About St. Mary (Ellis) · Ellis, Kansas
St. Mary Catholic Parish is a Catholic community located in Ellis, Kansas, in the heart of Ellis County in western Kansas. Founded in 1886, the parish is part of the Diocese of Salina and serves the small community of Ellis with Mass, sacraments, a parish school, and outreach programs. The parish's current Romanesque limestone church was dedicated in 1911 and remains a landmark built by parishioners themselves from native stone. Today the parish is served by Fr. Dana Clark and operates St. Mary's Catholic School alongside CCD faith formation and a busy calendar of ministries.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (parish name: St. Mary's)
- Rector
- Fr. Dana Clark
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers a deeply rooted small-town Catholic community in Ellis with daily and weekend Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and a thriving parish school where Fr. Dana visits classrooms weekly to teach the faith. Members support CCD religious education, Totus Tuus summer youth programs, a Home & School Association with scholarships and fundraisers like the Race for Education, the parish/school auction, and outreach such as the Ellis Food Pantry. Second-Sunday coffee and donuts after the 9:00 a.m. Mass reflects the parish's welcoming, family-oriented character.
Mass times at St. Mary (Ellis)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
- Sunday 8:30 a.m.
- Anytime by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Parish History
St. Mary's traces its origins to 1872, when missionary priest Fr. John Fogarty first celebrated Mass in Ellis for railroad workers. The Catholic congregation was formally organized in 1886 with Fogarty as the first resident priest; the first church was dedicated in 1889. As Ellis's German and Volga-German Catholic population swelled, the parish was entrusted to the Capuchin Friars (O.F.M. Cap.) from 1893 to 1990. A dual-purpose church-and-school building opened in 1900, the present Romanesque limestone church was dedicated in 1911, and a new school complex followed in 1948. The Sisters of St. Agnes taught at the school from 1905 to 1994. The church was extensively refurbished in 2000.
- First Mass offered in Ellis: 1872 by Fr. John Fogarty
- Parish formally organized: 1886
- First church dedicated: 26 May 1889
- Capuchin Friars serve the parish: 1893-1990 (and briefly 2008-2010)
- Second church/school building opened: 1900 (school classes began 1901)
- Present Romanesque limestone church dedicated: August 1911
- New school complex dedicated: 17 October 1948
- Sisters of St. Agnes taught at the school: 1905-1994
- Church refurbished: 2000
The Present Church Building
The current church is a Romanesque structure of native magnesia limestone, hauled by parishioners from a quarry southeast of town. The cornerstone was laid on 27 June 1909 and the main part of the building was ready for occupancy by August 1911. It was extensively refurbished in 2000 and continues in active use.
St. Mary's Catholic School
St. Mary's Catholic School is a gift to the parish and community; its mission is to build a foundation for students both academically and spiritually, teaching God's message of love as taught by Jesus Christ. The school has operated continuously since 1901 and is today staffed by a principal and lay teachers, with Father visiting classrooms weekly to teach the faith. The school is located at 605 Monroe St., Ellis, KS 67637.
- School Tel: (785) 726-3185
- School Fax: (785) 726-3166
- Principal: Patti Park ([email protected])
- Father visits classrooms weekly
- Morning prayer, Bible readings and announcements each morning in the foyer (with statues of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Annual Race for Education fundraiser (April 17, 2026)
- Annual Spring Music Concert
- Famous Figures 5th-grade program (school-level and Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center finals)
- Wellness walk-to-school event
- Homecoming Parade participation through the Dominic Savio Club (6th grade)
- Service learning: Ellis Food Pantry drives, recycling program led by 4th grade
- Special programs: Lunch in the LOFT (etiquette), Pet Blessing, class field trips, rock-collection unit
Faith Formation & CCD
The parish's Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) program provides religious education for parish children who do not attend St. Mary's Catholic School. Classes meet Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., generally running from the first Wednesday after Labor Day through the last Wednesday in April, following the public school calendar.
- Director of Religious Education: Judy Schuler
- CCD meets Wednesdays 7:00-8:00 p.m.
- First Reconciliation preparation for 2nd graders
- Confirmation preparation (information form on parish site)
Totus Tuus Summer Program
Totus Tuus ("Totally Yours") is the Diocese of Salina's summer Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic Faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness and Eucharistic worship. St. Mary's hosts a week of Totus Tuus each summer, led by a team of seminarians and college students.
- 2026 dates: July 12-17
- Grades 1-6: July 13-17, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (sack lunch from home)
- Grades 7-12: July 12-16, 7:30-9:45 p.m. (snacks welcome)
Parish Staff & Leadership
Parish life is coordinated by a small staff and lay leadership councils, supported by the parish school. The pastor is on site in the rectory Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; the parish office is staffed Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Friday mornings until 12:30 p.m.
- Pastor: Fr. Dana Clark (office: 785-726-4522)
- Parish Secretary: Emily Mattheyer
- School Principal: Patti Park
- Pastoral Council President: Brian Serpan
- Liturgy Chairs: Ruth Bollig and Alyson Johnson
- School Council President: Sarah Fischer
- Home & School President: Megan Honas
- Director of Religious Education: Judy Schuler
Parish Life & Fundraisers
The parish maintains a busy calendar of community-building events. Second-Sunday coffee and donuts follow the 9:00 a.m. Mass in the church basement, the parish & school auction is a major spring fundraiser, the Race for Education supports capital improvements at the school, and YDisciples gathers youth and parents in small groups with a shared meal.
- Second Sunday Coffee & Donuts (after 9:00 a.m. Mass)
- St. Mary's Parish & School Auction (March 28, 2026)
- Race for Education (April 17, 2026)
- YDisciples small-group evenings
- Soup Luncheon & School Carnival (Catholic Schools Week)
- Home & School Association $500 scholarship for alumni
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Mary's by mail, phone, or email, and are warmly invited to attend Mass or stop by the parish office. The church sits at 703 Monroe Street in Ellis, just a short drive from I-70 in western Kansas.
- Address: 703 Monroe St., Ellis, KS 67637
- Rectory: 785-726-4522
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Fri. closes 12:30 p.m.)
- School address: 605 Monroe St., Ellis, KS 67637
- Facebook: St. Mary's Catholic Church Ellis, KS
- Diocese: salinadiocese.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- John Fogarty1872-1876
Missionary priest from Solomon; offered first Masses in Ellis
- Adolph Wibbert1876
Visited monthly from Salina
- Valentine Sommereisen1876-1878
First resident priest of Ellis County (living in Hays)
- Anastasius Mueller (O.F.M. Cap.)1878-1885
Beginning of Capuchin presence in the area
- John Fogarty1886-1892
First resident priest of the parish after its 1886 organization; oversaw 1889 church dedication
- Emmeram Kausler1893
Early Capuchin pastor as German population grew
- Martin Muelders1893-1895
- Chrysostom Jacob1895-1897
- Paul Werr1897-1900
- Richard Dei1900-1903
- James Steppe1903-1904
- Theodosius Mullen1904-1906
- Michael Neff1906-1912
Oversaw construction and 1911 dedication of present limestone church
- Philip Knupfer1912-1915
- Didacus Garovi1915-1917
- Ulric Zeller1917-1924
- Gilbert Stickelmeier1924-1926
- Theodore Schillo1926-1932
- Ignatius Weisbruch1932-1933
- Ildelphonse Roeckel1933-1936
- Placidius Wolker1942-1943
- Vergil Kuhn1943-1950
- Alphonse Schreiber1950-1951
- Robert Meis1951-1953
- Roland Raible1953-1954
- Herbert Schehl1954-1957
- Ervan Maisel1957-1958
- William Stehle1958-1959
- Fidelis McManus1959-1964
- Owen Schellhase1964-1966
- Dominic Unger1966-1971
- Melvin Averman1971-1975
- Paulinus I. Karlin1975-?
- Donald F. Pfannenstiel
Listed in parish history; end date not specified in source