About St. Joseph (Oakley) · Oakley, Kansas
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish in Oakley, Kansas, in the Catholic Diocese of Salina, serving the faithful of Logan County and the surrounding High Plains since 1890. The parish shares pastoral care with its mission, St. Paul Catholic Church in Angelus, and operates St. Joseph Grade School (PreK–5). Weekly life at St. Joseph includes daily and weekend Mass in English, regular Confessions, CCD religious education, a Christian Youth Organization (CYO), Knights of Columbus and Daughters of Isabella councils, a quilting group, and ministries to the homebound and those in the nursing home.
- Established
- 1890 (as a mission; elevated to a parish in 1942)
- Patron
- St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Brian Lager
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers the full rhythm of Catholic life in a tight-knit western Kansas community: daily and weekend Mass, frequent Confession, and Eucharistic adoration opportunities, alongside a parish school, K–12 faith formation through CCD and CYO, and a generous outreach to the homebound and those in the nursing home. Members can plug into long-standing groups like the Knights of Columbus, Daughters of Isabella, the Quilting Group, the Prayer Line, and parish maintenance and snow-removal volunteers. As the parish of Father Heimann's 1890 mission and a church built with English stained glass and Italian oak, it carries more than 135 years of local Catholic heritage and a clear welcome to new families.
Mass times at St. Joseph (Oakley)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before Weekend Mass
- Tuesday: 7:30 am
- Thursday: 7:30 am
- Friday: 7:30 am
- Saturday: 4:00 pm
- Sunday: 10:00 am
- First Friday: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Anytime by appointment (call 785-671-3828)
Parish History
St. Joseph traces its roots to 1890, when Father A.P. Heimann established a Catholic mission in Oakley and built a small 20- by 30-foot frame church with money raised as far west as Hugo, Colorado. For the next half-century the mission was served by priests from neighboring parishes. Additions came in 1928 and a balcony in 1936, but it was not until 1942 — when Bishop Frank Thill elevated the mission to a parish and assigned its first resident pastor — that the congregation began planning for a permanent home. After wartime delays, construction started in 1946; the present church was dedicated in November 1949 at a cost of $200,000, fitted with stained-glass windows from England and oak statues and stations of the cross from Italy, and was completely paid for at dedication. A parochial school and convent followed in 1962, a new rectory in 1978, and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia served the school until withdrawing their teachers in 1988.
- 1890 — Catholic mission established; first church built that year.
- 1928 — Church addition built.
- 1936 — Balcony added.
- 1942 — Elevated to a parish under Bishop Frank Thill.
- 1946–1949 — Present church built and dedicated.
- 1962 — School and convent built.
- 1978 — New rectory built.
- 1988 — Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia withdraw teachers.
St. Joseph Grade School
Ground was broken for St. Joseph's School on October 4, 1961, with Bishop Freking presiding. The 20,000-square-foot building — designed by architect Calvin Bowden of Salina and built by Woods Brothers Construction (general contract $134,489) — opened on August 31, 1962, to 149 pupils in PreK through eighth grade. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia staffed the school from the beginning under founding Administrator Fr. James Grennan and Principal Sister Barbara Bader. Enrollment peaked at 218 students in 1965–1966, when the first eighth-grade class of 26 graduated. The seventh and eighth grades were closed in 1971, kindergarten was added in 1979, and today (2025–2026) the school serves 48 students in PreK through 5th grade.
- Founded 1962 by Fr. James Grennan
- First principal: Sister Barbara Bader, CSJ
- Architect: Calvin Bowden of Salina
- General contractor: Woods Brothers Construction of Salina — $134,489
- Peak enrollment: 218 (1965–1966)
- Current enrollment (2025–2026): 48, PreK–5
- Principal: Mrs. Michelle Selzer ([email protected])
- School Secretary: Vicky Joseph ([email protected])
Faith Formation — CCD & CYO
Children not attending the parish school receive religious education through the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD), which also prepares older students for Confirmation, First Communion, and First Reconciliation. High-school youth are invited into the Christian Youth Organization (CYO), a social and service group that connects St. Joseph teens to state and national Catholic youth conventions. Barb Hemmert coordinates both programs (785-672-4320).
- CCD — elementary religious education and sacrament prep
- CYO — high-school youth organization (Church, Community, Conventions)
- Online CCD sign-up form available on the parish website
- Confirmation prep is a required two-year program
Sacraments
St. Joseph prepares parishioners for all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms require that parents be validly married in the Catholic Church and that at least one Godparent be a confirmed, practicing Catholic aged 16 or older (with a letter of good standing if from outside the parish). Confirmation is a two-year program typically for juniors and sophomores, culminating in a Mass with the Bishop of Salina. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are prepared through CCD or the parish school. The Anointing of the Sick is arranged through Fr. Jesse Ochs, and couples are asked to contact the pastor at least six months before a planned wedding.
- Baptism — pre-baptismal form, Godparent requirements
- Confirmation — two-year prep, letter to the Bishop, retreat
- Eucharist / First Communion — via CCD or school
- Reconciliation — scheduled times plus Advent/Lent Penance Services
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
- Marriage — six months' notice to the pastor
- Holy Orders — information via the pastor
Parish Life & Outreach
Beyond the liturgy, St. Joseph runs an active network of ministries that care for the homebound, nursing-home residents, and the parish campus itself. Volunteers take Holy Communion to local nursing-home residents each Sunday, visit the homebound, pray on the parish Prayer Line, shovel snow, and assist with maintenance. School families support events like Winter Blast, the school Carnival, and Catholic Schools Week.
- Nursing Home Ministry (Elaine Wycoff, 785-953-0361)
- Homebound Ministry
- Prayer Line (Deacon Dennis Engel)
- Church Maintenance & Snow Removal
- School Volunteer Corps
Parish Organizations
St. Joseph hosts a local council of the Knights of Columbus and a circle of the Daughters of Isabella, plus a long-running Quilting Group that produces quilts throughout the year. Membership inquiries can be directed to the Grand Knight (Mike Kuhlman, 785-672-7406) for the Knights and to the parish office for the women's and quilting groups.
- Knights of Columbus — Mike Kuhlman, 785-672-7406
- Daughters of Isabella
- Quilting Group
Clergy & Staff
St. Joseph is served by three priests and a deacon, supported by a parish secretary/business manager. Fr. Brian Lager became pastor in 2025 while remaining canonical Pastor of Sacred Heart, Colby; he is assisted by Parochial Vicars Fr. Jesse Ochs and Fr. Frederick Gruber, and by Deacon Michael Brungardt. Teresa Stephens serves as Church Secretary and Business Manager.
- Pastor: Fr. Brian Lager
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Jesse Ochs ([email protected])
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Frederick Gruber
- Deacon: Deacon Michael Brungardt
- Church Secretary & Business Manager: Teresa Stephens ([email protected])
Mission Parish — St. Paul, Angelus
St. Paul Catholic Church in Angelus is a mission parish of St. Joseph. It celebrates Mass on Wednesdays at 7:30 am and Sundays at 8:00 am, and shares the same pastoral staff. The 2024 announcement of the completion of a painting project at St. Paul was celebrated with a parish gathering in June.
- St. Paul Catholic Church, Angelus, KS
- Wednesday Mass: 7:30 am
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 am
- Shared clergy with St. Joseph, Oakley
Visit, Register & Give
New parishioners are invited to register through the Parish Registration link on the parish website. The parish also offers online giving through its website and uses the FORMED digital library for Catholic study content. The parish bulletin and ministry schedule are posted on sjoakley.org and updated weekly.
- Parish Registration — online form
- Online Giving — via sjoakley.org
- FORMED — Catholic media and study library
- Parish Bulletin — published weekly
- Ministry Schedule — published weekly
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Grennan1962–1968
First pastor of St. Joseph Grade School; led original faculty and building committee.
- Fr. Joseph Scheetz1968–1972
- Fr. Maurice Ptacek1972–1981
- Fr. Alvin Werth1981–1988
- Fr. Don McCarthy1988–1993
- Fr. Roger Meitl1993–2005
- Fr. Michael Elanjimattahil2005–2013
- Fr. Donald Pfannenstiel2013–2019
- Fr. Luke Thielen2019–2025
- Fr. Brian Lager2025–Present
Also appointed Pastor of mission parish St. Paul, Angelus, while remaining canonical Pastor of Sacred Heart, Colby.