Our History

Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish celebrated 100 years of faith in 2006. However, our history actually dates back over 125 years ago in a rural farming community whose history has deep roots in the Kansas plains.

William Schwartz and Anthony Vohs received a parcel of land in payment for back wages. The year was 1858 and only four years after Kansas was declared an organized territory. The Wea Indians, giving our community its name, previously occupied this land. William's brother, Jacob, and Anthony's brother, Joseph, joined the original two men in 1860 and created what is known as the Wea Catholic Community.

By 1869, the congregation grew to the point where it was imperative to them that they build a church rather than meet in members' homes. The first church was started in 1869 and completed and dedicated in 1870 to the Blessed Virgin under the title of Queen of the Holy Rosary. The community remained a mission church until 1887 when Fr. Augustine Wieners came as pastor. A rectory and school were quickly added to the parish buildings in the ensuing years.

In 1895, it was decided to build a new, larger church. A brick structure was constructed at a cost of $15,000. The architect was Mr. Q. V McAfee of Garnett. On Sunday, April 9, 1905, a storm arose, and a bolt of lightning struck the steeple. The structure was reduced to ashes.

The services of Mr. McAfee were once again enlisted to rebuild the church. When it was nearly complete, a cyclone struck the building and reduced it to rubble. But the parishioners of Wea would not be defeated. They once again rebuilt, and the church we now worship in was dedicated on May 29, 1906.

In the years following, several pastors served their terms with the Wea Catholic Community. The physical plant of the parish continued to grow and to be modernized. Sisters from the Ursuline community in Paola came to educate the children of Wea. Fr. Henry Freisberg was appointed pastor in 1915. He was determined that the children of Wea would receive not only a Catholic elementary education but also a Catholic high school education.

The plans were drawn, and the building housing the elementary school, the high school, and a parish gathering facility were erected and opened for the school year in September 1921. Queen of the Holy Rosary School provided Catholic education to children for nearly 50 years until financial conditions forced the closing of the school in 1970.

However, the parish continued to grow. The increasing number of families proved that the current gathering facilities in the old school building were rapidly becoming too small. And the increasing number of young children made the return of a parochial school paramount in the minds of the parishioners.

A parish master plan was developed, and 1996 marked a turning point for the parish. It was decided to proceed with a Fund Drive to seek pledges to construct a school and a social gathering place. Pledges were made in excess of $900,000, and the plans were drawn and permission received from the Archdiocese to build the facility. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 17, 1999, with Archbishop James P. Keleher and Fr. Tony Lickteig presiding over the joyous event. A second phase Fund Drive was held in the Fall of 1999 with pledges totaling an additional $1,400,000. The school opened in August 2000, and in 2005, the first class graduated from the new Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic School. The school continues to offer Catholic education to preschool through eighth grade. 

Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church remains standing as a monument to our Catholic faith. We are certain that the founding fathers of our community would be amazed at the growth of our community and the beauty of our faith that has been passed along from past generations.