About St. Mary · Lamar, Missouri
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lamar, Missouri is a small but resilient parish of approximately 120 families that has served the Catholics of Barton County for more than 150 years. Originally founded as The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the efforts of land developer Dave Beamer, who recruited Catholic farmers from Illinois to the area, the parish is currently led by Father Patrick A. Teter and is part of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau under Bishop Edward Rice. After the original 1904 church was destroyed by an arson fire in 2009, the community rebuilt on the same foundation and today offers daily and weekend Masses, religious education for youth and adults, a Knights of Columbus council, and the Ladies of St. Mary's, while also tending to the nearby St. Patrick Mission Church in Greenfield.
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (formally 'The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary')
- Rector
- Rev. Patrick A. (Father Pat) Teter
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers a tight-knit Catholic community of about 120 families in rural Barton County with daily and weekend Mass, monthly First Friday Adoration and Exposition, a monthly Rosary, and Saturday confessions. Families can enroll children in the Parish School of Religion (PSR), adults can grow through RCIA and adult education, and the men of the parish gather in the Knights of Columbus while women serve through the Ladies of St. Mary's. With its rebuilt sanctuary, newly installed stained-glass windows, and 150-year heritage, St. Mary's blends small-parish warmth with the full sacramental life of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 p.m. (per diocese listing) / Saturday 4:30 p.m. (per parish website), or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament following the 6:00 p.m. Mass
Our History
St. Mary's was founded in 1869 through the efforts of Dave Beamer, who recruited Catholic farming families from Illinois to settle in Barton County and helped erect a small frame building for Mass. Monsignor William A. Keuenhof became the first resident pastor in 1904 and oversaw construction of the wood-and-stone church that year. A rectory followed in 1946 and a parish hall in 1978. After an arson fire destroyed the 1904 church on February 8, 2009, the parish rebuilt on the original footprint and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2019 with Bishop Edward Rice.
- 1869 — first frame building erected for Mass
- 1904 — Monsignor William A. Keuenhof arrives; permanent church built
- 1906 — St. Joseph's College / Day School opens
- 1946 — present rectory built
- 1978 — parish hall completed (Extension Society grant)
- Feb 8, 2009 — arson fire destroys the 1904 church
- Dec 15, 2019 — 150th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Edward Rice
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Father Patrick A. Teter and supported by a small team of lay staff and volunteers who oversee faith formation, safe-environment compliance, the Knights of Columbus council, and communications.
- Pastor — Rev. Patrick A. Teter
- Director of Religious Education — Elva Weber
- Director of Religious Education — Annastasia Morris
- Knights of Columbus — Michael Pommier
- Safe Environment Coordinator — Rebecca
- Webmaster / Facebook — (parish volunteer)
Parish School of Religion (PSR)
St. Mary's Parish School of Religion meets every Sunday during the school year, beginning with fellowship at 9:45 a.m. and class at 10:00 a.m., so that students can attend the 11:00 a.m. liturgy together. The program covers preschool through Confirmation preparation and is complemented by adult education classes in the same school year; both are on summer break and resume in September.
- Preschool
- First Communion preparation
- Youth group
- Confirmation preparation
- Adult education classes (resume in September)
- Directors: Elva Weber and Annastasia Morris
Parish Organizations & Ministries
Lay involvement is the lifeblood of the parish. Men gather through the Knights of Columbus council, women through the Ladies of St. Mary's, and youth are formed through PSR, the youth Bible study, and RCIA / RCIC. The parish also supports outreach to both local and international missions.
- Knights of Columbus
- Ladies of St. Mary's
- Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA) for adults and RCIC for children
- Youth Group Bible Study
- PSR-based sacramental preparation
- Local and international mission outreach
Sacraments
Baptism, marriage, and anointing of the Sick are arranged through Father Teter at the rectory. Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation takes place through the PSR program, while adults and older children entering the Church are welcomed through RCIA / RCIC.
- Baptism
- First Communion (PSR)
- Confirmation (PSR)
- RCIA / RCIC
- Marriage
- Confession — Saturday or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick
The 2009 Fire & Rebuilding
On Sunday, February 8, 2009, an arson fire destroyed the 1904 church by mid-morning; the roof collapsed and the building was a total loss. The parish continued to celebrate Mass, hold PSR classes, and conduct meetings in the adjacent 1978 parish hall, and other Lamar churches generously hosted weddings. The sanctuary was rebuilt on its original footprint and dedicated with the blessing of new stained-glass windows at the 150th anniversary Mass in 2019.
- Fire reported before 6:45 a.m. on Feb. 8, 2009
- Cause: arson
- Worship and PSR moved to parish hall during reconstruction
- Weddings hosted by neighboring churches during rebuild
- Rebuilt on the original 1904 footprint
- New stained-glass windows blessed Dec. 15, 2019
Related Mission Churches
St. Mary's pastor also ministers beyond Lamar. The parish currently attends to St. Patrick Mission Church in Greenfield, Missouri, and previously cared for St. Joseph Parish in Golden City (founded 1912, closed in 2000 once improved roads allowed those families to join the Lamar parish).
- St. Patrick Mission Church, Greenfield, MO (current mission)
- St. Joseph Parish, Golden City, MO (founded 1912, closed 2000)
Visit, Register & Contact
New parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. Registration can be completed through the website's contact form, by emailing [email protected], or by visiting Father Teter at the rectory. The parish office is open Tuesday and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Address: 200 E. 17th St., Lamar, MO 64759-2012
- Phone: (417) 682-2492
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stmaryslamar.com/
- Office hours: Tuesday & Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- GPS: N37° 29.301', W094° 16.446'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor William A. Keuenhof1904 (arrival as first resident pastor)
First resident pastor of the parish; oversaw construction of the wood-and-stone church in 1904.