About St. Stanislaus · Rossville, Kansas
St. Stanislaus Catholic Church is a small, historic parish serving the rural community of Rossville, Kansas, in the northeastern part of the state. Founded in 1899 by Jesuit missionaries from St. Marys and named for St. Stanislaus Kostka, the parish has served Catholic families in Rossville, Silver Lake, Willard, and Maple Hill for more than 125 years. It is part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and is currently served from nearby Immaculate Conception in St. Marys. The parish is known for its warm rural-welcome, traditional Sunday Mass, daily adoration, weekly reconciliation, and a vibrant religious education program for children and youth.
- Established
- 1899
- Patron
- St. Stanislaus Kostka
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas (served from Immaculate Conception, St. Marys)
Why belong here
St. Stanislaus offers a welcoming, small-parish Catholic home with traditional devotions at the heart of its life — daily adoration open Sunday through Friday afternoons, weekly Sunday reconciliation before Mass, and a monthly Parish Family Holy Hour with Vespers and Benediction. Families are served through Religious Education for preschool through 6th grade, a Confirmation class, and Junior High and High School Youth Groups, and the parish keeps close ties with surrounding Catholic communities in Silver Lake, Willard, and Maple Hill as part of one multi-town mission.
Mass times at St. Stanislaus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays at 7:30 AM (before 9:00 AM Mass)
Adoration times
- Open Church and Adoration: Sunday through Friday, 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- Parish Family Holy Hour with Adoration, Vespers and Benediction: 4th Sunday of the month at 5:00 PM
History of St. Stanislaus Parish
Before St. Stanislaus became a reality in Rossville, Mass was held monthly in Fritz Hall, with local girls accompanying the Jesuit Father Krier from St. Marys to sing in the choir. The cornerstone of the original mission church was laid by Bishop Fink on June 18, 1899 — during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII — and the completed church was dedicated on October 29, 1899. The parish grew steadily through the 20th century, adding a brick extension and basement in 1975–76, dedicating Dekat Hall in 1998, and building a new ~400-seat worship space in 2012 funded in large part by a $1.1 million gift from Don and Kathleen Damon. The parish today encompasses the four communities of Rossville, Silver Lake, Willard, and Maple Hill.
- Cornerstone laid June 18, 1899; church dedicated October 29, 1899
- Pastor's funding campaign: Father John B. Kokenge, S.J. raised about $1,100
- 1967: parish purchased the home across the street for catechetical classes
- 1975–76: $20,000 renovation added brick extension and basement
- 1998: Dekat Hall dedicated and mortgage paid off
- 2009: $1.1 million Damon family gift launched new-church campaign
- 2012: new ~400-seat church built near the original site
- Reverend J.H. Naismith (inventor of basketball) served as pastor 1922–1923
Mass & Worship Schedule
The parish celebrates Mass in English with a steady weekly rhythm — Sunday morning is the principal liturgy, joined by midweek Masses on Wednesday and Friday. Friday Mass is also the monthly Homeschool Mass on the first Friday of the month. Reconciliation is offered each Sunday before Mass.
- Sunday — 9:00 AM (English)
- Wednesday — 8:00 AM (English)
- Friday — 10:00 AM (English); Homeschool Mass on the 1st Friday
- Reconciliation — Sundays at 7:30 AM
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
St. Stanislaus runs a full parish-based religious education program for children and youth. Religious Education classes serve preschool through 6th grade, a Confirmation class prepares older students for the sacrament, and Junior High and High School youth groups meet regularly. Registration is handled online through the parish website with payment via Easy Tithe.
- Religious Education — Preschool through 6th grade
- Confirmation Class
- Junior High Youth Group
- High School Youth Group
- Online registration available on the parish website via Easy Tithe
Parish Community & Location
St. Stanislaus is a small, rural parish serving four northeast-Kansas communities: Rossville, Silver Lake, Willard, and Maple Hill. It is one of several parishes overseen from Immaculate Conception in St. Marys within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The church building sits on Main Street in the town of Rossville; the parish mailing address is PO Box 794, Rossville, KS 66533.
- Mailing: PO Box 794, Rossville, KS 66533
- Worship site: 701 Main Street, Rossville, KS 66533
- Served from Immaculate Conception, St. Marys, in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
- Serves Rossville, Silver Lake, Willard, and Maple Hill
Stay Connected
Parishioners can stay up to date through the parish's official website, Facebook page, and Flocknote email/text messaging. The current weekly bulletin and registration links for religious education are accessible from the homepage.
- Official website: http://ststansrossville.org/
- Facebook: facebook.com/ststanislausrossville
- Flocknote email/text updates (linked from parish homepage)
- Phone: (785) 584-6612
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John B. Kokenge, S.J.founding pastor, 1899
Jesuit priest who collected about $1,100 and built the original mission church; cornerstone laid by Bishop Fink on June 18, 1899.
- Reverend J.H. Naismith1922–1923
Notably the originator of the game of basketball.
- Gus Kassebaum1915–1954
Lay trustee (not a pastor) who served for 39 years.