About St. Joseph · Baxter Springs, Kansas
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small Roman Rite parish in Baxter Springs, Kansas — in the far southeast corner of the state, just a few miles from where Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma meet. Part of the Diocese of Wichita, the parish is one of the oldest Catholic communities in the region: Catholic life here dates to 1868, when Mass was first offered to U.S. Army troops at nearby Fort Blair (Baxter), and the parish itself was formally erected in 1871. With about 43 registered families and 79 individual Catholics, St. Joseph's serves a tight-knit Cherokee County community that, despite its small size, marked its 150th anniversary in 2021 with a major church renovation and the consecration of a new altar by Bishop Carl A. Kemme.
- Established
- 1871
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Reverend Christopher J. Martin
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wichita
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a small, deeply rooted Catholic community with more than 150 years of continuous parish life in southeast Kansas — a place where Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on the first Tuesday of each month, and confession before Mass are celebrated in a church whose altar was personally consecrated by the bishop for its sesquicentennial. As one of about 43 registered families, newcomers quickly become known by name, and the parish's pastoral team (which also serves nearby Scammon, Galena, and Columbus parishes) keeps regular weeknight and Saturday Vigil Masses within easy reach. For anyone in Cherokee County or the tri-state area looking for a historic, faithful parish with a beautifully restored Romanesque-style sanctuary, St. Joseph is a welcoming home.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before Mass
- By appointment
Adoration times
- After Mass on the first Tuesday of each month
History of St. Joseph Parish
Catholic worship in Baxter Springs began in 1868 near Fort Blair to serve U.S. Army troops, and the parish was formally erected in 1871 with Jesuit Father Phillip Colleton as its first priest. Over the next 150 years the community worshipped in multiple buildings, including a 1917 wood-frame church built by Father Thomas Gorman that was moved to its present location at 324 E. 12th Street in 1946 and dedicated in 1948 by Father James Donoghue. The 1943 flood destroyed many early records, and a wave of renewals culminated in the sesquicentennial renovation and altar consecration of November 13, 2021.
- 1868: First Mass near Fort Blair (Baxter) for U.S. Army troops.
- 1871: Parish erected; first brick church at West 9th Street between West and Wyandotte Avenues.
- c.1873: Jesuit Father Phillip Colleton ends his ministry at St. Joseph's.
- 1917: Father Thomas Gorman builds a wood-frame church at 15th and Chouteau Avenue.
- 1920: That structure is moved to East 12th Street.
- 1943: Great flood destroys many parish records and photographs.
- 1946: Church is moved to its present site, lengthened 23 feet, bricked outside, and set over a dugout basement.
- 1948: Father James Donoghue dedicates the relocated church.
- 2021: Bishop Carl A. Kemme consecrates the new altar and blesses renovations, closing the Year of St. Joseph and the parish's sesquicentennial.
Church Building & 2021 Renovation
The sanctuary people see today is the result of more than a century of moves, additions, and a careful 2021 restoration. Originally a 1917 wood-frame church, the building was bricked over and extended in 1946, given a dugout basement for social and educational use, and finally restored to a Romanesque feel in 2021 with the help of St. Louis restorer Michele Bowman. A new altar — its front carved with the Dormition of St. Joseph — was consecrated by Bishop Carl A. Kemme, paired with a restored Daprato reredos and matching Daprato-era statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.
- Original 1917 wood-frame construction by Father Thomas Gorman.
- 1946: +23 feet added, brick exterior, dugout basement hall.
- 2021 new altar carved with the Dormition of St. Joseph.
- Restored Daprato reredos behind the altar.
- Matching restored Daprato statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.
- Painted arch around the altar crucifix tying into the renovation.
- New, more accessible bathroom added for parishioners.
Clergy & Pastoral Team
St. Joseph is pastored by Reverend Christopher J. Martin, who also serves the companion parishes of St. Patrick in Galena and St. Bridget in Scammon as part of a Cherokee County pastoral cluster. He was preceded by Reverend Jeremy S. Huser, who led the parish through its 150th-anniversary renovation and altar consecration in 2021.
- Current Pastor: Reverend Christopher J. Martin (since 2024).
- Fr. Martin was ordained May 26, 2018; born March 20, 1986.
- Companion parishes under Fr. Martin's care: St. Patrick (Galena) and St. Bridget (Scammon).
- Previous pastor: Reverend Jeremy S. Huser (2017–2024), who led the sesquicentennial and 2021 renovation.
- Diocese of Wichita: Bishop Carl A. Kemme, who consecrated the new altar on November 13, 2021.
Visiting & Practical Information
The parish is a small but easy-to-reach community hub in far southeast Kansas, within a short drive of the tri-state corner with Missouri and Oklahoma. Visitors should check the cluster website for any schedule changes, especially around holy days, when Mass may rotate to one of the companion parishes in Scammon, Galena, or Columbus.
- Address: 324 E. 12th Street, Baxter Springs, KS 66713.
- Mailing address: PO Box 68, Scammon, KS 66773.
- Phone: (620) 429-2639.
- Email: [email protected].
- Cluster website: ckcocatholics.org.
- Parish demographics: ~43 registered families, 79 individual Catholics.
- Accessibility: more accessible restroom added during 2021 renovation.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Phillip Colleton, SJ1871–c.1873
Jesuit missionary and first priest to celebrate Mass in the original brick church near Fort Blair (Baxter).
- Father Thomas Gormancirca 1917
Built the wood-frame church at Fifteenth and Chouteau Avenue that would eventually become the present building.
- Father James Donoghuethrough 1948 dedication
Participated in the dedication ceremonies of the relocated church in 1948.
- Reverend Jeremy S. Huser2017–2024
Led the 150th anniversary (sesquicentennial) celebration and the 2021 altar consecration and renovation; concurrently pastor of St. Bridget (Scammon), St. Patrick (Galena), and St. Rose of Lima (Columbus).
- Reverend Christopher J. Martin2024–present
Current pastor; also serves St. Patrick, Galena and St. Bridget, Scammon. Born March 20, 1986; ordained May 26, 2018.