Shawn McKnight, archbishop | Diocese of Witchita
St. Rose of Lima Parish in Mt. Vernon has experienced significant growth since the completion of its new church building in 2021, with parish membership doubling over the past four years. The parish community marked this expansion and its accomplishments during a recent celebration that included a golf tournament and St. Rose Day festivities on August 23.
The annual golf tournament saw record participation, attributed to strong support from parishioners, friends, and sponsors. Later that evening, attendees gathered for St. Rose Day, featuring dueling pianos, homemade ice cream, and a fireworks display to celebrate both the parish’s feast day and the successful payoff of the new church’s construction debt in just three and a half years.
A highlight of the event was the drawing for a car raffle, which sold more than 500 tickets. The vehicle was donated by Jeff Schira, a Catholic from Texas who contributed after learning about the parish’s rapid growth while passing through Kansas. He dedicated his gift in memory of his late brother.
At present, St. Rose of Lima is focusing on its capital campaign aimed at constructing a new Discipleship Center to accommodate faith formation programs and outreach activities as current facilities are aging and require substantial repairs. Parish leaders believe that new space is essential for continuing their mission amid growing numbers.
Fr. Daniel Duling commented on these developments: “The most exciting thing about all this project is to see the future of our parish and everything that’s happening around us,” he said. “Since we built this church, our parish families have doubled in size; we weren’t expecting that. We built the new church thinking we would grow into it over the next 10-15 years. We have been in the new church four years and we are filling it up. But with this rapid growth comes its own challenges like space for our programs and ministries. The space we do have is in such disrepair that it would cost us more to keep it up or repair than to build something new. If we don’t do something now, we are going to hinder the growth of our parish.”
Longtime member Matt Albers also reflected on what lies ahead: “What excites us most about this project is the opportunity to pass along facilities that will continue to grow the family and community at St. Rose, as well as help make disciples,” he said. “The church is a living tradition, so we have all been called to make disciples. This next phase will do that.”
The existing schoolhouse has served as an important gathering place but now faces major infrastructure issues such as outdated HVAC and electrical systems—factors contributing to plans for transition into newer facilities.
Parishioners and supporters can find more information or contribute by visiting strosemtvernon.com/capital-campaign.