About St. Michael · Girard, Kansas
St. Michael Catholic Church is a small, family-oriented Roman Catholic parish serving Girard, Kansas, and the surrounding rural communities of Crawford County in the Diocese of Wichita. The parish is clustered with St. Joseph Catholic Church in nearby Arma, sharing one pastor, one combined weekly bulletin, and an alternating weekday Mass and adoration schedule. The community counts about 229 registered families and roughly 504 individual Catholics, gathered around weekend Masses at the church on North Western Street. Originally founded as a German-settler mission in 1863, the parish has served the Girard area continuously through a succession of diocesan priests and religious orders including the Silvestrines (Benedictines), Passionists, and Capuchins.
- Established
- 1863
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Reverend Daniel L. Vacca
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wichita
Why belong here
St. Michael's is a small, welcoming Crawford County parish where families and individuals are easily known by name. It offers the full rhythm of Catholic life — weekend and daily Mass, Friday Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confession, Anointing of the Sick, baptism and marriage preparation, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) for inquirers, and a Parish School of Religion that prepares children for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. The parish is clustered with St. Joseph in Arma, which broadens the faith community and gives parishioners access to two parishes' worth of ministries under one pastor, Father Daniel Vacca.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:00-2:30 PM (Girard)
- 15 minutes before weekday Masses
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Girard)
St. Michael's History
St. Michael's began in 1863 as a Jesuit mission among German settlers in the Girard area, with Mass first celebrated in the Riddner and Campbell homes. A church bearing the St. Michael's name was erected at Cherokee and Walnut streets in 1879. For the first half of the 20th century the parish was served largely by visiting priests and a succession of religious orders — Silvestrine Benedictines (from 1912), Passionists, and Capuchins — with diocesan resident pastors not becoming the norm until 1950. The current church building, completed in 1964 under Father William Wheeler, was substantially renovated in 2014 to mark the parish's 50th anniversary.
- 1863 — Mission founded by Father John Schoenmakers, S.J.
- 1879 — First St. Michael's church built at Cherokee & Walnut
- 1910 — Father Thomas Powers, first resident pastor
- 1912 — Silvestrine Benedictines (Cipolletti & Bartoccetti) take charge
- 1918 — Flu epidemic: no church services held
- 1925 — New brick church built ($8,529.25, 300 seats)
- 1950 — Father Irvin Lampe, first resident diocesan pastor since 1910
- 1964 — Present church completed under Father William Wheeler
- 1983 — Monsignor Lampe returns for a second pastorate
- 2014 — 50th anniversary renovation and Mass with Bishop Carl A. Kemme
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Michael's is led by Father Daniel L. Vacca, who also serves as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Arma. He is supported by a parish secretary, bookkeeper, and Director of Religious Education, plus a Pastoral Council and Finance Council drawn from the congregation.
- Pastor: Rev. Daniel L. Vacca ([email protected])
- Secretary: Barb Duling ([email protected])
- Bookkeeper: Janel Scales ([email protected])
- Director of Religious Education: Kristen Graham ([email protected], 620-875-6133)
- Pastoral Council Chair: Carrie Smith
- Finance Council Chair: Tony Stonerock
Faith Formation & Religious Education (PSR)
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) provides catechetical instruction to children and youth who attend public school, helping them grow in intimacy with Jesus and prepare for the sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. The program runs on Wednesdays during the academic year, following the Girard USD 248 calendar, with separate tracks for elementary, middle, and high school students.
- Grades 1-5: Wednesdays after school until 3:30 PM (meets at school cafeteria then walks to the Parish Hall)
- Grades 5-6 Confirmation class: led by Dr. Katrina Burke, integrated with the elementary PSR session
- Grades 7-12: Wednesdays 7:00-8:00 PM, preceded by the 6:30 PM parish Mass
- Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM): monthly break from class for high-school youth, led by Tim Born
- Sacramental milestones: 1st Reconciliation in 2nd Grade, 1st Communion in 2nd Grade, Confirmation in 5th-6th Grade
- Director: Kristen Graham (620-875-6133)
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The parish offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), a course of formation for those interested in becoming Catholic or learning more about the Catholic faith. Classes are held weekly on Thursdays with Father Vacca. Anyone inquiring is invited to call the parish office at 620-724-8717 for more information.
- Weekly classes on Thursdays
- Open to inquirers, catechumens, and candidates
- Contact the parish office (620-724-8717) to sign up
Sacraments
St. Michael's prepares parishioners for and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Couples must meet with Father Vacca at least six months before setting a wedding date, parents are required to attend baptismal preparation before the baptism of a first child, and the Anointing of the Sick is offered to anyone facing surgery or serious illness.
- Baptism — Rectory arrangement + baptismal preparation for first child
- First Reconciliation — 2nd Grade PSR
- First Holy Communion — 2nd Grade PSR
- Confirmation — 5th & 6th Grade PSR
- Matrimony — minimum six months' notice to Father
- Anointing of the Sick — before/after Mass or by appointment
Parish Life, Prayer & Fellowship
Beyond Mass and the sacraments, St. Michael's nurtures an active prayer and fellowship life through a Prayer Squad, a Tuesday-afternoon Bible study with Father Vacca at the Arma rectory, and the combined weekend bulletin shared with St. Joseph Parish in Arma. Parishioners are invited to volunteer as PSR teachers, substitutes, activity coordinators, or snack helpers.
- Prayer Squad contact: Nancy Bauer ([email protected], 620-724-2051)
- Bible study: Tuesdays at 4:15 PM at the Arma rectory
- Combined bulletin with St. Joseph, Arma — submit items to Barb Duling by noon Wednesday
- PSR volunteer opportunities (teachers, subs, activity coordinators, snack helpers)
- Parish Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cluster Parish: St. Joseph, Arma
Since 2023, St. Michael's has shared a pastor with St. Joseph Catholic Church in Arma, Kansas (100 S. 8th St., PO Box 948, Arma, KS 66712, 620-347-4525, stjosepharma.com). The two parishes operate a combined bulletin and alternate weekday Masses, confessions, and adoration between the two locations, effectively functioning as a single pastoral cluster serving Crawford County.
- St. Joseph Masses: Saturday 4:00 PM, Sunday 8:00 AM
- St. Joseph weekday Masses: Tuesday 5:30 PM, Thursday 8:00 AM
- St. Joseph Confession: Saturday 3:15-3:45 PM
- St. Joseph Adoration: Thursday 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
- Same pastor and DRE serve both parishes
Building, Renovation & Facilities
The current St. Michael's church was built in 1964 and substantially renovated in 2014. The 5,700-square-foot project by Simpson Construction Services added three outdoor canopies, a devotional prayer area off the narthex, new lighting and floor finishes, replacement exterior windows, refurbishment of the pews and stained glass windows, and ADA-compliant restrooms. The Parish Hall behind the Rectory (on Walnut Street) is used for PSR classes, fellowship, and parish events.
- Construction began Labor Day 2014
- Christmas Eve Mass was the first liturgy celebrated in the newly renovated church
- 50th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Carl A. Kemme
- Devotional area added for quiet prayer and reflection
- ADA-compliant restrooms installed
Visit, Register & Contact
St. Michael's welcomes newcomers to the parish family and invites anyone moving to the area to call the Rectory to register. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and visitors traveling into Girard on Highway 47 can find the church by turning south on Western Avenue for two blocks — the church entrance faces the intersection of Western and Forest, with the Parish Hall behind the Rectory on Walnut Street.
- Rectory/parish office: 106 N. Western St., Girard, KS 66743
- Phone: 620-724-8717
- Office hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stmichaelgirard.com/
- Newcomers: call the Rectory to register
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Schoenmakers, S.J.1863
Jesuit from Osage Mission who established the original mission.
- Father Eugene Bononcini1879
Headquartered in Scammon; erected the first church named St. Michael's at Cherokee and Walnut.
- Father Thomas Powers1910-1911
First resident pastor; stayed only one year.
- Father Joseph Cipolletti, O.S.B. (Silvestrine)from 1912
First Silvestrine Benedictine priest assigned to the parish by Bishop Hennessy.
- Father Philip Bartoccetti, O.S.B. (Silvestrine)from 1912
Came with Fr. Cipolletti; initially served the Chicopee mining camp.
- Father Irvin Lampefrom 1950
First diocesan resident pastor since 1910; later returned as Monsignor Lampe in 1983.
- Father Louis Strubleafter Lampe
Purchased the site of the present (1964) church.
- Father William Wheelerfrom 1963
Revitalized the building project; current church completed in 1964.
- Father Vincent Brown
Pastor during the years after Wheeler.
- Father Patrick Mannion
Served as pastor.
- Father Alonzo Smithhisler
Served as pastor.
- Monsignor Irvin Lampefrom 1983
Returned for a second pastorate.
- Father Brian Egan
Served as pastor after Monsignor Lampe's second pastorate.
- Father Donald Thissen
Served as pastor.
- Father Lawrence Carney
Served as pastor.
- Father Roger Lumbre
Served as pastor.
- Father Max Biltz
Served as pastor.
- Father Floyd McKinney
Served as pastor.
- Father Michael Klag
Immediate predecessor to current pastor.
- Father Daniel L. Vacca2023-present
Current pastor; also pastor of St. Joseph, Arma.