About St. Philip · Hope, Kansas
St. Philip Parish is a small Catholic mission church in the farming community of Hope, Kansas (Dickinson County), part of the 'Highway 4 Catholics' cluster along with St. John the Evangelist in Herington and St. Columba in Elmo. Founded in 1877 and dedicated to St. Philip the Apostle, the parish is one of the oldest Catholic communities in the area and continues to welcome area Catholics whose parishes have closed or have fewer scheduled Masses. Today it registers roughly 58 families with about 109 members, served from Herington by a pastor of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) and a deacon. Worship alternates between Saturday evening and Sunday morning weekends, and the parish hosts an Altar Society, a Knights of Columbus council, and other parish-life activities.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- St. Philip the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. George Chalbhagam, CMI
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
St. Philip Parish offers a tight-knit rural Catholic community in the heart of Dickinson County, with the warmth of a small mission church — about 58 families and 109 members — that has been caring for area Catholics since 1877. Weekend Mass alternates between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, confessions are offered 30 minutes before each Mass, and the parish family extends a particular welcome to Catholics from neighboring towns whose own parishes have closed or have fewer scheduled Masses. Active groups like the St. Philip Altar Society, the local Knights of Columbus council, and a parish rosary make it easy to get involved, and the church's restored 1910 building, original Sacred Heart and Blessed Virgin statues, and remodeled parish hall all reflect more than a century of community devotion.
Mass times at St. Philip
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before each weekend Mass
- Saturday 6:00–6:20 PM (2nd & 4th weekends, Standard Time)
- Saturday 7:00–7:20 PM (2nd & 4th weekends, Daylight Saving Time)
- Sunday 8:00–8:20 AM (1st, 3rd, 5th weekends)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00–7:00 PM (usually 1st Tuesdays — check calendar or bulletin)
Welcome to St. Philip Parish
St. Philip is a small Catholic mission church serving the rural community of Hope, Kansas, in Dickinson County. It is one of three parishes in the 'Highway 4 Catholics' cluster, sharing clergy, a website, and a weekly bulletin with St. John the Evangelist in Herington and St. Columba in Elmo. The parish currently registers 58 families with about 109 members and continues to welcome area Catholics whose own parishes have closed or have fewer scheduled Masses.
- Mission church of St. John the Evangelist, Herington
- Part of the Highway 4 Catholics cluster
- About 58 families / 109 members
Parish History
Catholic life in Hope began in 1873 when Fr. Philip Scholl traveled out from St. Francis Xavier in Junction City to minister to settlers. The community built its first church in 1877 — a modest 24-by-30-foot wooden structure dedicated to St. Philip the Apostle — and the parish has been served by 33 priests since. The present church was erected in 1909–1910 and dedicated by Bishop John F. Cunningham on May 10, 1910; two statues from the original church still stand on the high altar.
- 1873 — Fr. Philip Scholl ministers to Hope settlers from Junction City
- 1877 — Original 24'x30' wooden church built
- 1909–1910 — Present church built and dedicated
- 1936 — Old theater purchased and remodeled into parish hall
- 1946 — Parish separates from Herington
- 1960 — First resident pastor (Fr. Basil Torres); Lorson home becomes rectory
- 1984 — Becomes a mission of Herington under Fr. Richard Lutgen
- 1991 — Welcomes Catholics from Pilsen and Tampa after those parishes close
- 1998 — Church and parish hall remodeled
- 1999 — Fr. Mark Wesely appointed to lead the cluster
The Building and Its Treasures
Beyond the 1910 brick church, the parish campus includes the 1936 parish hall (converted from an old theater), the Lorson-home rectory, and a church bell whose wooden drive wheel was crafted by the Hope High School woodworking class in 1999. Two statues from the original 1877 church — Sacred Heart and Blessed Virgin — flank the larger Sacred Heart statue on the high altar. Recent improvements include a wheelchair ramp, new sidewalks, new roofs on the church and rectory (2006), and a new organ donated in memory of Robert and Ronald Goracke in 2010.
- Two original 1877 statues on the high altar
- Parish hall (former 1936 theater)
- Lorson rectory (1960)
- 1999 church-bell drive wheel crafted by Hope High School
- 2006 new roofs; 2010 new organ
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served from Herington by Fr. George Chalbhagam, CMI, a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, and Deacon Dick Kramer assists with parish ministry. Parishioner volunteers fill the lector, usher, rosary, church-cleaning, and yard-care roles that keep weekend Mass running smoothly. Parish contact goes through the Highway 4 Catholics office at 712 N. Broadway in Herington.
- Fr. George Chalbhagam, CMI — Pastor
- Rev. Mr. Dick Kramer — Deacon
- Rosary leaders: Jerry & Jeanne Rziha
- Lectors, Ushers, Church Cleaning volunteers (rotating)
Parish Life and Ministries
St. Philip's small but active parish life centers on a few core groups. The St. Philip Altar Society meets after Mass on announced dates and helps with yard care and parish hospitality. The local Knights of Columbus council (shared with the Elmo and Tampa parishes) meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM and hosts a monthly Communion Service at 6:30 PM that is open to all parishioners. A parish rosary is prayed before Mass.
- St. Philip Altar Society
- Knights of Columbus (Elmo/Hope/Tampa council) — 2nd Thursday, 7:00 PM
- Monthly Communion Service (6:30 PM) — open to all parishioners
- Parish rosary before Mass
Highway 4 Catholics Cluster
St. Philip shares clergy, staff, a website, and a weekly bulletin with two neighboring missions along State Highway 4 in Dickinson County: St. John the Evangelist Parish in Herington and St. Columba Parish in Elmo. The cluster's office and mailing address is 712 N. Broadway, Herington, KS 67449. From Herington, the pastor and deacon travel out to celebrate Mass and the sacraments at Hope and Elmo on their respective weekend rotations.
- St. John the Evangelist — Herington
- St. Columba — Elmo
- Shared office: 712 N. Broadway, Herington, KS 67449
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Philip through the Highway 4 Catholics office in Herington. The church itself stands at 114 N. Main Street in Hope. Weekend Mass alternates between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and confessions are heard 30 minutes before each Mass — call ahead to confirm the week's schedule or check the bulletin.
- Church address: 114 N. Main St., Hope, KS 67451
- Rectory phone: 785-258-2013
- Parish phone: 785-258-3358
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: highway4catholics.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Philip Scholl1873–
First priest to minister to Hope settlers, traveling from St. Francis Xavier in Junction City.
- Priests from Junction Cityuntil 1877
Built the original 24'x30' church in winter 1877.
- Priests from Solomon, Council Grove, and Emporia1878–1888
- Mission of Abilene1888–1899
- Mission of Elmo1899–1903
- Fr. J. B. Glynn1909–1910
Directed construction of the present church, dedicated by Bishop John F. Cunningham on May 10, 1910.
- Fr. John George Weber1946–
Began caring for St. Philip's from the orphanage in Abilene after the parish separated from Herington.
- Fr. Basil Torres1960–
First resident pastor, appointed Aug. 20, 1960 by Bishop Frederick W. Freking after Elizabeth Lorson bequeathed her home as a rectory.
- Fr. LeRoy Metro1969–1971
- Fr. Lawrence Grennanto 1984
Last resident pastor; reassigned Aug. 4, 1984 to St. Patrick's, Lincoln.
- Fr. Richard Lutgen1984–
First mission-era pastor from Herington after Hope became a mission.
- Fr. Donald Pfannenstiel1986–
- Fr. Mark Wesely1999–
Appointed to Herington with the care of the Hope and Elmo missions.
- Fr. George Chalbhagam, CMIpresent
Current pastor of the Highway 4 Catholics cluster (Herington, Hope, Elmo).