About St. Mary · Moline, Kansas
St. Mary Catholic Church is a small rural parish located in the town of Moline in Elk County, Kansas, part of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita. The parish serves approximately 45 families and 104 individual Catholics and is led by Reverend Robert K. Spencer, who also pastors Sacred Heart in Caney and St. Robert in Sedan. The church sits at 320 N. Main Street in Moline, where it maintains a regular weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and monthly Eucharistic Adoration. With its modest size and deep roots in southeast Kansas, St. Mary is a tight-knit faith community rooted in the traditional devotional life of the Diocese of Wichita.
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (parish name 'St. Mary')
- Rector
- Reverend Robert K. Spencer
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Wichita
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a small, traditional rural Catholic community in southeast Kansas where members can worship together at Sunday Mass, weekday evening Masses, and monthly Eucharistic Adoration. The parish welcomes visitors and new families into a close-knit flock of around 45 households, supported by an active lay organization (the St. Mary's Altar Society) and served by an experienced priest who also ministers at neighboring parishes. For Catholics in Elk County looking for a faithful, family-sized parish with a regular devotional rhythm, St. Mary is a welcoming home.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Adoration times
- First Sunday of the month, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
About St. Mary Catholic Church, Moline
St. Mary is a small rural Catholic parish serving the Catholics of Moline and surrounding Elk County in southeast Kansas. As listed in the official Catholic Diocese of Wichita parish directory, the parish has 45 registered families and 104 individual Catholics. The parish is part of the Diocese of Wichita, which has served south-central Kansas since 1887.
- 45 registered families
- 104 individual Catholics
- Located in Moline, Elk County, Kansas
- Part of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita
Parish History
St. Mary's Catholic Church has served the Moline community for many decades, with parish records and local obituary references indicating an established presence by at least the late 20th century. The parish is a member of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita and today functions as a small rural parish shared with Sacred Heart, Caney and St. Robert, Sedan. While a specific founding year is not published on the diocese's current online directory, the parish has long been a fixture in the religious life of Elk County.
- Diocese of Wichita established 1887
- Past clergy named in local records include Rev. Edward Steinberger and Rev. Joseph Slomski
- Current pastor appointed 2017
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Rev. Robert K. Spencer, who also serves as pastor of Sacred Heart in Caney and St. Robert in Sedan. Fr. Spencer was born July 20, 1959 and ordained to the priesthood on May 18, 1985, and has served in numerous parishes across the Diocese of Wichita, including as chaplain at St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Wichita, administrator and pastor at multiple parishes, and as part-time chaplain for St. Dismas Ministry to the Incarcerated.
- Rev. Robert K. Spencer — Pastor (since 2017)
- Birth date: July 20, 1959
- Ordination: May 18, 1985
- Also pastors: Sacred Heart, Caney and St. Robert, Sedan
Parish Life and Ministries
Despite its small size, St. Mary has a long-standing tradition of lay involvement. Local parish records reference the St. Mary's Altar Society, a women's organization supporting the spiritual and material life of the church. The parish is a member of the broader Diocese of Wichita family and shares pastoral care with neighboring parishes in the southeast Kansas region.
- St. Mary's Altar Society
- Shared pastoral care with Sacred Heart (Caney) and St. Robert (Sedan)
Visiting St. Mary
Visitors are warmly welcomed to St. Mary. The parish office can be reached by phone at 620-647-3577, and the church is located at 320 N. Main Street in Moline, Kansas. Travelers coming from Highway 160 and Junction 99 should go about 1 mile west into town to find the church on North Main Street.
- Address: 320 N. Main, Moline, KS 67353
- Mailing: P.O. Box 276, Moline, KS 67353
- Phone: 620-647-3577
- From Hwy 160 & Junction 99, travel 1 mile west
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward Steinberger
Celebrated funeral Masses at St. Mary, Moline (referenced in late-1980s Elk County obituary records).
- Rev. Joseph Slomski
Officiated funeral Mass at St. Mary, Moline (referenced in 1988 Elk County obituary records).
- Rev. Robert K. Spencer2017–present
Current pastor; also pastor of Sacred Heart, Caney and St. Robert, Sedan.