History

The founding of St. Patrick Church in 1947 fulfilled the dream of Bishop Edwin O'Hara to have a church in every county of the then-Kansas City Diocese. To this day it remains the only Catholic Church in Dade County.

Originally served from Stockton, the church building was constructed from two halves of an army barracks spliced together. After Greenfield became part of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, the church was served as a mission from St. Susanne Parish in Mt. Vernon.

For a time, St. Patrick was closed. With the efforts of the people in the area and then-pastor Fr. Ralph Duffner, it reopened in May 1981.

Groundbreaking in 1988 promised a new church. With the aid of the Extension Society and volunteers from St. Patrick and St. Susanne, the church and hall were completed in about a year to serve its 30 households.

The parish family of St. Patrick includes Catholics from Golden City and Lockwood on the west to Dadeville and Ash Grove on the east, with some traveling 20 to 25 miles to worship.