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October 17, 2019NEWKIRK – On Oct. 5, Saint Francis of Assisi in Newkirk celebrated its 125 th anniversary.
The parish marked the occasion with a pet blessing in the morning in honor of their patron saint, Saint Francis of Assisi, and an anniversary Mass and catered meal in the evening.
More than 200 current and former parishioners attended the events that included Newkirk local, Hannah Cross, performing an historical skit about World War I. The skit was about parishioner Agnes Wanko Shoonvoer and her journey toward the faith.
Theresa Horinek, a parishioner at Saint Francis said, “It was a great celebration with everyone lingering to visit with friends and family. I am so thankful for the many parishioners who assisted in the planning and preparation for the event.”
In 1884, just after the Cherokee Strip had opened, a Benedictine priest named Father Iserman offered Sunday Masses to Catholic families at Mrs. John Smith’s house. Later that year, a store building was bought for $150 as a temporary church location. That building was moved to the corner of 8 th Street and Magnolia Avenue in a town called Newkirk, 10 miles north of present-day Ponca City with the aid of a steam engine and mules.
A few years later, in 1898, Father Renier Sevens from Saint Mary in Ponca City began the construction of a new building for Saint Francis of Assisi. He did this with the aid of contributions from the parishioners and $500 from the Catholic Church Extension Society. The church was built on Main Street for an original cost of $1,500 and was dedicated by Bishop Meerschaert on Aug. 24, 1898.
In 1906, Father John Kekeisen was named pastor of Saint Francis. That year, he opened a school with his sister at a two-story house not far from the parish. They taught the upper grades while another building was being rented for the lower grades. The building for the lower grades was a house on S. Maple Avenue and the extra room was used by Father Kekeisen to make altars for the church.
The entire block on W. 9 th Street was purchased for around $1,800 in 1907 and that is where the present-day church remains. In 1910, a school was built on the west side of the church; it was taught by the Sisters of the Precious Blood from Wichita.
Since there were many students who lived too far to commute to the school every day, the sisters rented a house to provide room and board. Another building was later purchased and moved to the southwest corner of the church property and that turned into a high school called Saint Francis Academy. It closed in 1932.
In 1952, the construction of a new brick church was started and when it was finished, it was blessed by Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness. In 1954, a new rectory and convent were built. Another school was built at the church in 1960 but closed in 1973.
In 1994, the centennial celebration of the parish was celebrated by Archbishop Eusebius Beltran, the sisters that formally taught at the parochial school and many priests from around Oklahoma. In 2007, the annual celebration of Saint Francis of Assisi’s feast day began at the church and is still celebrated today.
Miranda Renteria is a sophomore at Cristo Rey OKC Catholic High School and an intern for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
