About St. Patrick · Walters, Oklahoma
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a mission parish of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Lawton, Oklahoma, located in the small town of Walters, Oklahoma, about 20 miles south of Lawton in Cotton County. It serves the Catholic faithful of Walters and the surrounding rural area as part of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 9:45 a.m. at the mission church, with all pastoral, sacramental, and parish-office services administered through Blessed Sacrament's downtown Lawton parish office. The mission falls under the pastoral care of the pastor of Blessed Sacrament and shares in that parish's clergy, staff, formation programs, and outreach ministries.
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Brannon Lepak
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Why belong here
St. Patrick brings the regular rhythm of Sunday Mass and the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church to the small town of Walters, while connecting its parishioners to the much larger community of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Lawton and the wider Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Because the mission shares the priests, deacons, religious education staff, and outreach programs of Blessed Sacrament, parishioners in Walters have access to faith formation for children and youth, RCIA and adult formation, liturgical ministries, music ministry, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Ladies Altar Society, St. Vincent de Paul, and a wide range of corporal and spiritual works of mercy. For Catholics in Cotton County, it is a local, walkable place to worship while still belonging to a large and active parish family.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Patrick Catholic Church, Walters
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a mission parish located at 202 E Ohio Street in Walters, Oklahoma. It is staffed and administered as a mission of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in nearby Lawton, within the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The mission offers Sunday Mass at 9:45 a.m. and serves Catholics living in Walters and the surrounding Cotton County area. Parishioners have full access to the larger faith community, clergy, staff, and ministries of Blessed Sacrament.
- Mission church of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Lawton
- Address: 202 E Ohio St., Walters, OK 73572
- Sunday Mass: 9:45 a.m.
- Phone (parish office): (580) 355-2054
- Website: http://lawtoncatholic.com
History & Heritage
The mission's history is closely tied to Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, which states on its website that it has 'served the Lawton-Ft. Sill area for over 123 years,' placing its origins around the turn of the twentieth century. St. Patrick in Walters is one of the South Region parishes of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, alongside Blessed Sacrament (Lawton), St. Ann's (Elgin), Holy Family (Lawton), Immaculate Conception (Marlow), and Prince of Peace (Altus). The wider region has deep Catholic roots tracing back to nineteenth-century mission work among Native peoples in southwestern Oklahoma.
- Blessed Sacrament Parish: serving the Lawton-Ft. Sill area for over 123 years
- Part of the South Region of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women
- Roman-Latin Rite within the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Clergy & Staff
Because St. Patrick is a mission of Blessed Sacrament, the priests, deacons, and parish staff of Blessed Sacrament also provide pastoral care to the Walters mission. Fr. Brannon Lepak was named pastor effective February 13, 2026 (announced as pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Lawton, with pastoral responsibility for St. Patrick, Walters), succeeding Fr. Ray Ackerman, who served 2023–2025. The current pastoral team includes associate clergy and three permanent deacons.
- Rev. Brannon Lepak — Pastor (2025-Present)
- Rev. John Paul Lewis — Associate Priest
- Deacon Howard Harper — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Bob Quinnett — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Thomas Nallapatti — Permanent Deacon; Adult Faith Formation
- Fr. Ray Ackerman — Retired (served 2023-2025)
Pastor Succession at Blessed Sacrament (covering St. Patrick)
The list of pastors below is taken from the official parish history page and reflects the priests who have served as pastor of Blessed Sacrament and, by extension, had pastoral care of St. Patrick, Walters.
- Rev. Brannon Lepak — 2025-Present
- Rev. Ray Ackerman — 2023-2025
- Rev. John Paul Lewis — 2020-2023
- Very Rev. Brian E. Buettner — 2016-2020
- Father Michael Chapman — 2015-2016 (Administrator)
- Father Shayne Tharp — 2015-2015
- Father Joseph R. Ross — 2008-2015
- Father James D.M. Stafford — 1987-2008
- Father William P. Lamb — earlier era
- Father Isidore Rick — earlier era
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministries at the parish are organized through Blessed Sacrament and open to confirmed parishioners of both the Lawton church and the Walters mission. Training is provided for each role.
- Lector (proclaim Scripture at Mass; confirmed Catholics high-school age and up; one-time training)
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC)
- Altar Server (4th grade and older; twice-yearly formation)
- Sacristan (care and preparation of sacred vessels; plus 'Lord's Laundry' volunteers)
- Hospitality — Ushers and Greeters
- Wedding Coordinator
- Music Ministry (choir openings for all voice parts)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's formation office, led from Blessed Sacrament, serves families in both Lawton and Walters. Programs support parents as the primary catechists of their children and provide ongoing formation for teens, young adults, and adults.
- Children's Religious Education: PreK4 through High School (weekly during the school year)
- Youth Ministry (High School)
- Young Adult Ministry
- Adult Faith Formation
- Religious Education Director: Alicia Brierton
Parish Organizations & Fellowship
A number of parish organizations are open to members of St. Patrick in Walters through their connection to Blessed Sacrament Parish.
- Knights of Columbus Council #1287 (monthly meeting second Tuesday, Parish Hall)
- Catholic Daughters of the Americas
- Ladies Altar Society (meets second Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.; altar care, funeral dinners, fund-raising)
- Music Ministry (sacred Catholic choral music; openings in all voice parts)
Outreach & Works of Mercy
Blessed Sacrament and its mission parishes carry out a wide range of corporal and spiritual works of mercy in the Lawton and southwestern Oklahoma community. The Walters mission shares in this outreach network.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (parish hotline 580-355-7837 / 355-SVDP)
- Catholic Charities — Lawton Regional Office (adoptions, Family HOPE, immigration, refugee resettlement, parish nursing)
- Prison Ministry (first Thursday each month, feeding ~75 pre-release offenders at Aldersgate United Methodist Church; contact Charles Benke, 580-353-5011)
- Family Promise of Lawton (rotating host church every ~9 weeks; meals, overnight volunteers)
- Center of Family Love
- Visit the Sick (Holy Communion to the homebound)
Holy Week & Special Liturgies
Holy Week liturgies are shared between Blessed Sacrament in Lawton and St. Patrick in Walters, giving the Walters mission its own solemn celebrations of Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.
- Palm Sunday: 9:45 a.m. at St. Patrick, Walters
- Holy Thursday: 6:00 p.m. at St. Patrick, Walters
- Good Friday: 6:00 p.m. at St. Patrick, Walters
- Easter Sunday: 9:45 a.m. at St. Patrick, Walters
- Easter Vigil: 8:30 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament, Lawton
Contact & Visiting
All administrative and pastoral inquiries for St. Patrick are handled through the Blessed Sacrament parish office in downtown Lawton.
- Parish Office: Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 12 SW 7th Street, Lawton, OK 73501
- Phone: (580) 355-2054
- Office Hours: Mon-Thu 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Fri 9:30 a.m.-Noon (closed weekends)
- Mission Address: 202 E Ohio St., Walters, OK 73572
- Website: http://lawtoncatholic.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Brannon Lepak2025-Present
Current pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Lawton, with pastoral care of mission St. Patrick, Walters
- Rev. Ray Ackerman2023-2025
- Rev. John Paul Lewis2020-2023
- Very Rev. Brian E. Buettner2016-2020
- Father Michael Chapman2015-2016 (Administrator)
- Father Joseph R. Ross2008-2015
- Father James D.M. Stafford1987-2008