The Immaculata Catholic Church

Owner: Society of St. Pius X/ St. Mary’s Academy & College

Size: 66,400 sf; seats 1,580

Services provided: programming, master planning, site planning, architectural design, interior design, liturgical design, fundraising support, construction administration

The traditional Roman Catholic community of the Fraternal Society of St. Pius X purchased the former Jesuit college and seminary in St. Marys, Kansas, in large part due to the magnificent gothic church edifice standing in the middle of campus. Restoration of the church was nearly complete when an electrical short caused a fire in the choir loft in November 1978. By the time the fire was brought under control, the roof was gone, the interior completely gutted, some of the priceless stained glass windows broken. Efforts to rebuild the Immaculata commenced at once, but before work could progress, windstorms toppled the surviving stone walls.

Through the decades, various plans were made for the reconstruction of the Immaculata. But none of these efforts progressed. By the year 2000, the parish had grown to over 2,000 members. The then current rebuilding plans would encompass a 500-seat chapel, which would not even begin to serve the needs of the growing parish and school. Plans to rebuild the Immaculata in its original form were halted and a committee was established to investigate the feasibility of constructing a completely new chapel to meet the needs of St. Mary’s.

In 2017, the decision was made that the New Immaculata should be built north of the academic campus, adjacent to the cemetery. The new church, cruciform in plan, includes a baptistery, reliquary chapel, eight confessionals, four side chapels, and a sanctuary encircled by an arcaded ambulatory. A cry room sits above the narthex, with the choir loft above. Two bell towers flank the front facade. Five custom bronze bells can be heard across the prairie landscape summoning the faithful. The crossing of the church is crowned by a twelve-sided cupola. A statue of Our Lady gazes over St. Marys and the Kansas River valley from atop the cupola. The topography of the site allows for a walk-out basement that houses parish offices, a multi-purpose parish hall, classrooms, and restrooms.