About St. Mary · Fort Riley, Kansas
St. Mary's Chapel is the principal Catholic worship site on U.S. Army Fort Riley, Kansas, located in the historic Main Post area at 3 Barry Avenue. As a military chapel, it serves active-duty Soldiers, family members, DOD civilians, and military retirees assigned to the 1st Infantry Division post, and it sits alongside the adjacent Historic Main Post Chapel (Building 6). The Catholic congregation is one of several faith communities supported by the Fort Riley Religious Support Office and Chaplain team, and the parish shares its sacramental and formation life with the wider Catholic program on post (including Masses at Morris Hill, the Hospital Chapel, and Camp Funston). It is overseen by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, which provides Catholic pastoral care to U.S. service members worldwide.
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA
Why belong here
St. Mary's Chapel is the heart of Catholic life on Fort Riley, offering weekend and weekday Masses, sacramental preparation, and a community of fellow service members and families who understand the rhythm of military life. The parish works closely with the Fort Riley Catholic Women of the Chapel (CWOC) and the post Religious Support Office, so parishioners can plug into faith formation, retreats, and outreach alongside their duty assignments. Because Fort Riley is a transient post, the community is especially welcoming to newcomers — a good place to worship, register children for religious education, and arrange sacraments like baptism and marriage soon after arrival.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 11:00–11:30 AM (per masstime.us)
- "At least 25 minutes before every Mass and by appointment" (per Fort Riley chaplain schedule)
About St. Mary's Chapel, Fort Riley
St. Mary's Chapel is the historic Catholic chapel of U.S. Army Fort Riley, Kansas. Located at 3 Barry Avenue in the heart of the post's Main Post historic district, it serves the Catholic community of Soldiers, families, DoD civilians, and military retirees. The chapel is part of the Fort Riley Religious Support Office and is pastored under the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. It works alongside other chapel communities on post — Victory Chapel, Main Post Chapel, Morris Hill Chapel, Kapaun Chapel, Normandy Chapel, the Hospital Chapel at Irwin Army Community Hospital, and the Outdoor Chapel — to provide worship and pastoral care across the installation.
Sacramental Life
The Catholic program at Fort Riley offers the full sacramental life of the Church through St. Mary's Chapel and its supporting chaplains. Confession is heard at least 25 minutes before every Mass and by appointment. Baptisms are usually celebrated after the 4:30 PM Saturday Mass at St. Mary's Chapel, with required baptism-preparation classes scheduled by appointment. Couples preparing for marriage and families seeking First Communion, Confirmation, and other sacraments coordinate through the Religious Support Office and the Catholic Religious Education program.
- Confession — at least 25 minutes before every Mass and by appointment
- Baptism — classes by appointment; usually after the 4:30 PM Saturday Mass at St. Mary's
- Marriage — contact the Religious Support Office
- Religious Education for children — Sundays 8:30–9:15 AM at Morris Hill Chapel (Bldg 5315)
Faith Formation & Catholic Religious Education
Catholic Religious Education (CCD) is offered on Sundays from 8:30 to 9:15 AM at Morris Hill Chapel (Building 5315) according to the published class schedule. The program serves the children of Fort Riley's Catholic families and is coordinated through the Religious Support Office. Parents register and ask questions by calling the Catholic religious education line at (785) 240-1443.
- CCD classes — Sundays 8:30–9:15 AM, Morris Hill Chapel (Bldg 5315)
- Registration and inquiries — (785) 240-1443
- Baptism preparation — by appointment, (785) 240-1443
Lay Community & Organizations
The Catholic Women of the Chapel (CWOC) is the principal lay organization supporting Catholic life at Fort Riley, and it meets at St. Mary's Chapel. CWOC organizes religious support activities and events across the post, runs faith-based programs for women and families, and is the primary point of contact for newcomers looking to plug into the Catholic community. The Fort Riley Religious Support Office coordinates CWOC together with the broader post-wide schedule of worship and formation activities.
- Catholic Women of the Chapel (CWOC) — meets at St. Mary's Chapel
- Post-wide Catholic events coordinated through the Religious Support Office
Visit, Location & Contact
St. Mary's Chapel sits in the historic Main Post of Fort Riley at 3 Barry Avenue, immediately adjacent to the Historic Main Post Chapel at 6 Barry Avenue. Access to the installation requires a valid military or DoD ID; visitors should be sponsored by a service member or coordinate in advance with the Religious Support Office. The Installation Chaplain's Office can be reached at (785) 239-3359 for general religious-support questions, and St. Mary's Chapel itself is listed at (785) 239-6597.
- Address — 3 Barry Avenue, Fort Riley, KS 66442 (Building 3)
- St. Mary's Chapel phone — (785) 239-6597
- Installation Chaplain's Office — (785) 239-3359
- Chaplain Help Line — (785) 239-4357
- Catholic Religious Education — (785) 240-1443
Ecclesiastical Authority
As a Catholic chapel on a U.S. Army installation, St. Mary's Chapel falls under the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA — the Catholic ordinariate responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, their families, and DoD civilians worldwide. The day-to-day Catholic ministry is delivered by the Fort Riley Catholic chaplain team through the Installation Chaplain's Office.
Stay Connected
Updates on Mass times, holy days, special services, and Catholic community events are posted through the Fort Riley Religious Support Office and the Catholic Women of the Chapel. The official Catholic community Facebook page is the main online hub listed by the parish community.
- Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/Ft.RileyCatholic/
- Fort Riley Religious Support Office — (785) 239-3359