History of Holy Spirit Church
Holy Ghost Church 1897-1980 – Holy Spirit Church 1980-Present
Centralia, Missouri
Catholics in the Centralia area were first served in 1857 by Fr. John J. Hogan, the first bishop of St. Joseph and later the first bishop of Kansas City Missouri. Parish records show that he celebrated sacraments at Allen, a small village north of Moberly in 1859 and Sturgeon from 1860-1865.
In later years, St. Stephen Church in Sturgeon and Holy Ghost Church were known as the “Prairie Queen Missions” and were attended by priests from various places including Mexico, Columbia, Moberly, Fulton and New Franklin.
By 1869, a Catholic Church was built in Sturgeon which was then closed so parishioners worshipped at Centralia or Moberly. According to Chancellor Vander Sander’s old directory, Centralia was established as a mission of Columbia in 1897. A wood-frame church erected through a generous donation, opened in Centralia in 1904.
In 1915, the church was listed for the first time as Holy Ghost in the official Catholic Directory. Various priests served the church from 1915-1938.
It is interesting to note in 1939 the address for the church was 623 S. Clark; in 1941, 412 S. Rollins. In 1943, 404 S Rollins became the address of the church. 
The cornerstone of the church is inscribed as follows: For it was founded on a rock. Luke VI, 48. This Church is dedicated to God the Holy Spirit, May 25, 1941. The present church and rectory were built in 1941 for $16,000. The windows of the present church tell the gospel stories.
From 1942-1945, the parish operated a school. Until the arrival of Mill Hill Missionaries from Britain in 1951, the parish was attended by diocesan priests.
Holy Ghost offered the first priest to the new Diocese of Jefferson City in 1957, Father John W. Buchanan. The rectory and church was renovated and a new garage built in 1971, in 1981, the church name was officially changed from Holy Ghost to Holy Spirit. In 1981 Fr. Robl helped to organize the Knights of Columbus in this community. The official name is Fr. Raymond Weis council NO. 7841.
In 1987, a multi-purpose building was constructed.In 1996, parishioners built a new altar, pulpit and outdoors, a grotto to Our Lady the rest on stones from Sturgeon. The parish celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the present church building on August 28, 1991. In 1999, Father J. James Offutt became pastor of Holy Spirit and continues as its pastor.
Masses previously were at different times for the summer and the winter. Schedule of Masses: Sunday’s June though Aug. at 7 and 9 am, Sunday’s Sept. though May at 8 and 10 am.
from Sunday July 6, 1941
from Sunday, June 23, 2013
from 1991 
from 1903 First church built
St. Stephen Church & Chapel-Built in 1869 in Sturgeon, MO. Chapel was second church budding in Centralia
from 2010 to 2012
Father Offutt and Bishop Gaydos
Priests who have served this Parish
| Rev. John J. Hogan | Pioneer Priest | |
| Rev. P.F. O’Reilly | 1897-1898 | |
| Rt. Rev. C.E. Byrne | 1898-1900 | |
| Rev. Aurthur O’Reilly | 1900-1902 | |
| Rev. Wiltdam E. Randall | 1902-1904 | Built first church building |
| Rev. John B. Pleuss | 1904-1908 | |
| Rev. Thomas J. Lloyd | 1908-1915 | |
| Rev. Joseph Gilfillan | 1916-1920 | |
| Rev. Peter S. Dempsey | 1919 | Assisted caring for this parish |
| Rev. Daniel Courtney | 1921-1923 | First Parish Pastor to reside in Centratda |
| Rev. Aloysius Canning | 1923-1931 | |
| Rev. M.J. Connor | 1931-1933 | |
| Rev. Wiltdam C Kunz | 1933-1934 | |
| Rev. Karl Enig | 1934-1938 | Shot to death in old rectory |
| Rev. Aurthur B. Leibinger | 1938-1943 | Built present church and rectory in 1941 |
| Rev. Lloyd Sultdvan | 1943-1944 | |
| Rev. Francis Hyland | 1944-1946 | Administrator |
| Rev. Anthony J. Grellner | 1946-1949 | |
| Rev. Jacob Noser | 1949-1950 | Administrator |
| Rev. Francis X. Reker | 1950-1951 | |
| Rev. Francis Figil | 1951 | Administrator Mill Hill Fathers London, England |
| Rev. Anthony Schmidt | 1951-1957 | Mill Hill Fathers |
| Rev. Wiltdam Berkel | 1957-1959 | |
| Rev. Henry Figge | 1959 | |
| Rev. Wiltdam Savage | 1959-1962 | |
| Rev. Wiltdam Forst | 1962 | |
| Rev. Michael O’Donovan | 1962-1965 | |
| Rev. Robert Wiesmann | 1965-1966 | |
| Rev. Gotttdeb Steinwachs | 1966-1971 | |
| Rev. Raymond Weis | 1971-1979 | |
| Rev. Egene Robl | 1979-1984 | Administrator 1979 |
| Rev. Patrick J. McMyler | 1984 | Never resided in Centralia |
| Rev. James Niemeyer | 1984-1985 | Administrator |
| Rev. Msgr. Charles H. Patterson | 1985-1992 | 1924-2010 died |
| Rev. Frank Westhoff | 1992 | |
| Rev. Russell Judge | 1992-1995 | |
| Rev. Robert H. Fields | 1995-1999 | |
| Rev. J James Offutt | 1999-2018 |
Father Mike Coleman 2018