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Featuring the Fairbury Deanery

St. Mary Church - Alexandria, St. Joseph Church - Barneston, St. Joseph Church - Beatrice, St. Michael Church - Fairbury, Sacred Heart Church - Hebron, St. Mary Church - Odell, St. Mary Church - Wymore

Featured Parishes: Crete Deanery, David City Deanery, Fairbury Deanery, Falls City Deanery, Grant Deanery, Hastings Deanery, Indianola Deanery, Lawrence Deanery, Lincoln Deanery, Orleans Deanery, Plattsmouth Deanery, Wahoo Deanery, York Deanery

St. Mary, Alexandria

PCCW Activities

  • Activities include serving funeral dinners and purchasing candles for the church.
  • We also buy crucifixes for the graduates and have Christmas and graduation breakfasts.

 

Historical Highlights

  • Catholics began to settle in the vicinity of Alexandria, Meridian and Powell as early as 1866.
  • A missionary priest, Father Lechleitner, began to visit the area from Crete in 1873, celebrating Mass in the homes of parishioners.
  • In 1878, a church was built in honor of Saint Mary.
  • St. Mary was a mission to Lawrence, Hebron, and Fairbury.
  • From 1912 to 1988, the pastor resided in Alexandria. A rectory was built in 1916.
  • In 1929, a new brick church and rectory were built.
  • During Father Joseph Mroczkowski's pastorate, the parish plant was renovated in 1956.
  • Father Anthony Turek was pastor from 1956 to 1988.
  • In 1990, Saint Joseph in Gilead was closed and Saint Mary became a mission to Saint Michael in Fairbury. 

St. Joseph, Barneston

Historical Highlights

  • From 1885 to 1890 visiting priests occasionally had Mass in the homes of people.
  • In 1890 the 15 Catholic families start a subscription list for funds to build their own church.
  • Bishop Bonacum dedicated the building in honor of St. Joseph on May 11, 1891.
  • The church cost $1,377.18, has under gone several renovations, and is still standing.
  • The parish is proud of six vocations to religious life. Three men ordained to the priesthood: Fr. Paul York, Fr. Robert Barnhill, and Bishop Thomas Olmstead, appointed Bishop of Wichita and later Bishop of Phoenix.
  • Three women of the parish answered God's call to the consecrated life of a religious: Sister Mary Donelle Oates, BVM; Sister Loretta Ire, O.S.B. and Sister Mary James York, O.S.F.

St. Joseph, Beatrice

PCCW Activities

  • Honor graduates breakfast, Care packages for college students and military servicemen.
  • Honor CCD and Grade School teachers.
  • Cards for the sick and shut-ins; lead the rosary, birthday parties, Christmas dinner and gifts at the nursing homes.
  • Help with Funeral dinners, Lenten Luncheons, Knights of Columbus fish fries, Meals on Wheels.

Historical Highlights

  • Present church was built in 1926. The bells, named Constantine and Juliana, were consecrated by Bishop Kucera Dec. 14, 1971.
  • The church was renovated in 1973 and again in 1996. A new parish center and school remodeling was undertaken in 1981.
  • A number of vocations have come the parish, current priests include Msgr. Jim Reinert and Fr. Loras Grell, both from St. Joseph.
  • St. Joseph operates a preschool to 5th-grade elementary school and a day care.
  • The parish has an active Altar Society, Knights of Columbus, and an Adoration Program for over 25 years.
  • The rosary is said before each weekend Mass, the Divine Mercy chaplet each Friday, and there is an active prayer chain.

St. Michael, Fairbury

PCCW Activities

  • Activities: Fall Soup Supper, Christmas Bazaar & Raffle, Spring Buffet.
  • Provide financial support and meals for Totus Tuus.
  • Bingo at the Nursing Home, Sunday Brunches once a month.
  • Take food to the shut-ins, helped purchase new outdoor Nativity set.

Historical Highlights

  • Catholic settlers began to arrive in Fairbury in 1869. In 1872, they asked Bishop O'Connor to send a priest; Father Francis Bobal arrived.
  • In 1885, the construction of the first church began. It was completed by 1890.
  • In 1887, the first resident pastor was appointed to St. Michael. The parish purchased land located north of the church in 1897.
  • From 1907-1908, the present church was constructed.
  • The Reverend J. J. Carey served as pastor beginning in 1904, he renovated the rectory, built the school and convent, as well as the churches in Gilead and Nelson.
  • Saint Michael School was built in 1924, it closed in May of 2008.
  • A 1973 sizable inheritance funded the 1976 renovation of the church and the construction of a new rectory. A house was purchased for a new convent and the old convent and rectory were torn down.
  • The 2008 Centennial was commemorated with extensive interior revocation and a 100th anniversary re-dedication Mass celebration by Bishop Bruskewitz, followed by a dinner and program.

Sacred Heart, Hebron

PCCW Activities

  • Serve funeral dinners, Masses for living and deceased members
  • Care for and provide altar supplies, sacristan duties, altar flowers, flower beds, cleaning
  • Bloodmobile, Ecumenical Services, Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels
  • World Marriage Day, CCD Summer School, Parish picnic
  • Prayer Chain and beautiful Prayer Garden, 
  • “Advent Shower” of baby items and Diaper Drive, Bibles and scholarships for senior graduates
  • Annual Chicken Pie Dinner and Turkey Dinner fund charitable donations to over 20 causes
  • Christmas Fair and Bake Sale, Christmas cheer plates for shut-ins

Historical Highlights

  • In 1876 Fr. John Pichler came for the first Mass from Hanover, KS.
  • A church was built in 1877, and priest from Alexandria said Mass.
  • In 1880 the first resident pastor came and a new rectory was built for him; Alexandria and Fairbury were missions.
  • In the same year, St. Ann Altar Society was organized to promote the spiritual and temporal welfare of members, furnish Mass supplies, and assist the pastor.
  • Sacred Heart Parish celebrates 150 years on August 22, 2026 with a Mass with the Bishop and meal.

St. Mary, Odell

PCCW Activities

  • Host coffee & rolls once a month. 
  • Celebrate World Marriage Day with a breakfast
  • An annual Pork Loin Dinner 
  • Support a child through Catholic Children's Fund 
  • Say Rosary before the Sunday Masses and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on the 4th Sunday of the month. 
  • Members serve as officers on the Fairbury Deanery and LDCCW.

 

Historical Highlights

  • St. Mary's Catholic Church, Odell, begin as a mission in 1881.
  • A church dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help was completed in 1886, later shortened to Saint Mary.
  • A rectory was built in 1907 and Father Mosler became the first resident priest. St. Mary also has a cemetery, called St. Joseph Cemetery. 
  • A new church was built in 1962 under the direction of Father Edward Valasek.
  • A Grotto was built on the north side of the church by Brother Egbert Backer OSB of the Benedictine Mission House in Schuyler.
  • Odell became a mission of Wymore in 1986, when Father Dennis Hotovy was appointed pastor; he was pastor of Odell for 25 years.

St. Mary, Wymore

PCCW Activities

  • Help with Sam Wymore Days family night in June, organize the October birthday party at the Good Samaritan Home, take cookies to the Bloodmobile, host community coffee.
  • Soup Supper, Turkey Dinner, and Annual Christmas Party in December.
  • Officers are Co-Presidents, Jeanne Hardin and Janice Grummert; Secretary, Janet Sohl; and Treasurer, Mae Marie Schultze.

Historical Highlights

  • St. Mary's Parish of Wymore was established in 1881 by the Reverend A.C. Rausch.
  • Plans for the current church were started April 4, 1978 under the leadership of Reverend Dennis Hotovy who retired in 2011.
  • Contact

    Contact

    Rev. Thomas Lux
    Spiritual Advisor

    Phone: 402-489-1946

    Rev. Thomas McGuire
    Spiritual Advisor

    Phone: 402-335-3742

    Valerie Able
    2026-2028 President

    Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Treasurer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Leadership Commission: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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