Father Valentine and the 8 Parishes

In 1876, Father Valentine Sommereisen, a German-speaking priest from France, arrived in Hays just as waves of Volga-German immigrants were settling in the region. In only 19 months, he founded eight Catholic parishes within a half-hour of Hays, spanning Ellis and Rush counties. Join us as we explore his remarkable legacy, the growth of these early faith communities, and the enduring cultural impact of the Volga-German settlers in western Kansas.

This talk will be presented by Father Reggie Urban. Father Urban is a semi-retired priest of the Dodge City Diocese living in Hays. Both sides of his Volga-German ancestry settled in the Pfeifer area. Since living in Hays, he has learned some interesting things about the Catholic priest from France who founded parishes in Hays, Catherine, Victoria, Pfeifer, Liebenthal, Rush Center, Munjor, and Schoenchen.

You may also like the following events from Hays Public Library:

• Next Monday, 30th June, 06:00 pm, Fantasy Book Club in Hays
• Next Tuesday, 1st July, 06:00 pm, Humanities Kansas Presentation: William Allen White & the KKK in Hays
• Next month, 10th July, 06:00 pm, Lessons in Dance: Hip Hop in Hays