About St. Mary · Barnsdall, Oklahoma
St. Mary Catholic Church in Barnsdall, Oklahoma is a mission church of the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Pawhuska, within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. Located at the corner of 3rd Street and West Chestnut Avenue in Osage County, the parish serves the small Catholic community of Barnsdall with Sunday Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The current pastor is Rev. Emmanuel Nduka. St. Mary was struck by a devastating tornado on May 6, 2024, which damaged the church building and destroyed the parish hall, but the faith community continued to worship and, as of March 2025, began construction of a new parish hall.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Emmanuel Nduka
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a small, close-knit Catholic community in rural Osage County, sharing the faith life of the historic Immaculate Conception Parish in Pawhuska — sometimes called the 'Cathedral of the Osage.' Parishioners gather for Sunday Mass and Confession each week, supported by a pastor and deacon who also serve the wider Pawhuska-area cluster of missions (including Shidler). After surviving the May 2024 tornado together, the St. Mary community stands as a testament to resilience and hope, and welcomes new members and visitors to worship with them.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 10:55–11:10 AM (or by appointment)
About St. Mary Catholic Church (Barnsdall)
St. Mary is a Catholic mission church serving the small community of Barnsdall in Osage County, Oklahoma. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma and operates as a mission of the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in nearby Pawhuska. The church is located at the corner of 3rd Street and West Chestnut Avenue (204–298 W Chestnut Ave., Barnsdall, OK 74002), and shares its clergy and sacramental schedule with the Pawhuska cluster.
- Type: Mission church
- Diocese: Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma
- Parent parish: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Pawhuska (1314 Lynn Ave., Pawhuska, OK 74056)
- Sunday Mass: 11:15 AM (English)
History of the Parish
The present St. Mary church building in Barnsdall was reportedly constructed from native stone in 1949, according to local historical accounts referenced on public listings. As a mission of Immaculate Conception — a parish established in 1887 to serve the Osage Catholics of Pawhuska — St. Mary has long provided a Sunday worship home for Catholics in the Barnsdall area.
- 1949: Church built from native stone (per local accounts).
- Long-standing mission relationship with Immaculate Conception Parish, Pawhuska.
- May 6, 2024: EF tornado damaged the church and destroyed the parish hall.
- First post-tornado Mass held shortly after the storm.
- March 2025: Construction of a new parish hall began.
2024 Tornado and Recovery
On the evening of May 6, 2024, a tornado struck Barnsdall, devastating parts of the town. St. Mary's Catholic Church sustained many broken windows, interior damage, and doors ripped from their frames; the parish hall was destroyed. Despite the damage, Father Emmanuel Nduka and parishioners worked to clean up, and the church held its first service after the tornado, becoming a 'beacon of hope' for the community. The Diocese of Tulsa launched a fundraising appeal to support St. Mary's recovery, and construction of a new parish hall began in March 2025.
- May 6, 2024: EF tornado hits Barnsdall.
- Church damage: broken windows, interior damage, doors torn from frames.
- Parish hall: destroyed.
- Father Emmanuel Nduka organized cleanup and continued Sunday worship.
- Diocese of Tulsa appeal raised funds for rebuilding.
- March 2025: New parish hall construction begins.
Clergy and Staff
St. Mary shares its pastoral staff with the Immaculate Conception Parish in Pawhuska. The current pastor is Rev. Emmanuel Nduka, who ministers to the Pawhuska–Barnsdall–Shidler cluster. Deacon Robert Axsom assists in the cluster's sacramental life.
- Rev. Emmanuel Nduka — Pastor
- Deacon Robert Axsom — Deacon
Wider Parish Cluster (Immaculate Conception, Pawhuska)
St. Mary Barnsdall is part of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Pawhuska, often called the 'Cathedral of the Osage.' The Gothic-style brick church in Pawhuska was begun in 1910 and completed in 1915, with 22 stained-glass windows later commissioned from Munich, Germany in 1919. The Pawhuska parish and its missions in Barnsdall and Shidler share one pastor and one faith community.
- Immaculate Conception Catholic Church — 1314 Lynn Ave., Pawhuska, OK 74056
- Sunday Mass in Pawhuska: 9:00 AM (Confession 8:40 AM)
- Saturday Mass in Shidler: 5:30 PM (Confession 5:10 PM)
- Weekday Masses Tuesday–Friday in Pawhuska
- Adoration: Thursday 10:00 AM–6:00 PM in Pawhuska
Contact and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the mission through the parish phone line or by contacting the Immaculate Conception parish office in Pawhuska. Mailing for the St. Mary mission is handled through the Pawhuska parish address.
- Phone: (918) 287-1414
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Mailing address: 1314 Lynn Ave., Pawhuska, OK 74056
- Physical address: 204–298 W Chestnut Ave., Barnsdall, OK 74002