St. Joseph Catholic Parish

LOCATION

210 W. 13th
P.O. Drawer 1000
Hays, KS 67601
telephone: 785.625.7356

HISTORY

The Parish of St. Joseph traces its history back to the early days of Fort Hays, when Father F. Fogarty of the parish in Solomon and Father Adolf Wibbert from Salina would come to minister to the Catholic settlers at the Fort.  Beginning in 1876, Rev. Martin Huhn came out from Epiphany Parish in Leavenworth to minister to the growing number of Volga Germans in the county.

In 1879, the a 42x22 feet frame building was constructed which served as the congregation's first permanent home.  On 15 August 1886, the cornerstone was laid for a new facility.  It was 72 feet long, 32 feet wide, and 21 feet high.  It was dedicated on 6 March 1887.

The congregation's third church building was begun on 3 June 1901 with the cornerstone being laid on 28 November 1901.  It was dedicated on 12 June 1904, but heating facilities were not installed until March, 1905.  This building is still in use.

Today, many Volga German families who have moved to Hays worship at St. Joseph.

PRIESTS

The St. Joseph Parish in Hays has been served by the following priests. Beginning with Father Anastasius Müller, they have all been members of the Capuchin Order:

Adolf Wibbert (1876)
Valentine Sommereisen (1876-1878)
Anastasius Müller (1878-1887)
Anthony Berger (1887-1891)
Martin Muelders (1891-1897)
Emmeram Kausler (1897-1900)
Mark Haas (1900-1903)
Richard Dei (1903-1906)
Cassian Hartl (1906-1909)
Charles Speckert (1909-1912)
Anthony Bukart (1912-1913)
Paul Werr (1913-1914)
Jerome Mueller (1914-1915)
Dominic Schuster (1915-1918)
Anslem Mueller (1918-1919)
Ignatius Weisbruch (1919-1921)
Bernardine Kuhlmann (1921-1922)
Thomas Petrrie (1922-1927)
Gregory Leoback (1927-1929)
George Karlin (1929-1933)
Ignatius Weisbruch (1933-1936)
Justine Waltz (1936-1939)
Ignatius Weisbruch (1939-1941)
Irenaeus Reinl (1941-1942)
Robert Meis (1942-1943)
Alfred Carney (1943-1956)
Bertrand Brookman (1956-1966)
Owen Schellhase (1966-1969)
Thomas Haywood (1969-1976)
John D. Harvey (1976-1977)
Julian Haas (1977-1983)
Earl Meyer (1983-1987)
Felix Petrovsky (1989-1995)
Mike Scully (1995-2001)
Frank Grinko (2001-2003)
Gilmary Tallman (2003-2011)
Mike Scully (2011-2012)
Earl Befort (2012-)