About St. Rose of Lima (Prince of Peace Parish) · Great Bend, Kansas
St. Rose of Lima is the historic Catholic church in Great Bend, Kansas, that today forms one half of Prince of Peace Parish. Originally established in 1878, the parish merged with St. Patrick Parish in 2006 to form a single bilingual Catholic community serving roughly 1,627 registered households across Barton County. The parish operates Holy Family Catholic School and is led by Missionaries of the Holy Family (MSFS) priests who minister in both English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- Rev. Prakash Kola, MSFS
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dodge City
Why belong here
Prince of Peace Parish welcomes Catholics in Great Bend with two worship sites — St. Rose of Lima and St. Patrick — offering weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, regular Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays, and a full slate of faith formation for every age from preschool through high school. The parish sustains Holy Family Catholic School, a Knights of Columbus council, a vibrant youth group, OCIA for adults and children, and a bilingual sacramental and liturgical life, making it a natural spiritual home for families across Barton County.
Mass times at St. Rose of Lima (Prince of Peace Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM (St. Rose)
- Friday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM (St. Patrick)
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (St. Patrick)
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (St. Rose)
Adoration times
- First Friday of the Month (Eucharistic Adoration, Prince of Peace)
- Friday — Adoration in the St. Patrick chapel
Parish History
Catholic life in the Great Bend area dates to the mid-1800s, when monks from St. Benedict Abbey in Atchison came to minister to soldiers at Fort Zarah (1865–1870). St. Rose of Lima was formally established as a parish in 1878 with the building of the first church at Baker and Park. The current St. Rose church was constructed in 1915 at Broadway and Baker; its interior was renovated in 1997 and a narthex, baptismal font, and restrooms were added in 2006–2007. Growing Catholic numbers on the west side of town led to St. Patrick Chapel in 1954 and St. Patrick Parish in 1960 (church built 1968). After merging their schools into Holy Family Grade School and consolidating parish organizations, the two parishes were formally united as Prince of Peace Parish on December 3, 2006.
- 1878 – St. Rose of Lima Parish established; first church at Baker and Park
- 1865–1870 – Benedictine monks from Atchison serve Fort Zarah
- 1915 – Present St. Rose church built at Broadway and Baker
- 1954 – St. Patrick's Chapel opens on west side
- 1960 – St. Patrick Parish formally established
- 1968 – St. Patrick church built
- 2002 – St. Rose School demolished
- 2003 – Parishes organizationally merged as 'The Catholic Community of Great Bend'
- 2006 – Narthex, baptismal font, and bathrooms added to St. Rose
- December 3, 2006 – Prince of Peace Parish formally created
- 1997 – Interior renovation of St. Rose
Worship Sites
Prince of Peace Parish worships at two historic church buildings in Great Bend. St. Rose of Lima (1412 Baker Ave) hosts the Saturday 5:30 PM Vigil, the Sunday 8:00 AM English Mass, and the Sunday 12:30 PM Spanish Mass. St. Patrick (4100 Broadway Ave) hosts the Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil and Sunday 10:00 AM Mass. Weekday Mass schedules and Holy Day intentions are listed in the weekly bulletin.
- St. Rose of Lima — 1412 Baker Ave (parish office at 1423 Holland)
- St. Patrick — 4100 Broadway Ave
- Parish Center — 4124 Broadway Ave
- Rectory — 1423 Holland
Sacraments
The parish celebrates Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. Baptism is offered in both English and Spanish at multiple parish locations; parents must be registered parishioners and attend a Baptism Preparation Class within three years of the sacrament. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are normally received in 2nd grade, and Confirmation in 8th grade.
- English Baptisms: 2nd Saturday 7:00 PM (St. Rose); 2nd Sunday 2:30 PM (St. Patrick); 3rd Saturday 7:00 PM (St. Patrick); 4th Sunday 2:30 PM (St. Rose)
- Spanish Baptisms: 1st Sunday 2:00 PM (St. Rose); 3rd Saturday 7:00 PM (St. Rose)
- Baptism Prep — English: 1st Saturday 7:00 PM; Spanish: Last Saturday 6:30 PM (St. Rose Auditorium)
- Confirmation: 8th grade, sessions Wednesdays 7:00–8:15 PM at the St. Patrick Parish Center
- OCIA for adults; OCIA-Y for ages 7–18 (2-year preparation as of 2023–2024)
Faith Formation
Prince of Peace Parish offers a complete, age-graded religious education program for children and youth from preschool through high school. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atrium serves the youngest learners, while Parish School of Religion (PSR) provides weekly Wednesday evening classes for 2nd through 7th graders at Holy Family School. OCIA-Y adapts the adult initiation process for children ages 7–18, and the Christians in Action (CIA) high school youth group meets Sunday evenings at 7 PM at the St. Rose Auditorium for community service, Prayer and Action, Totus Tuus, Steubenville Conferences, and the March for Life.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Atrium) — Pre-K–1st, Mondays 8–10 AM and 4–6 PM, Thursdays 3:45–5:45 PM; contact Lauren Kuhlman 620-983-3587
- PSR K–7th — Wednesday evenings 5:30 PM at Holy Family School (Sept–May); $45/student or $75/family cap
- Confirmation (8th grade) — Wednesday evenings 7:00–8:15 PM at St. Patrick Parish Center; contact Jaclyn Brown
- 9th–12th Grade Confirmation Session — Sunday 6:00–7:00 PM at St. Rose
- OCIA-Y (ages 7–18) — 2-year preparation, sacraments at Easter Vigil
- CIA Youth Group — Sundays 7:00 PM, St. Rose Auditorium
Holy Family Catholic School
Holy Family Catholic School, located at 4200 Broadway Ave, is the parish's parish-affiliated Catholic elementary school. It was founded in 1956 by Rev. John Bush and grew from the merger of St. Rose School and St. Patrick School after St. Rose School was demolished in 2002. The school embraces the philosophy that each student is a child of God, challenging each to live the Gospel message through Catholic traditions while achieving academic excellence. The school enrolls fewer than 500 students with an average class size of 22–25 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 20:1, served by 24 full-time teachers and staff. Debbie Hagans serves as principal.
- Founded 1956 by Rev. John Bush
- 4200 Broadway, Great Bend
- Phone: 620-793-3265
- Fax: 620-792-2798
- Principal: Debbie Hagans
- School Secretary: Angie Stoney
- Accredited by the Michigan Non-Public School Accrediting Association
- Average class size 22–25; 24 full-time staff; 20:1 student–teacher ratio
Liturgical Ministries
The parish invites parishioners to serve in a wide variety of liturgical roles at both church sites. Training is provided for altar servers after First Communion, and sign-up sheets for Holy Days are placed in the back of both churches. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion may also be commissioned to bring the Eucharist to the homebound. Contact Pastoral Assistant Luke Blair for more information.
- Altar Servers — trained after First Communion (3rd grade); adults welcome for funerals
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC)
- Lectors — receive a Lector Workbook at the start of each liturgical year
- Cantors — lead congregational singing at weekend, Holy Day, and funeral liturgies
- Musicians — organists, pianists, guitarists
- Greeters — arrive 20–30 minutes before Mass
- Ushers — guide seating, find gift bearers, sort collection per diocesan policy
- Gift Bearers
- Liturgy Leaders — announcements and Prayers of the Faithful
Parish Organizations and Councils
Prince of Peace Parish is supported by an active network of organizations and commissions. The Knights of Columbus council locally supports religious education, Special Olympics, Relay for Life, Camp Hope, the Dominican Sisters, seminarians, and other charitable causes. Parish commissions — including Stewardship and Vocation — are staffed by Luke Blair (pastoral ministry), Laken Rudolph (DRE & Youth Ministry), Sister Brigida (Spanish Ministry), and the priests of Prince of Peace, who serve ex officio on all commissions.
- Knights of Columbus — local council contact 620-793-3930
- Stewardship Commission
- Vocation Commission
- Pastoral Council
- Hospitality Commission
- Hispanic Pastoral Ministry (Sr. Brigida & Sr. Basilia, MCMI)
- Parish Registration (online and in person)
Parish Staff and Clergy
Prince of Peace Parish is served by priests of the Missionaries of the Holy Family (MSFS) and a lay staff dedicated to faith formation, Hispanic ministry, sacramental preparation, and administration.
- Pastor — Rev. Prakash Kola, MSFS (ext. 123)
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Amirtharian Duraisamy, MSFS (ext. 118)
- Pastoral Assistant & Director of Christian Initiation — Luke Blair (ext. 124)
- DRE & Youth Ministry Coordinator — Laken Rudolph (ext. 110)
- Hispanic Pastoral Ministers — Sr. Brigida, MCMI & Sr. Basilia, MCMI (ext. 115)
- Parish Secretary — Kathleen Stacey (ext. 120)
- Receptionist — Graciela Guereca (ext. 113)
- Bookkeeper — Pam Lichter (ext. 112)
- Confirmation contact — Jaclyn Brown
- Atrium contact — Lauren Kuhlman (620-983-3587)
Contact and Location
Parish office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The parish center and Holy Family School are both located along Broadway Avenue; the rectory is on Holland Street; St. Rose of Lima is on Baker Avenue.
- Parish Office — 4100 Broadway, PO Box 87, Great Bend, KS 67530-0087
- Phone — (620) 792-1396
- Parish Fax — (620) 792-3642
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — www.greatbendcatholic.com
- School Phone — (620) 793-3265
- School Fax — (620) 792-2798
- Office Hours — Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM