Leavenworth County Churches
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Kickapoo
"History of Leavenworth County," 1921
The Kickapoo Catholic Church, known as the Sacred Heart Church
of Kickapoo, has an interesting history. The settlers of Kickapoo and
vicinity were among the very first in the county of Leavenworth as well
as the territory of Kansas. Among them were a number of devout
Catholics. Bishop Miege, after establishing his residence in the city of
Leavenworth, furnished the parish and vicinity with the services of a
priest who at first was required to say mass in private residences in the
neighborhood, the Catholic mission houses at the place having been abandoned. For a number of years the Catholic families of the vicinity were
forced to do without a church, owing to the bigotry of the Kickapoo Town
Company, who blocked every effort on the part of the Catholics to get
ground on which to build a church. At length a tract of land was donated
to the Catholics to be used for church purposes by Theodore Meyers, an
early day resident of the city and community and a church was built.
The priests of St. Joseph's Church were among the first to go to
Kickapoo. Among the pastors of the church were Rev. M. Huhn, Rev.
J. Hurley, Rev. James O'Reilly, Rev. T. H. Kinsella, Rev. J. A. Shorter,
Rev. A. Jennings, Rev. T. J. McCaul and Rev. J. M. Dougherty It was
during Father Kinsella's pastorate that the old frame church originally
built was remodeled. A vestibule was added to it during Father Shorter' s
term as pastor.
When Father Dougherty was in charge he found it necessary to build
a larger and better church. It was during his term as pastor that the
beautiful brick church was erected that stands there today. After Father
Dougherty considered that all his time should be taken up with the church
at the fort, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Ward placed the care of the Kickapoo
Church under that of the cathedral clergy. Rev. B. S. Kelly being rector
there, the Rev. Thomas McNamara, assistant at the cathedral, usually
held divine services at the Kickapoo Church. He built there a modern
two-story brick rectory and was appointed resident pastor. Upon Rev.
Father McNamara's being transferred to Blaine, Kansas, the Rev. R. B.
Groener was appointed resident pastor at Kickapoo. Father Groener at
the present time has complete charge of the Kickapoo parish.
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