History of Holy Angels Catholic Church

Though for many years the Catholic families in this community had no church in which to worship, the priests stationed in Leavenworth did not neglect them. A priest would come out to say Mass for those who could congregate at some private home. Father Kuhls, one of the first of such men to minister to those families, traveled over this part of the country saying Mass for this people in homes and in railroad camps. He rode as many as thirty and forty miles in this locality to bring the gospel to those hungry to hear it. For a time, Mass was said only four or five times a year.  It seems to be an accepted fact that Mass was said in the Matthew Ryan home, where the Houstons then lived, and in the old Donnelly home. The Houston home was northwest of the James Sheehan place, which at present time is owned by Jim Dalton and Leonard Starcher, while the Donnelly home was just a mile east of the cemetery, now owned by Harvey Peterson Jr.   Mrs. Joseph Klamet was a Houston. Miss Margaret Donnelly owned the old home place. The priest used to come to their home Saturday evening and stay overnight. It seems the priest always stayed there overnight. Mrs. Donnelly baked the Altar breads and prepared things for Mass. Father Cunningham, later Bishop of Concordia, and Father Perrier, said Mass in that house. Mr. John Murphy, a member of the parish, was baptized in one of those houses. 

    The cemetery ten acres, located two miles south of Hoge Station, and three miles west of the town of Basehor, were deeded to Bishop John B. Meige for a parish, by the Kansas Pacific Railroad, to help sell the land to settlers. The builders of the railroad were given ten miles on either side of the right-of-way to sell to speculators or settlers. This was in 1860 or somewhere near that time. The deed was recorded in 1878 by Bishop Meige. 

    In researching a history such as this, one finds it necessary to consult the long-time residents. But one finds it difficult to get date and fact to correspond with each other. Most of the people can remember the fact, but the actual date seems to escape the memory. 

    By this time there were a number of Catholic families living in the community now known as Hoge during the early days of statehood, and a congregation was organized there in 1866 by Rev. Aloysius Laigneil, S.J., who resided at the Cathedral in Leavenworth, and a church was built and placed under the invocation of the Holy Angels. 

    Hoge was a railroad station, which thru the years boasted a post office, a grocery store, a creamery, and a blacksmith shop, none of which are left. 

    Mrs. Mary Jane Donnelly seems to have been instrumental in starting the church at the cemetery site. William Fulton, Patrick Fulton's uncle, later purchased the adjoining land. Mrs. Donnelly contributed the money necessary to have the rock carved. This money she raised by boarding the stone masons, Mr. Robert Dickinson and Mr. Reyburn. 

    The following year Rev. Laigneil was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. Ambrose Butler, who before the end of the year 1867, was replaced by Rev. Joseph Perrier, who remained four years. After joining the new Diocese of Concordia, Father Perrier was made a monsignor. He died Dec. 31, 1917. 

    The rock for the first sand-stone church and the addition that was later made were obtained from the Fulton now the Milton Meyer property, and Ford farms, the Donald Sons property. The first structure was sixteen by twenty-four feet. At that time, it was necessary to bring chairs along to the services, as the church was not furnished with pews. 

    Rectors of the Holy Angels' Church at Hoge from 1871 to 1874 included Rev. John Murphy, Rev J. Dougherty and Rev. P.J. Tuit. In 1874, Rev. Ambrose Butler, a young priest ordained in Ireland, returned and remained until 1875. A petition was circulated to keep him, but to no avail. His successor was the Rev. John Leary, who remained until 1879. Rev. Butler died in St. Louis in 1971. 

    The next rectors in the succession in which they held the pastorate were Rev. Michael Browne, then Rev. Barnard Hayden, who was commonly known as the blind priest. His sister used to read to him, though he was able to read the gospel and to read Mass. He died in 1905. The next priest was Rev. Michael Harrington, followed by Rev. Peter Bishop, Rev. James McNamee, Rev Patrick Shields, Rev. M.D. Cavanaugh, Rev. P.J. Kennedy, Rev. Sylvester Meehan, Rev. Eugene Dekat and Rev. Thomas J. McCaul. The Rev McNamee and McCaul died while at Hoge in the charge there. Father McCaul was buried beside Father McNamee. 

    Father Dekat, who came in 1902, built a parish hall near the road in the northeast corner. He was later appointed pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Kansas City, KS. 

    The addition to the first church was begun by Father John F. Leary. The east side was torn out to permit the building of the addition. This first church was known as the Church of the Holy Angels. Some say that the addition was completed by Father Michael Browne. 

    Henry Sheehan, an uncle of Frank and Leonard Sheehan, was probably the first child to be baptized in the first church. At that time the parish consisted of only fifteen or sixteen families. Some of the earliest Catholic families were Murphy, Brennen, Kennedy, Geagen, Dempsey, Callagan, Carrols, Cunningham, Lynch, O'Keefe, Saunders, Michael and James Kelly, McCarthy, McCaffery, Curry, Donnelly, Eibes, Davoren, and McGraw. Some who came later were McAulif, Sheehan, Howard, Larkin, Doege, Swann, O'Sullivan, McCormick, Klamet and Donovan. 

    Father Jerome Towmey followed in 1911. During his administration, the old sandstone church was torn down and a large beautiful brick edifice in the Gothic architecture was erected in its place. During the process of the building, Mass was said in the Parish Hall. The cornerstone was laid July 1, 1913. The new church was used for Mass the first time on Christmas Day, 1913. It was dedicated by Father Towmey, March 17, 1914, to St. Patrick, which accounts for the change of name from Holy Angels' to St. Patrick. The material of the old church was used in the new. There was also a parish house, connected to the church building by an enclosed passageway and the aforementioned Parish Hall, in which picnics and community social gatherings were held. It had a stage equipped for a restaurant. 

    These structures were equipped with a light plant and a steam heating plant. Father Towmey had also built two cisterns, had a well drilled and installed three light plants. The first one seemed to have been totally unsuccessful. The flow gas system proved unsatisfactory because of the difficulty of securing it. The last electric system was a Delco light plant.

From a newspaper clipping; "The church which for substantiality of structure, artistic appearance inside and out thru beautiful Gothic simplicity, and elegance of appointments will not be excelled far and wide. 

"A clear morning, with a refreshing Kansas breeze found hundreds of people at the church to assist at the dedication. Bishop Ward, surrounded by some 25 visiting clergy, dedicated church. Those assisting at the Solemn High Mass were: Celebrant, Father Dekat; Deacon, Father Griffin; Sub-Deacon, Father Budreau; Master of ceremonies, Father Sigismund, O.F.M.; Assistant to the Bishop, Father Doherty, O.S.D.; Deacon of Honor, Very Rev. Father Shorter and Father Doherty ,O.S.D." 

Francis McNamee, son of Mr. and Mrs. William E. McNamee, was the first baby to be baptized in this church.

Father Twomey was removed in 1922 to be succeeded by Father O'Farrell, then pastor of the Cathedral parish in Leavenworth. On Dec. 28, 1923, ten years almost to the day of the first mass, the rectory and church, which had been the pride of its parishioners, was destroyed by fire. 

When the parish church was rebuilt, instead of building on the same site, it was built in the town of Basehor, three miles to the east. 

The cornerstone was laid in the fall of 1924. Father O'Farrell was moved after the church and rectory were completed. The debt on the new church was $4,000. Father Patrick Smith came next, but was here for only a year. Because of the greatness of the debt, which amounted to $8,000 (a $4,000 debt previous to the new church), Father Smith had to borrow money to pay the interest. So the debt amounted to $8,400 when Father C.J. Williams came Sept. 20, 1925. During Father Williams' pastorate the debt was reduced by $600. 

Father McNamara came to St. Patrick's March 29, 1927, from Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. During his stay, there was a fire in the church which did considerable damage, caused by the furnace. The debt was reduced to $6,000 during his pastorate. 

Father McNamara's successor was the Rev. Joseph McNamus, who was here from 1930 until 1935. During these five years the debt was reduced to $2,100. 

The first baptism in this new St. Patrick's Church was Aileen Reardon Sheehan and Monica Medill in May of 1924.  Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hedge were the first couple to be married in this church. Mrs. Charles Hedge was the former Miss Loretta Roach of Basehor. 

The clergy following included Rev. A.N. Koch, Rev. Norbert Wavada, O.S.D., Rev Leo V. Ahern, Rev. Leo T. Lutz. Rev. Harry A. Imhoff, who was ordained June 7, 1941, came to the parish in 1945. He died of a heart attack, while in pastorate here, June 28, 1960 at the age of 48.  Rev. John Fennerty was here in July and August of 1960. Rev. Donald Schwalm came in Sept. of 1960. 

The parish had spent considerable money on repairing the church on the corner and decided to build a new one. The old church was razed in January 1961, and they contracted to build a new one in March, 1962 at a cost of $136,000, on the newly acquired 30 acres located just one block east of the old one. During the building process, Mass was heard in the parish hall, now the Knights of Columbus Hall. This hall was built in 1946 by a number of the parishioners. 

The dedication was held Sept. 30, 1962, and the name of the church was changed back to the original name of the Hoge Church, Church of the Holy Angels. 

The first event held in the newly dedicated church was the funeral mass of Tony Unrein. 

Many appointments within the new edifice held special significance. For instance, the Stations of the Cross were designed by Sister Roberts Allen, of the Ursuline Order in Paola. Sister Allen also designed the windows. 

The Pastors since Rev. Schwalm, who left in 1971, included Rev. J.J. Grosididier, who left in February of 1975 due to illness. He resided at Brothers of Mercy in Kansas City, Mo. until his death Nov. 26, 1976. The Rev. Davoren of the Saviour of the World Seminary supplied the pulpit until Rev. John J. Quinlan was appointed in September 1975.  The Rev. Quinlan was the Vicar General and Assistant to the Archbishop. Rev. Quinlan died Dec. 12, 1983. Because of his love for the parish, he chose to be buried at Holy Angels Cemetery. 

During his illness, Fr. Muhr filled in for Fr. Quinlan until Rev. Thomas Tank was appointed in Aug. of 1983. 

During Fr. Quinlan's pastorate, the church was remodeled in 1982 and also plans for a new parish hall were begun. Rev. Donald Goens was assigned in Feb. 1984. Under his pastorate the new hall was completed. The new hall was dedicated Dec. 9, 1984 by Archbishop Ignatius Strecker, given the name Fr. Quinlan Hall, in memory of Fr. John Quinlan. 

Fr. Helget of Atchison filled in for Fr. Goens during peroids of illness. Since a stroke in Dec. 1984, Fr. Goens has resided at Mount St. Joseph Home. Following this, Fr. Michael Mullins, and Fr. Bergman of Saviour of the World Seminary cared for the parish until the appointment of Rev. Vincent Kongs in July of 1985. 

In the summer of 1987, new siding was put on both the church and the rectory. Also, a garage was added to the rectory. Repair work was also done on the chimneys of both the church and the rectory after damage from lightning. 

With well over 150 families in the parish, the church keeps active in serving the people. It has done well in the 120 years of its existence, with the joys and the sorrows that are prevalent in the work of this nature, and in the lives of the parishioners. The foundations were laid by those early rugged individuals who felt the need for a united congregation of God, and did not hesitate to make the effort. Because of them, surely they and we are truly blessed. 

(Original article written by Aileen Seeman in 1976.  Updated by Joyce Bowlin in 1988.)