Parish History

St. Joseph Parish was part of the five-country mission district after 1905 when the Capuchins began serving the area. The other mission churches were St. Anthony at St. Theresa (north of Leoti), St. Mary at Marienthal and St. Aloysius at Ransom. Later Mass was offered at Healy in a home and in a small church south of Dighton also. The Capuchins priests were stationed in Marienthal. 

St. Joseph Parish had its beginnings on March 11, 1911 when it was officially proclaimed and established as a congregation by the direction of Bishop John J Hennessey, Bishop of the Wichita Diocese. The newly formed parish was composed of families, totaling twenty-three members. They built their first church with a seating capacity of fifty worshipers at 410 North Washington. The frame church measured 24 feet by 40 feet.

The present brick structure, located at 1002 S Main, was dedicated on October 30, 1945. Father Felician Brookman, a Capuchin priest, was the pastor that is credited for the building of the new church although World War II was going on and government restrictions were in place for building structure. By 1944 the parish had grown to 25 families and 132 parishioners

The former rectory was built in 1952, brick garage in 1970 and the Parish School in 1969. The rectory and garage were moved and the school torn down for the new addition. The new addition was dedicated on June 19, 2011 with Rev. Warren Stecklein as pastor. 

Our parish was first in the Wichita Diocese and on May 19, 1951 the new Diocese of Dodge City as established, to which we belong to now. Presently we have 350 registered families and we continue to grow.