About St. Paul Mission · Angelus, Kansas
St. Paul Mission is a small Roman Catholic mission parish in the unincorporated community of Angelus, in southwestern Sheridan County, Kansas. Founded in 1887 by German Catholic settlers on the High Plains, it has been served as a mission parish of St. Joseph in Oakley since 1973 and lies within the Diocese of Salina. The parish's present brick church, begun in 1917 and completed a year later, is a Gothic design that towers 130 feet high and seats 400, and the grounds also feature a rock grotto built by parishioners for the parish's 50th jubilee in 1937.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- St. Paul
- Rector
- Fr. Brian Lager
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
St. Paul Mission is a faithful rural Catholic community with deep roots on the High Plains, where German Catholic families have worshipped since 1887. Visitors are welcomed into a striking Gothic brick church and an outdoor rock grotto built by parishioners in 1937, and can worship with a close-knit congregation that gathers for a Sunday morning Mass, a Wednesday morning weekday Mass, and the sacraments. As a mission of St. Joseph Parish in Oakley, it offers the faithful of Sheridan County a warm, family-sized liturgical home served by an experienced pastoral team.
Mass times at St. Paul Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:30 AM – 7:50 AM, or by appointment
Parish Overview
St. Paul Catholic Church in Angelus, Kansas, is identified on its own website and on the Diocese of Salina site as 'A Mission Parish of St. Joseph.' It serves the small community of Angelus in southwestern Sheridan County on the western Kansas plains, sharing pastoral leadership with St. Joseph Parish in Oakley and the broader cluster of missions in the diocese.
- Mission parish of St. Joseph, Oakley
- Diocese of Salina
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 a.m.
- Wednesday Mass: 7:30 a.m.
Church History
German Catholic settlers founded the parish in 1887 on the open prairie of southwestern Sheridan County. Missionary Capuchin priests rode out from their residence every three months to offer the Mass in parishioners' homes until the community built its first church in 1891. According to the parish history, it was the sound of that first church bell ringing the Angelus that inspired donor Elizabeth Boeger to suggest the community be named Angelus.
- Founded 1887 by German Catholic settlers
- First church built 1891
- Parish school opened 1892 (Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, later Sisters of the Precious Blood)
The Present Church Building
Construction of the present St. Paul church began in 1917 and was completed a year later. The brick structure is of Gothic design, with a bell tower that rises 130 feet and an interior that seats 400 people. It remains the parish's place of worship today and is a visual landmark on the western Kansas plains.
- Construction 1917–1918
- Gothic brick design
- 130-foot bell tower
- Seating for 400
The Jubilee Grotto
During the parish's 50th jubilee year in 1937, parishioners constructed an outdoor grotto as a devotional feature of the church grounds. They gathered rock from throughout the area and neighboring states, and added shells and pebbles brought from both the East and West coasts of the United States.
- Built for the parish's 50th jubilee in 1937
- Constructed from regional rock and coastal shells/pebbles
Clergy & Pastoral Care
As a mission of St. Joseph Parish in Oakley, St. Paul is cared for by the priests and deacons of that collaborative assignment in the Diocese of Salina. The longest-serving priest in the parish's history was Msgr. Michael Dreiling, who ministered here from 1939 to 1966.
- Pastor: Fr. Brian Lager
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Songa Mohanrao (Thomas Steven)
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Jesse Ochs
- Deacon Dennis Engel
- Deacon Michael Brungardt
- Longest-serving priest: Msgr. Michael Dreiling (1939–1966)
Forms & Registration
Parish registration and online giving are administered through the shared St. Joseph / St. Paul website, where parishioners can also pick up the current bulletin and the rotating liturgy/ministry schedule for St. Paul.
- Bulletin
- Ministry Schedule
- Parish Registration
- Online Giving
Contact & Visiting
The church is located in the unincorporated community of Angelus at the intersection of Road 120 South and Road 130 West in Sheridan County. The official parish website, hosted by the St. Joseph / Oakley cluster, is the best up-to-date point of contact for visitors and parishioners.
- Address: 12001 S. Road 130 W, Angelus, KS 67748
- Parish website: http://sjoakley.org/st-paul
- Listed under the Diocese of Salina
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Michael Dreiling1939–1966
Longest-serving priest of the parish.