About St. Mary · Derby, Kansas
St. Mary Catholic Church is a thriving Eucharistic community in Derby, Kansas, part of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita. With a mission to 'follow Christ and form disciples,' the parish serves over 1,000 registered families and roughly 3,300 individual Catholics, offering daily and weekend Mass, a perpetual adoration chapel, a K-8 parish school, faith formation for children and adults, and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) for those entering the Church. Tracing its roots to an 1882 mission built soon after the railroad arrived, St. Mary has grown from a small wayside chapel into one of the fastest-growing parishes in the state, centered today on its Meadowlark Boulevard campus on the north end of Derby.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Michael J. Linnebur
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Wichita
Why belong here
St. Mary is a loving Eucharistic family called to follow Christ and form disciples, and parishioners find that call lived out in tangible ways: a beautiful Perpetual Adoration chapel open 24/7, daily Mass Monday through Saturday at 8:00 am, a robust OCIA process that welcomed over 25 new Catholics at the 2025 Easter Vigil, a tuition-free K-8 parish school, the Parish School of Religion (PSR), sacramental preparation, and the Totus Tuus summer catechetical camp. A welcoming, prayerful, and service-driven parish of more than 1,000 Derby families invites newcomers to encounter Christ and grow as His disciples.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Saturday: 7:30 – 7:55 am
- Wednesday: 5:30 – 6:00 pm
- Saturday: 3:30 – 5:00 pm
- Sunday: 8:20 – 9:00 am and 10:20 – 11:00 am
- By appointment: 316-788-5525
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in the Chapel
Who We Are: Mission, Values, and Vision
St. Mary's mission statement reads: 'St. Mary is a loving Eucharistic family called to follow Christ and form disciples.' The parish exists to bring all people into a loving relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church, providing opportunities to encounter God's love and grace and to grow into the disciples Jesus calls them to be. Its core commitments are to Build Holy Families, walk with others in Accompaniment in Christ, and Form Generous Hearts. The parish culture is described as prayerful, inviting, and passionate to serve.
Parish History
St. Mary traces its origins to 1882, when the Wichita Catholic Diocese established a mission in Derby soon after the railroad arrived. The original small church stood at the southeast corner of Baltimore and Kay. For decades priests traveled by train from Wichita or Newton once or twice a month. Through the 70 years that followed, the mission was attached to at least six different parishes before the Diocese purchased land on Derby's north end in 1953. A new chapel was completed in early 1958, and explosive growth followed. In 2005 the parish built a new chapel on property donated by the Knights of Columbus on Meadowlark Boulevard; the current school building opened in September 2011. The original 10-acre parish property was sold to the city and is now Madison Avenue Central Park.
- 1882: First mission church built at SE corner of Baltimore and Kay
- 1953: Diocese purchases land on north end of Derby
- 1954: Parish school begins in the fall
- 1958: New chapel completed (capacity ~400)
- 2005: New chapel built on Knights of Columbus-donated land on Meadowlark
- 2011: New school building completed on east Meadowlark
Parish Leadership and Staff
St. Mary is shepherded by a pastor supported by a parochial vicar, parish office staff, and councils including the Finance Council, School Council, and Stewardship & Pastoral Council. The current pastor is Rev. Michael J. Linnebur, with Rev. Luke A. Downing serving as parochial vicar. Staff include Kellie Ketchersid (Director of Communications), Sarah Targos (Office Manager), Jerrod Ketchersid (Director of Religious Education), Christopher Korbe (School Principal), and Allison Lesley (School Secretary).
- Rev. Michael J. Linnebur — Pastor
- Rev. Luke A. Downing — Parochial Vicar
- Kellie Ketchersid — Director of Communications
- Sarah Targos — Office Manager
- Jerrod Ketchersid — Director of Religious Education
- Christopher Korbe — School Principal
- Allison Lesley — School Secretary
- Finance Council, School Council, Stewardship & Pastoral Council
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments. Reconciliation is offered before daily Mass and at additional scheduled times, including Saturday afternoon and Wednesday evening. Families seeking Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, or funeral rites are invited to contact the parish office.
- Reconciliation (see confession schedule)
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation and First Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funerals
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Mary spans cradle to adult. The Parish School of Religion (PSR) welcomes public school and homeschool students in K-5, while Sacramental Prep walks second graders through First Reconciliation and First Communion. Older children continue toward Confirmation. The OCIA process (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults — formerly RCIA) accompanies adults and children who are unbaptized, baptized in another tradition, or baptized Catholic seeking Confirmation and full communion with the Church. A dedicated OCIA team of catechists, sponsors, and prayer supporters walks with each candidate through the rites and into the Easter Vigil.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) for K-5
- Sacramental Preparation (First Reconciliation, First Communion)
- Confirmation preparation
- OCIA / RCIA for adults and children
- Totus Tuus Summer Camp
- Director of Religious Education: Jerrod Ketchersid
St. Mary Catholic School
St. Mary Catholic School is the parish's K-8 school, located at 2306 E Meadowlark Blvd, Derby, KS 67037. The current school building opened in September 2011 and offers preschool, prekindergarten, and elementary through eighth grade. Families enrolled in the parish who attend Mass, tithe, and serve in a ministry receive K-12 Catholic education at no tuition throughout the Diocese of Wichita. The school provides academics, faith formation, a nurturing staff, sports, music, and more, with the Sunday 9:00 am Mass livestreamed for school families.
- Preschool and Prekindergarten through 8th grade
- Located at 2306 E Meadowlark Blvd, Derby, KS 67037
- School office: 316-788-3151
- Principal: Christopher Korbe
- School Secretary: Allison Lesley
- Tuition-free for registered, tithing parishioners in the Diocese of Wichita
Knights of Columbus and Stewardship
The Knights of Columbus have a long relationship with St. Mary, notably donating the property on 71st Street South (Meadowlark) on which the parish built its current chapel in 2005. The parish promotes a culture of stewardship through the Stewardship & Pastoral Council, and works with the Diocesan 'Called and Gifted' discernment process through parish contact Dave Warlick.
- Knights of Columbus property donation enabled the 2005 chapel
- Stewardship & Pastoral Council
- Called and Gifted discernment contact: Dave Warlick
Contact, Location, and Hours
St. Mary Catholic Church is located at 2300 E Meadowlark Blvd, Derby, KS 67037. The parish office can be reached at 316-788-5525 (fax 316-788-1577) or [email protected]. Parish office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. The St. Mary Catholic School office is open Monday–Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, at 316-788-3151 (fax 316-788-6895).
- Parish Address: 2300 E Meadowlark Blvd, Derby, KS 67037
- Parish Phone: 316-788-5525
- Parish Email: [email protected]
- School Address: 2306 E Meadowlark Blvd, Derby, KS 67037
- School Phone: 316-788-3151
- Parish Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- School Office Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Parish Communications and Online Presence
The parish maintains an active bulletin, online giving, a parish photo wall, Flocknote emails, and a YouTube livestream of the Sunday 9:00 am Mass. Facebook and YouTube are the parish's main social channels, with announcements and updates also distributed through the bulletin and email.
- Website: stmarysderby.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/stmarysderby
- YouTube: youtube.com/saintmaryderby (Sunday 9:00 am Mass livestream)
- Online bulletin and online giving available on the website
- Flocknote email updates