Southern Nebraska Register
St. Joseph Parish in Barneston hosted the 50th anniversary of priesthood for native son Bishop Thomas Olmsted Aug. 6.
Bishop Olmsted was raised in the southern Gage County community, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lincoln July 2, 1973. He was ordained a bishop for the Wichita Diocese April 20, 1999, and was installed as the bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix December 20, 2003.
The celebration in Barneston began with a specially scheduled Mass at 9:30 a.m. in St. Joseph Church, which was filled to capacity. Two concelebrating priests were at the Mass, both classmates of Bishop Olmsted at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver: Father Julius Tvrdy of the Diocese of Lincoln and Father Jim Shaughnessy of the Archdiocese of Kansas City.
After the Mass, a dinner was held at the former school gymnasium in Barneston. Honored guests at the dinner included the bishop’s 101-year-old mother, Helen Olmsted, and the bishop’s two brothers and three sisters.
Women religious who are natives of Barneston and nearby Wymore were present: Sister Loretta McGuire and Sister Barbara McCracken, Benedictine Sisters from Atchison, Kan.
Six Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln also attended, as well as a host of bishop’s nephews, nieces, and cousins. Many long-time friends were also there.
Father Loras Grell, pastor of St. Joseph, as well as St. Mary Parish in Wymore and St. Mary Parish in Odell, attended the celebration and said a highlight of the dinner was a skit put on by the bishop’s “clever and creative family.” It depicted how Bishop Olmsted – addressed as “Bishop Tom” by many in the area who knew him – moved from his first assignment at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln. He next was assigned to Rome for further theological studies. Then, he was asked to remain in Rome to serve the Holy See.
After he was relieved of service in Rome, Bishop Olmsted (then a monsignor) was appointed to be pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Seward. After three years there, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz released him from service in the Lincoln Diocese to serve as the rector of the Pontifical College Josephinum, a seminary in Columbus, Ohio.
From the Josephinum, Bishop Olmsted was called by Pope John Paul II to serve as the Bishop of Wichita. After four years in Wichita, he became bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix, where he served until his retirement in 2022 at the age of 75.
Courtesy photos
