St. Joseph's Kirche
category : Historic Churches
At first, church services for Liebenthal residents were held in homes or in the open air (weather permitting) whenever an itinerate priest would visit the village. The first Roman Catholic church was completed in 1878. By the early 1900s, a larger church building was needed. From 1902 until 1905, the members of the parish worked to complete the present native stone church. Over two thousand loads of stone were dug from nearby hills, moved by wagon, cut, shaped, stacked and set to form the walls of this beautiful building. The stained glass windows were made by an Austrian/German artist. Twice, fire destroyed all of the wood sections and the roof of the cathedral. It was rebuilt and rededicated in 1921 and 1961 but the interior walls and the altar are no longer as ornately fine as before the last fire. However, the original stone walls are those erected by the Liebenthal forefathers.
St. Joseph's Kirche stands as one of the most beautiful churches on the Kansas plains. Located near the church are the rectory and parocial school, both constructed of native stone quarried near the community.
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