About St. Theresa · Perry, Kansas
St. Theresa Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the small town of Perry, Kansas, in the northeastern part of the state near Lake Perry. Founded in 1880 and originally known as St. Cecilia, the parish took its present name in 1925 when St. Thérèse of Lisieux was canonized. Today the parish serves roughly 120 families and is part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, currently pastored by Father John Kolencherry, OFM Cap., who also serves nearby St. Aloysius in Meriden.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux (the Little Flower)
- Rector
- Father John Kolencherry, OFM Cap.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
St. Theresa is a small but deeply rooted rural parish where multiple generations of the same families have worshipped together since the 1800s — founding families like the Mulvihills and Quinlans are still honored in the stained-glass windows. With about 120 households, daily Mass four days a week, weekly Confession, First Friday Adoration, an active parish choir (with members who have sung together for decades), a Parish Center dedicated in 2012, and a Franciscan Capuchin pastor, it offers the kind of close-knit faith community that is increasingly rare.
Mass times at St. Theresa
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
- Friday: 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
- Saturday: 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
- First Friday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Adoration times
- First Friday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (with Confession)
Parish History
Catholic life in Perry dates to 1880, when Father Francis Kraus came by railroad hand car from Newman to visit the area's Catholic families. The first frame church — dedicated in 1884 under the patronage of St. Cecilia — was eventually replaced by the present brick Gothic church, whose cornerstone was laid in 1925 and which Bishop Francis Johannes dedicated on October 3, 1929. The parish took the name St. Theresa in 1925 to honor St. Thérèse of Lisieux, canonized that same year.
- 1880 – parish founded; Father Francis Kraus first visits Perry
- 1884 – first church dedicated as St. Cecilia
- 1902 – Benedictine Sisters from Atchison open the parish school
- 1918–1926 – Father Daniel O'Reilly plans the new church
- 1925 – cornerstone laid; parish renamed St. Theresa (May 17 canonization)
- 1929 – Bishop Francis Johannes dedicates the new Gothic brick church
- 1980 – Centennial Mass with Archbishop Strecker; parish hall remodeled
- 1996–2001 – accessibility ramps, interior renovation, tuck-pointing
- 2005 – 125th Anniversary celebrated with Archbishop Joseph Naumann
- 2011–2012 – new Parish Center built and dedicated
- August 23, 2025 – 145th anniversary / 100th cornerstone anniversary Mass with Archbishop Shawn McKnight
Worship & Liturgy
St. Theresa offers daily Mass four days a week in English, with weekly Confession before weekday Masses and a special First Friday hour of Adoration and Confession in the evening. The parish choir is a multigenerational ministry; at the 2025 anniversary Mass, longtime member Ann Hurd (in the choir since childhood) sang alongside family members who have performed three-part harmony for decades.
- Sunday Mass: 8:45 AM
- Weekday Masses: Wed 8:30 AM, Fri 8:30 AM, Sat 8:30 AM
- Weekly Confessions: Wed, Fri and Sat 7:45–8:15 AM
- First Friday Adoration & Confession: 5:00–6:00 PM
- Active parish choir (three-part harmony tradition)
The Church Building
The 1925–1929 Gothic brick church seats about 280 and was built at a cost of $33,000. Major 1997 renovations re-plastered, painted and carpeted the interior, added oak furnishings echoing the original communion rail, incorporated the 1925 tabernacle door into a new tabernacle, installed new stained-glass windows honoring parish families, and opened four Gothic windows that had been sealed since the church was built. The Stations of the Cross and several statues were repainted, and a new organ and piano were added.
- Gothic-style brick exterior; ~280-seat sanctuary
- Original 1925 tabernacle door preserved in new tabernacle
- New stained-glass windows with handcrafted oak frames (1997)
- Four Gothic windows opened to the sanctuary in 1997
- New oak altar, ambo, tabernacle stand and statue shelves (1997)
- Air conditioning installed 1968; new roof 1973; tuck-pointing completed 2001
Parish Center
Ground was broken for a new Parish Center on October 9, 2011, with Father Tom Aduri leading the effort and a loan from the Archdiocese, plus a parish pledge campaign, financing the $561,000 project. The Knights of Columbus participated in the dedication Mass on September 9, 2012, presided over by Archbishop Joseph Naumann. The 7,800-square-foot building serves as the hub for parish life, faith formation classes and gatherings.
- Seven thousand eight hundred square feet
- Six classrooms, large hall, two storage rooms, kitchen, two office spaces and restrooms
- Cost: $561,000
- Groundbreaking: October 9, 2011
- Dedication: September 9, 2012, by Archbishop Joseph Naumann
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education classes meet on Wednesdays at the Parish Center, continuing a tradition of Catholic schooling in Perry that dates back to 1902, when the Benedictine Sisters from Atchison arrived to teach about thirty students in the parish school.
- Religious Education held on Wednesdays
- Classes held in the Parish Center (dedicated 2012)
- Parish school tradition rooted in the 1902 Benedictine Sisters' school
Clergy & Staff
St. Theresa has been pastored since July 2024 by Father John Kolencherry, OFM Cap., a Franciscan Capuchin priest from India who also serves as pastor of St. Aloysius Parish in Meriden. He previously served as an associate pastor at St. John the Evangelist in Lawrence, Kansas, and spent 17 years in missionary work in Malawi before assignments with the Capuchin Mid-American Province in Denver, including chaplaincy at Catholic Charities and hospitals.
- Father John Kolencherry, OFM Cap. — Pastor (since July 2024)
- Parish office: [email protected]; (785) 597-5656
- Father Tom Aduri — led the Parish Center project
- Father Francis Hund and Father Bob Hasenkamp — former pastors
Parish Life & Community
With about 120 families, St. Theresa is a tight-knit rural parish where families like the Mulvihills (parishioners since 1895) and Quinlans (charter members) remain central to parish identity and are honored in the stained glass. The Knights of Columbus council actively supports the parish, as it did at the 2012 Parish Center dedication. Parishioner-run bazaars and pledge campaigns have funded most major improvements over the decades.
- Approximately 120 families
- Multigenerational family involvement (Mulvihill, Quinlan, Hurd families cited)
- Knights of Columbus council
- Parish Bazaar as a key fundraiser
Visit & Contact
The parish is located at 209 E. 3rd Street in Perry, with a mailing address of PO Box 42, Perry, KS 66073. Visitors can call (785) 597-5656 or email [email protected] for information about Mass, sacraments or scheduling. The most recent parish schedule can be found in the parish bulletin.
- Address: 209 E. 3rd Street, Perry, KS 66073
- Mailing: PO Box 42, Perry, KS 66073
- Phone: (785) 597-5656
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.sttheresainperry.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sttheresainperry/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis Kraus1880 (founding visit)
Came from Newman on a railroad hand car to minister to the first ~20 Catholic families in Perry.
- Father Daniel O'Reilly1918–1926
Planned and began construction of the present brick Gothic church.
- Father Tom Aduri
Led the planning, pledge campaign and construction of the Parish Center (groundbreaking October 9, 2011).
- Father Francis Hund
Former pastor; concelebrated the August 23, 2025 anniversary Mass.
- Father Bob Hasenkamp
Former pastor; concelebrated the August 23, 2025 anniversary Mass.
- Father John Kolencherry, OFM Cap.July 2024–present
Current pastor; also pastor of St. Aloysius Parish in Meriden. A Franciscan Capuchin priest from India, ordained 28+ years.