Sitio en español

Featuring the York Deanery

St. Mary Church - Aurora, Sacred Heart Church - Beaver Crossing, St. Joseph Church - Geneva, St. Joseph Church - Giltner, St. Patrick Church - McCool Junction, St. Mary Church - Osceola (Pilzno), St. Vincent Church - Osceola, St. Vincent De Paul Church - Seward, St. Mary Church - Shickley, St. Patrick Church - Utica, St. Joseph Church - York

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, Aurora

St. Joseph, Geneva

PCCW Activities

  • Annual Soup Supper in February
  • Advent Silent Auction of Quilts and Craft Items (for the benefit of charities)
  • Over 100 quilts made annually for CSS and Matt Talbot Kitchen
  • Quilts and baby quilts made and donated for use by Sr. Helen Biegert at Porcupine, SD
  • Assist with monthly Rolling Food Pantry held at the parish hall
  • Host Red Cross Bloodmobile, Coffees at Heritage Crossings Nursing Home once or twice a year
  • Members assist with Meals on Wheels deliveries
  • Help with Outreach Program for youth at Youth Rehabilitation & Treatment Center

Historical Highlights

  • In 1898, Fr. Bernard Ulbrick was appointed the first resident pastor with Fairmont and Western as Missions.  Mass was celebrated in a public hall.
  • In 1900, Fr. Albert Petrasek was authorized to build a church and rectory.  The church was dedicated in July, 1901.
  • Under Fr. Charles Becker’s (1901-1916) pastorate, a church addition, a rectory and a school were built.
  • St. Joseph Elementary School opened in 1912 and was staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame from St. Louis.  The school closed in 1974 and was demolished in 1993.
  • In 1956, the original church tower was destroyed by a tornado.
  • In September 1978, the Father Ulenberg (pastor from 1949-1968) Memorial Fellowship Hall was dedicated. 
  • In 1996, the church was found to be structurally unsound.  The church and rectory were razed in December 1996.
  • The new facility was dedicated on May 1, 1999. The stained glass windows, Stations of the Cross, and many statues from the old church were incorporated into the building.

St. Joseph, Giltner

PCCW Activities

  • Coffee and Rolls the 1st Sunday of the month
  • Regular meetings
  • Christmas Pot luck dinner
  • Rosary before mass
  • Yearly senior citizens dinner for members of our community and those who have moved away
  • Soup supper (at noon) for parish members and guests
  • Annual Salad Supper attended by around 150 ladies from the community and beyond

Historical Highlights

  • 1901 - a groups of Catholics met for the purpose of establishing a parish in Giltner, and collected $1,500.
  • 1902 - a 40x28 foot structure was completed at a value of $1,850.
  • 1916 - 1 24 foot addition to the church was completed.
  • The interior of the church was redecorated in 1932, 1940s, and 1952 in preparation for the golden jubilee.
  • Groundbreaking for a new church was Oct. 7, 1966.
  • The new church with a 250 person seating capacity was dedicated May 30, 1968 at a cost of approximately $90,000.
  • St. Joseph has always been a mission of Harvard of Aurora.

St. Mary, Shickley

PCCW Activities

  • Food drives for CSS
  • Diaper drives and baby showers for Birthright
  • Quilt making
  • Staying educated on the activities of the Nebraska Legislature
  • Serving meals for activities in our church
  • Officers: President-Carol Grote, Vice President-Chris Sissel, Secretary-Rosalie Kleinschmidt, and Treasurer-Pat Mau

Historical Highlights

  • St. Mary's was originally dedicated as St. Mary's of Turkey Creek in 1878, a small country church located 4 miles North of Shickley.
  • It was started by 10 German families from Wisconsin who homesteaded in the western part of the newly organized Fillmore County.
  • In 1984 the current church, St. Mary's of Shickley was built in Shickley, incorporating many items from the old country church, including the stained glass windows, six main statues, and the church bell, which serve as a reminder of the hard work and dedication that this parish was built on.
  • St. Mary's is proud to have had four vocations of its children dedicating their lives completely to God as priests and religious.

St. Vincent, Osceola

PCCW Activities

  • Meals On Wheels are delivered daily in the town of Osceola during the months of February, May, August and November.
  • Senior Center Special Meals are coordinated during the months of February, May, August and November. Women from the parish, set tables and serve the meal.
  • Every 3rd year, the parish hosts the food stand at the Polk County Fair serving three meals a day plus desserts to fair-goers.
  • A Parish Soup Luncheon is held annually during the years we do not host the food stand at the Polk County Fair.
  • The Rosary is said at Good Samaritan in the chapel each Friday.
  • Coffee and rolls are offered three times per year: 1) For new parishioner recognition, 2) To recognize graduating high school seniors, 3) Back to school in September
  • The Pro-Life Committee presents a rose and crib medal to the parents at a child’s baptism. The committee coordinates various parish activities.
  • St. Vincent Ferrer Prayer chain coordinates prayer requests.

Historical Highlights

  • Prior to 1944: territory of Sacred Heart, Shelby
  • October 29, 1944: First Mass held in Osceola at the dedication of St. Francis hospital. Bishop Kucera offered an outdoor Mass.
  • April 5, 1946: On the feast of St. Vincent Ferrer, Bishop Kucera, Fr. John Kean (pastor of Shelby) along with trustees August Ienn and Leo Kresha officially incorporated the parish.
  • June 2, 1946: First Mass of the parish was offered by Fr. Gregory Petrus, the first pastor of the parish.
  • September 22, 1946: Fr. John Howe became first resident pastor.
  • April 16, 1961: Present church was consecrated by Bishop Casey.
  • June 6, 2021: 75th Anniversary celebration of the parish. Current pastor, Fr. Thomas Au, and previous pastor, Fr. Thomas McGuire both spoke at the program.

St. Patrick, Utica

PCCW Activities

  • Hosts coffee and rolls monthly
  • Acknowledge First Communion, Confirmation and High School Seniors
  • Support St. Gianna, LDCCW diaper drive, Catholic Social Service & Sister's Summer School
  • Potluck brunch or dinners for special occasions
  • Annual Soup dinner
  • Annual Garage and Bake Sale
  • Advent "giving" tree, with gifts going to the Utica Community Care Center
  • Coffee and cookies after Rosary and funeral dinners for the deceased of the parish
  • Benefits for sick of the community
  • Lunch stands at household and farm sales
  • Officers: President - Marietta Glasshoff; Vice President - Carol Nienhueser; Secretary - Patty Tomes; Treasurer - Nancy Greckel

Historical Highlights

  • The first Mass in Utica was celebrated in the home of the Catholic community about 1880.   The first church, a wooden structure, was built in 1882.
  • The cemetery, 1 mile east and 1/2 mile south of Utica, was purchased in 1884.
  • The present brick church was built in 1915, constructed at a cost of $10,200, dedicated on September 23, 1915 by Bishop Tihen. The thirty-five families in the parish had all bills paid in 1916.
  • The Cooper Parish Center was built in 1978, dedicated by Bishop Flavin in 1979 and in 2011 a new parish hall was built.
  • The 100th Anniversary of the first St. Patrick Church was celebrated in 1982.
  • St. Patrick's has one vocation, Sister Christopher Mary Fidelis Stoll, a Dominican nun at St. Dominics Monastery, Linden, VA.
  • St. Patrick's has an active Knights of Columbus organization, Altar Society, Legion of Mary and CCD Classes.

St. Joseph, York

  • 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.

  • 1