (now called OCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults exploring the Catholic faith or preparing for full communion, with inquiries welcomed at any time of year. Sacramental preparation is offered for Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, and Marriage. The parish also subscribes to FORMED.org so that parishioners can access Catholic movies, studies, and books free of charge.
- Director of Religious Education: Rose Debes
- RCIA / OCIA for adults
- Sacramental prep: Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage
- FORMED.org subscription for parishioners
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Warren Stecklein, who also serves the neighboring communities of the Hoisington-area pastoral grouping within the Diocese of Dodge City. Parish Secretary Audrey Ney and DRE Rose Debes handle the day-to-day operations and faith-formation program. Pastors who have shaped the parish include Father Dwight Birket (a priest of the Diocese of Wichita who has served the Hoisington/Odin cluster since 2007 and shepherded the new parish center project).
- Pastor: Rev. Warren Stecklein
- Parish Secretary: Audrey Ney
- DRE: Rose Debes
- Former pastor during 2009 building campaign: Father Dwight Birket
Hospitality, Outreach, and Community Life
Hospitality and outreach are central to parish life. The Knights of Columbus host parish dinners and events (including the 2009 dedication dinner where the recovered time-capsule artifacts were displayed), the parish regularly partners with St. Ann's in Olmitz for retreats and missions such as the Advent Parish Mission on 'A Spirituality for Relationships,' and the hospital/homebound ministry brings Holy Communion to those who cannot easily attend Mass. The Parish Office is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, and on Friday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
- Knights of Columbus fellowship events
- Joint retreats with St. Ann's, Olmitz
- Hospital / Homebound Communion visits
- Office hours Tue–Thu 9–12 and 1–4; Fri 8–2
Visiting Hoisington
St. John the Evangelist sits at the corner of 5th and Main Streets in Hoisington, in the heart of Barton County, Kansas. The parish is part of a wider Catholic community that includes St. Ann's in Olmitz (Sunday Mass at 10:30 am) and Holy Family in Odin. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed; the parish mission statement is simply: 'We are a Catholic community called by God to share in the mission of Jesus.'
- 122 East Fifth Street, Hoisington, KS 67544
- Corner of 5th and Main Streets
- Diocese of Dodge City
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Dwight Birketsince 2007
Priest of the Diocese of Wichita; served as pastor during the new parish center campaign and 2009 groundbreaking; also pastor of Holy Family Parish in Odin.