By Jane Kuchta
for the Register
Father John Birkel, current pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in North Platte, blessed a new double-sided billboard bearing the image of Divine Mercy near North Platte July 6.
The image of Divine Mercy is familiar to many Catholics, but thanks to several billboards along Interstate 80 in Nebraska, the beautiful, hopeful image is available to inspire many in their travels.
Father Mark Seiker, previous pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and now pastor at St. Mary Parish in Aurora and St. Joseph in Giltner, shared the history of the series of billboards. He said they date back to many years prior to 2012, when the Knights of Columbus in Beaver Crossing installed two Divine Mercy signs on billboards. Over the years, as the images faded, new vinyl wrap signs were installed, along with solar panel lights.
The process of erecting a Divine Mercy sign just south of I-80 and north of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in North Platte began that December. In January 2013, a contract between the Father McGivney Knights of Columbus Council #12530 and Victor Grasz, property owner, was signed. Holes were dug and poles set in the ground by North Platte Municipal Light & Water. Then, vinyl wraparound signs were placed over plywood and installed on the poles.
Due to wear and tear from the elements, the signs near North Platte deteriorated and were removed. The work of replacing the signs began in 2021 with Father Seiker’s idea that this time, reflective signs made of aluminum extrusions similar to those used by the Nebraska Department of Transportation should be used. After various delays, the new signs came to life with production at Interstate Signways in Little Rock, Ark. In October 2024, signs for use in North Platte, Aurora, and Beaver Crossing were delivered to Aurora. A short while later, Chuck Burr and Rex Walz made the trek from North Platte to Aurora, to bring the North Platte signs home for placement.
The new back-to-back signs were installed April 30 by Condon Signs. They were placed along I-80 near mile marker 177. The signs can be seen by both eastbound and westbound traffic. The other Divine Mercy billboard signs are set to be installed near Aurora this month, at mile marker 334.6, and later in the year near Beaver Crossing at mile marker 369.
Ed Rieker, a member of the Father McGivney Knights of Columbus Council at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, was instrumental in assisting with this process in North Platte.
“With all the evil in the world, people still have innate recognition of the truth,” Rieker said.
