About Sts. Peter and Paul · Cawker City, Kansas
Saints Peter and Paul Parish is a small Catholic mission community in Cawker City, Kansas, in the north-central part of the state. Founded in 1878, the parish is part of the Diocese of Salina and has been a mission parish since 1979, currently served by Fr. Luke Thielen (with Fr. Emmanuel Mensah as parochial vicar) together with the parishes at Osborne, Downs, and Tipton. Its historic roots are German-Catholic, and its story is woven into the small farming community along Waconda Springs.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (Apostles)
- Rector
- Fr. Luke Thielen
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salina
Why belong here
Saints Peter and Paul is a tight-knit, historic rural Catholic community with deep German-Catholic roots going back to 1878. Members gather for weekly Mass on Saturday evening and Wednesday morning, with all-day Wednesday adoration and confessions offered before each Mass — a remarkable schedule of prayer for a parish of its size. Visitors are warmly welcomed into a parish family that, since 1979, has shared pastoral care and faith-formation life with the other Osborne County Catholic parishes of Osborne, Downs, and Tipton.
Mass times at Sts. Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before weekend Mass
- Sundays 7:30–8:00 am (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 am – 10:00 pm
History of Saints Peter and Paul Parish
Saints Peter and Paul traces its roots to 1873, when Father Albert Weikmann of Hanover first offered Mass in the Cawker City settlement. The cornerstone of the first frame church was laid in 1878, but the building was destroyed by a tornado in 1881 before being rebuilt. A stone church followed in 1884, with later additions for an entry, vestibule, and bell tower (1924) and a major extension (1901). The present church was dedicated in 1964 — and damaged by a tornado only three months later.
- 1873 – first Mass (Fr. Albert Weikmann)
- 1878 – cornerstone of first church
- 1881 – first church destroyed by tornado
- 1884 – stone church completed
- 1901 – stone church extended
- 1924 – entry, vestibule, bell tower added
- 1964 – new church dedicated, damaged by tornado three months later
- 1979 – reclassified as a mission parish
Parish Staff and Parish Life
Day-to-day parish life is carried by a small group of lay leaders. The Parish Council is chaired by Steve Weber; the Knights of Columbus are led by Randy Paxson; parish finances are managed by Sheila Paxson; Lisa LaRocque serves as Parish Manager; and Kathy Webster coordinates hall rentals. The parish also maintains its own Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, an important ministry to local Catholic families.
- Parish Council — Steve Weber
- Knights of Columbus — Randy Paxson
- Financial Manager — Sheila Paxson
- Parish Manager — Lisa LaRocque
- Hall Rental — Kathy Webster (785-545-5103)
- Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery — parish-maintained
German-Catholic Heritage
Until 1915, Mass at Saints Peter and Paul was celebrated in both German and English, reflecting the immigrant farming families who settled north-central Kansas in the 1870s. The parish still keeps this German-Catholic heritage alive through its historic church building, its cemetery, and its school legacy (St. Theresa's Academy, 1917–1969).
- Bilingual German/English Masses until 1915
- St. Theresa's Academy — 1917 to 1969
St. Theresa's Academy
Opened by the parish in 1917, St. Theresa's Academy served as the parish school for more than half a century before closing in 1969. Alumni still recall it as a centerpiece of parish and community life in mid-20th-century Cawker City.
- Operated 1917–1969
Osborne County Catholic Family of Parishes
Since 1979 Saints Peter and Paul has been a mission parish, currently clustered with three neighboring parishes under one pastoral team: St. Aloysius Gonzaga (Osborne), St. Mary (Downs), and St. Boniface (Tipton). The cluster shares a bulletin, web presence, and pastoral coverage under Fr. Luke Thielen and Fr. Emmanuel Mensah.
- St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish – Osborne
- St. Mary Parish – Downs
- St. Boniface Parish – Tipton
- Cluster site: osbornecountycatholic.org
Contact and Location
The parish mailing address is 612 12th Street, Cawker City, KS 67430 (PO Box 232). Telephone (785) 781-4319; email [email protected]. The parish shares its bulletin and website with the parent community at St. John the Baptist, Beloit (stjohnsbeloit.org).
- Address — 612 12th St., Cawker City, KS 67430
- Mailing — PO Box 232, Cawker City, KS 67430
- Phone — (785) 781-4319
- Email — [email protected]
- Web — stjohnsbeloit.org/cawkercity
- Facebook — Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church (Cawker City, KS)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Albert Weikmann1873–
Of Hanover; first to offer Mass in the Cawker City area.
- Father Louis Mollier
Came from St. Joseph parish in Cloud County.
- Father Louis Wahlmeier1913–1944 (retired); died 1958
Longest-serving pastor; assigned for his health to drink the mineral waters of nearby Waconda Springs.