Though a church wasn’t built in Columbus until 1916 by Father Thomas Groman, the area’s church history goes back much farther than that. The tireless Jesuit Father Paul Ponzglione established a mission here in 1858. A notation in this much-traveled priest’s journal states that this mission “was established among Osage half-breeds” at Mr. LaForce’s house. It must have been an interesting era.
Saint Rose wasn’t to have a priest of its own until 1949 when a new rectory was built and Father Francis O’Donoghue moved into it. He also had responsibility for Immaculate Conception at Mineral. Those who went before him were Father J.P. Flynn who took care of things at Columbus and Baxter Springs from his pastorate at Galena from 1923 until 1936 and Father Forrest Barker who had the same arrangement. Father Luke Carroll was pro-tem pastor at Columbus and Mineral until the first resident pastor arrived. Father Robert Pepe was to get this assignment twice – the first time in 1953 when he stayed for 10 years until his return once again in 1976 until 1986. The Saint Rose School of Columbus was an interparochial project under his direction which received Bishop Carroll’s blessing in 1959.
A new church went up under the supervision of Father Daniel Mulvihill in 1965, two years after he arrived. It is situated at the corner of Walnut and Pennsylvania Streets.
The present pastor of the parish is Father Jeremy Huser.
Father Jeremy’s Emergency Number is 620-202-2579
Columbus Residence and Rectory
Phone: 620-429-2639
– Church Location –
115 West Walnut Street
Columbus, KS
Cherokee County Kansas Catholic Parishes 