About St. Patrick · Williamsburg, Kansas
St. Patrick Catholic Church, also known as St. Patrick–Emerald, is a small mission parish located at 33721 NW Crawford Road in Williamsburg, Kansas. It is one of four rural parishes — alongside St. Francis Xavier in Burlington, St. Joseph in Waverly, and St. Teresa of Avila in Westphalia — served together by a single pastor within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The parish, founded by Irish immigrants in 1859 and famously nicknamed the "Cathedral of the Plains" for its once-magnificent domed brick church, continues to gather the faithful today for a weekly Saturday vigil Mass at 4:00 PM, with confessions heard beforehand.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Fr. Rhodes
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
St. Patrick–Emerald is a small, historic rural Catholic community with deep Irish pioneer roots and a track record of remarkable perseverance — from hand-crushing rock for mortar in the 1870s to rebuilding after the devastating 1939 lightning strike. Worshiping here means joining a four-parish family (with Burlington, Waverly, and Westphalia) under one pastor, sharing the Knights of Columbus, Altar Society, and Legion of Mary across all four communities. It is a place where a single Saturday vigil Mass at 4:00 PM gathers generations of farm families together in a church that has stood on the prairie since 1859.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:25 PM – 3:50 PM
About St. Patrick – Emerald
St. Patrick – Emerald is a small mission Catholic church at 33721 NW Crawford Road, Williamsburg, Kansas. Together with St. Francis Xavier (Burlington), St. Joseph (Waverly), and St. Teresa of Avila (Westphalia), it forms a four-parish family under one pastor in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The parish's story is one of Irish pioneer settlers, hand-built churches, prairie fires and border ruffians, a domed 'Cathedral of the Plains,' and a famous lightning-strike rebuilding in 1939–1940.
- Mission of St. Francis Xavier, Burlington
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
- Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM
- Confession Saturday 3:25–3:50 PM
- Address: 33721 NW Crawford Road, Williamsburg, KS 66095
History of St. Patrick Parish
The parish's history reaches back to 1856, when Anderson County was established as part of Kansas Territory. Irish immigrants settled along Iantha Creek in northwestern Anderson County, and on a day in May 1859 a Belgian missionary named Father Scott celebrated the first Mass in the home of Edward Reddington. Pioneers immediately built a log-cabin church on hilltop land donated by Henry Collins, hauling logs from as far away as Garnett under constant threat from prairie fires and border ruffians. After the Civil War, parishioners built a 55 x 35 ft native-stone church (dedicated August 15, 1870), and in 1899 a much larger 55 x 100 ft Roman-style brick church with a Texas-granite foundation and a Statehouse-style dome — the famous 'Cathedral of the Plains.' Lightning struck on September 29, 1939, and the building was restored by November 1940. The 1955 parish basement was finished in time for the 1960 Centennial Dinner, and in 2009–2010 the parish held its 150th Sesquicentennial Celebration.
- 1859 — First Mass in the home of Edward Reddington by Father Scott (Belgian missionary)
- 1859 — Log-cabin church built on hilltop land donated by Henry Collins
- After 1859 — Father Schnacht, O. Carm., rode on horseback from Scipio to say Mass
- 1870 — Native-stone 55 x 35 ft church dedicated August 15 (parishioners crushed rock into sand for mortar; John Hoffman of Burlington was the mason)
- 1899 — 55 x 100 ft Roman-style brick church with Texas-granite foundation and Statehouse-style dome — the 'Cathedral of the Plains'
- 1936 — Only 48 families remained during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl
- September 29, 1939 — Lightning struck and damaged the church; $50,000 damage vs. $10,000 insurance
- November 1940 — Parishioners finished restoring the church
- 1953 — Father Jack Herrington arrived and planned major renovations
- 1955 — Parish basement and kitchen construction began
- 1960 — Centennial Celebration Dinner held in the new basement
- 2009–2010 — 150th Sesquicentennial Celebration
Worship Schedule
St. Patrick – Emerald offers one weekly Mass and a half-hour of confession beforehand. As a small mission, the parish relies on its sister parishes in the four-parish family for additional Mass opportunities.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM
- Confession — Saturday 3:25 PM – 3:50 PM
- Sacramental emergencies after hours: call Fr. Rhodes at 620-757-6824
Sacraments
Sacraments at St. Patrick are celebrated in the usual Catholic way, with confession offered before Mass on Saturdays. Faith Formation and Confirmation preparation is handled through the shared St. Joseph / St. Patrick Religious Education / CCD program.
- Baptism
- Marriage (contact the parish office)
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:25–3:50 PM
- Eucharist — Saturday 4:00 PM vigil Mass
- Confirmation — two-year program in 9th–10th grade
- Anointing of the Sick / Sacramental emergencies — Fr. Rhodes at 620-757-6824
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
The four-parish family offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) for anyone thinking about joining the Catholic Church, as well as continuing faith formation for those wanting to deepen their understanding of the faith. Classes meet at the St. Francis Xavier church basement at 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings; details and registration are announced in the bulletin and through the parish office.
- OCIA instruction for inquirers and catechumens
- Continuing Faith Formation for Catholics wanting to learn more
- Classes meet Sundays at 11:00 AM in the St. Francis Xavier church basement
- Contact the 4-Parish Office (620-364-5671) or speak to Father directly to register
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Religious education for St. Patrick children is shared with St. Joseph – Waverly as a combined CCD program, while the broader four-parish family supports youth ministry and young-adult outreach together. Classes are held for students Pre-K through 12th grade; confirmation is celebrated in 9th–10th grade as part of a two-year program.
- St. Joseph / St. Patrick combined CCD program (Pre-K – 12)
- Confirmation preparation — two-year program in 9th–10th grade
- Youth Ministry shared across all four parishes — youth minister Angela Myers
- Young Adult Ministry — outreach for ages 18–30 across the four-parish family
- Volunteer teachers and substitutes need to be Virtus Trained (contact the office)
- Contact: 4-Parish Office 620-364-5671
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Across the four-parish family, several traditional Catholic organizations support worship, fellowship, and outreach. Knights of Columbus, Altar Society, and Legion of Mary are shared ministries that draw members from all four parishes.
- Knights of Columbus (4-parish)
- Altar Society (4-parish)
- Legion of Mary (4-parish)
- Youth Ministry (shared)
- Young Adult Ministry (shared, ages 18–30)
Parish Staff
St. Patrick – Emerald is served by a small 4-parish staff based in the Burlington parish office.
- Pastor: Fr. Rhodes
- Office Manager: Angela Myers
- Office Assistant: Cyndy Heinz
- Office Phone: 620-364-5671
- Office Hours: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Tuesday – Friday
- Sacramental Emergencies (after hours): Fr. Rhodes, 620-757-6824
The Four-Parish Family
St. Patrick – Emerald is part of a four-parish family in rural Coffey and Anderson Counties, all sharing one pastor. The shared 4-Parish Church Office is in Burlington, and most mail for all four parishes goes through that office.
- St. Francis Xavier — 214 Juniatta Street, Burlington, KS 66839
- St. Joseph — 508 Pearson Avenue, Waverly, KS 66871
- St. Patrick — 33721 NW Crawford Road, Williamsburg, KS 66095
- St. Teresa of Avila — 404 Garrison Avenue, Westphalia, KS 66093
- Shared mailing address: 4 Parish Church Office, c/o St. Joseph, 214 Juniatta, Burlington, KS 66839
Planning Your Visit
Visitors to St. Patrick – Emerald are welcome at the Saturday 4:00 PM vigil Mass. Confession is heard in the church from 3:25 to 3:50 PM on Saturdays — arrive a little early to take advantage of it. The church sits on a hilltop on NW Crawford Road outside Williamsburg, in the rural Emerald community of Anderson County.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 PM
- Confession: Saturday 3:25 – 3:50 PM
- Address: 33721 NW Crawford Road, Williamsburg, KS 66095
- For questions, contact the 4-Parish Office in Burlington at 620-364-5671
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Scott (Belgian missionary)1859
Celebrated the first Mass in the home of Edward Reddington in May 1859.
- Father Schnacht, O. Carm.after 1859
Carmelite priest who rode on horseback from Scipio to Emerald to say Mass at the log-cabin church.
- Father Jack Herringtonarrived 1953
Planned and oversaw major post-war renovations: plumbing, heating, new plate-glass windows and doors, and the parish basement and kitchen (1955).