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 The Catholic Church has been formally present in the Great Bend area since the mid-1800's. A few Catholics were part of the first settlers in Barton County. From 1865-1870 monks from St. Benedict Abbey in Atchison, Kansas specifically came to take care of the spiritual needs of the Catholic soldiers stationed at Fort Zarah. The first church was built in 1878 at the intersection of Baker and Park streets. Named after St. Rose of Lima, the parish was formally established that same year. The present church-building at the intersection of Broadway and Baker was built in1915, renovated interiorly in 1997, and a narthex, baptismal font, and bathrooms were added in 2006-2007. The parish grew until St. Patrick's Chapel was created in 1954 on the west side of town to accommodate the growing number of Catholics. In 1960 St. Patrick Parish was formally established. The St. Patrick church-building was built in 1968. Both parishes eventually created a school and an auditorium/gym/hall. Due to the decline in the structure of the building, St. Rose School was demolished in 2002. The two schools were then merged into Holy Family Grade School. After the merging of the schools and some consolidation of parish organizations, the two parishes were financially and organizationally merged into one in July of 2003. Temporarily identified as "The Catholic Community of Great Bend", the new community was created into a new parish on December 3, 2006, under the title, Prince of Peace.
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