History
History of St. Michael, Coleridge, Nebraska
The construction of St. Michael's first church, a wood frame building, was started in 1886 and completed in 1887. It was built on a hill on the southwest side of Coleridge, Nebraska, north of the first rectory.
St. Michael's was a mission of the Catholic parish in Emerson, Nebraska from 1887 until December 4, 1905, when Rev. Edward Muenich became St. Michael's first resident pastor. Rev. Muenich also had the mission parishes of St. Mary's in Belden and St. Catherine's in East Bow. St. Catherine's was a mission of St. Michael's for a short time.
History excerpts from St. Michael Catholic Church, 1887-2012 Celebrating 125 Years of Faith, p. 3-9.
First St. Michael Church completed in 1887.
We give thanks to Almighty God for St. Michaels' first parishioners who sacrificed much that we would have a Catholic church in Coleridge. We remember the Dendinger, Burke, McFadden, Kennedy, Dugan, Conley, Felber, Feuerbach, Kalin, Kurtzhals, Brandl families and many more that have been a part of our parish heritage.
January 1945, the old St. Michael's church burned to the ground. No cause was reported. After the old structure burned, Masses were first held in the upstairs room above the drug store in downtown Coleridge but due to the long flight of stairs, a difficult climb for many of the parishioners, a store building across the street was purchased and Masses were held there. In recent years it was a Veterinary Clinic and is currently a Leather and Ceramic shop.
Ground breaking ceremonies for the new St. Michael church took place on Sunday, September 3, 1950. Digging of the basement began in mid-September that year with actual construction starting on November 1, 1950. The new St. Michael church was built south of the Rectory. The church is 30 ft. wide by 80 ft. long, with a sacristy projecting out from the sanctuary end. There is a full basement that included a social hall, kitchen, storage room, rest rooms and furnace room. The church building cost $50,000.
Interim church above a downtown store circa 1950.
Dedication of St. Michael's new church was held October 3, 1951. His Excellency, Most Rev. Gerald T. Bergan, Archbishop of Omaha, blessed and dedicated the church. Rev. George Saxon was Pastor. Parish Council members were Lyle Thomas, Elmer Hochstein, Michael Mannion, Norman Hansen and Jack Dendinger.
St. Catherine's church burned down on November 22, 1951. St. Catherine's at East Bow was located one mile south of the current Hwy. 84 & 15 junction and one-half mile west on 881 Rd. Pictures of the church have not been located. All that remains today is a sign.
St. Catherine's was attended by the priest from Wynot until it was destroyed by fire. East Bow parishioners then affiliated with the Coleridge, Hartington or Wynot parishes.
St. Mary's, Belden, built in 1904 and dedicated August 15, 1905, continued being a mission of St. Michael's.
Listen to the history of St. Catherine, East Bow, as part of Fr. Vogel's Faith on the Frontier series.
Sanctuary of church (Felber Anderson Wedding 1955).
The mortgage for St. Michael's was paid and burned on June 9, 1963. The parish observed having their church paid for in 12 years with a "Burning of the Mortgage" ceremony.
St. Michael's Catholic Church burned the mortgage to their church on Sunday evening. It was burned outside the church by Rev. Paul Peter and Rev. George Saxon of Wynot assisted by trustees Raymond Calhoon and John Burke.

During Rev. Ronald Battiato's time here, 1972-1978, the church basement was divided into six rooms with movable walls. CCD classes (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) was held there.
In 1982-1983 the parish replaced the movable walls with folding doors to make six classrooms that could be opened easily for dinners, meetings and Mass in the basement when needed.
The rectory basement is joined to the church basement by a tunnel. The tunnel was updated in 2012.
Sanctuary of church redecorated prior to 1965 (1st Communion year?).
A new ceiling was installed in the church sometime in 1985-1989 during Rev. Frank Dvorak's term as our pastor. Fr. Frank was very active within the parish and dedicated to youth learning their faith at Search and Tech weekends. He also took the CCD kids on canoe trips in the summer down the Niobrara River.
Older and newer stained glass windows.
In 1989, Rev. Rick Arkfeld was assigned to our parish. During this time his carpentry skills were an opportunity for the parish when he made and installed new stained glass windows in the church. Parishioner's donations for the windows were commemorated with their names being put in the glass of the windows. Fr. Rick also refinished all of the pews. His carpentry skills made our church more beautiful.
Fr. Rick, with the help of the parish, refinished and remodeled the kitchen and dining room of the rectory. Also during his time here, air conditioning was installed in the church.
St. Mary's of Belden was still a mission of St. Michael's until it was closed in 1990. The members there affiliated with St. Michael's, St. Frances of Randolph or St. Mary's of Laurel.
Fr. Rick, with the help of the parish council and other members, started the Valentine Dinner Theatre. What a treat.
Fr. Rick also started the Hospitality Dinner at which we invited the senior citizens of the community for a potluck dinner. This was continued as long as Fr. Rick was here.
Listen to the history of St. Mary, Belden, as part of Fr. Vogel's Faith on the Frontier series.
In 1993, Rev. Keith Rezac was pastor. The sanctuary and the church were repainted, decorated and the roof replaced. Fr. Rezac continued the Valentine Dinner Theatre, took part in it and our parish all enjoyed it.
Rev. Dennis DeGuzman was assigned to St. Michael's in 1997. Fr. Dennis was born in the Philippines so Coleridge enjoyed a bit of international flair and cuisine.
In 1998, St. Michael's learned the priest serving Holy Trinity parish of Hartington would also serve our parish and our parish office would be located within the Holy Trinity parish office.
Rev. William Sanderson became our pastor in 1998. Fr. Sanderson, dedicated to the tradition of the faith also enjoyed gourmet cooking. Rev. Stan Schmidt, became assistant Pastor. Fr. Stan was assigned duties in Bloomfield in 1999 and continued to drive to St. Michael's for the Sunday 7:30 a.m. Mass.
Holy Trinity and St. Michael's welcomed Rev. John Andrews as our new assistant pastor in June of 2000.
Rev. John Pietramale was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity and St. Michael's in June 2001. During Fr. Pietramale's time at St. Michael's, the altars were painted in church, the south parking lot was concreted, and the Ten Commandments monument, donated by the parishioners, was put in place.
Also during Fr. Pietramale's seven years here, St. Michael's welcomed Rev. Garry Welsh as assistant pastor until he was later transferred to Creighton, St. Ludger's.
In 2008, Rev. Jeffery Loseke was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity and St. Michael's.
Since Fr. Jeff's time at St. Michael's, we have repaired the bell tower on the church, reinsulated and refinished the tunnel. The hedges in front of the rectory were removed and parish workers put down river rock. This was to keep the snow from building up behind the hedges which had been causing condensation on the basement walls. The flower planter in front of the church was removed and river rock installed.
Currently, St. Michael Church has Sunday morning Masses at 9:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
St. Michael's has benefited from Fr. Jeff's friendship with Msgr. Steven Lopes, now serving at the Vatican. Msgr. Lopes has been here several times to celebrate Holy Week and holiday Masses.
We have had Mass at the Park View Haven Nursing Home in Coleridge for many years. Currently there are 11 Catholics there from St. Michael's and surrounding parishes. Holy Mass is currently held on at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday mornings. Several volunteers help with Mass set-up and assist residents.
On Sundays and Holy Days, Holy Communion is brought by the EMHC's to the Park View Haven, the Embers Assisted Living Center and the homebound. On Thursdays, after Mass at Park View Haven, Fr. Jeff has a Communion Service at the Embers for the Catholics residing there.
We are looking forward to having a St. Michael's statue placed in front of church for our 125th Anniversary that we celebrate on Sunday, August 26, 2012. Two 125th Anniversary signs, gifts from Dan and Marsha (Bohlken) Kathol, Jon Wiechelman and Brandon Fisher, Hartington, are a beautiful addition to our parish grounds.
The 125th Anniversary celebration will include a Mass of Thanksgiving at 3:00 p.m. that day with Archbishop George J. Lucas. The celebration will continue with a delicious dinner served at the Coleridge Community Building. This will be a celebration of the faith, our parish and an opportunity to visit with friends and former pastors as we begin the next segment of our parish history.
First St. Michael Church and rectory. This church was destroyed by fire in 1945.
St. Michael’s Rectory
The original rectory sits in the same location today north of the newer rectory. Records of when the original rectory was built were not available.
On May 4, 1968, ground was broken for the new rectory. The current rectory was built directly north of the church and south of the original rectory. RaDec of Hartington built the split-level structure with about 1800 square feet for approximately $30,000. Members of the Parish Council at that time were Lyle Thomas, Elmer Hochstein, Michael Mannion, Norman Hansen and Jack Dendinger.
The original rectory was sold to Kendall Smith and later to the Elmer Hochstein family. The Hochstein's used it as an apartment house. It was sold to Steve and Nancy Dirks in 1985, who made it a single family dwelling and still live in there.
The St. Michael Rectory has always been the home of St. Michaels' priests until 1998 when the priest of Holy Trinity, Hartington became a shared pastor with us.
Fr. Rick Arkfeld remodeled the kitchen and dining room of the rectory during the years of 1989-1993.
While Fr. John Pietramale was our pastor, in 2007-2008, several families rented and lived in the rectory for short periods of time.
The flat roof on the garage, which had been used as a patio, was replaced by a pitched-roof in the past few years. When the roof was replaced, the door to the patio was removed and a small window put in the space.
Sister Mary Jane Conrad and Sister Mary Brigid Stanley live in the current rectory. They are teachers at Holy Trinity Elementary and Cedar Catholic Jr.- Sr. High School. The Sisters also assist with various programs at St. Michael and the CCD program. They are members of our Altar Society, a lector and EMHC's.
The rectory, both old and new, was the parish office. Now, the St. Michael parish and business office is located in the Holy Trinity Office/Rectory, Hartington.
(St. Michael Catholic Church, 1887-2012 Celebrating 125 Years of Faith, p. 3-9)
St. Michael church, current rectory and former rectory.
| Pastor | Years |
|---|---|
| Rev. Edward Muenich | 1905-1910 |
| Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Bosheck | 1910-1916 |
| Rev. Anthony Alberts | 1916-1918 |
| Rev Daniel O'Sullivan | 1916-1937 |
| Rev. Joseph Duhamel | 1937-1944 |
| Rev Liborius Morgenschweis | 1944-1944 |
| Rev. Edward Gill | 1944-1946 |
| Rev. Vaclav Kovar | 1946-1949 |
| Rev. George A Saxon | 1949-1954 |
| Rev. John J Koros | 1954-1961 |
| Rev. Paul Peter | 1961-1963 |
| Rt. Rev. Msgr. John A Flynn | 1963-1968 |
| Rev. Conrad Spenner | 1968-1969 |
| Rev. William Whelan | 1969-1972 |
| Rev. Ron Battiato | 1972-1978 |
| Rev. Robert P Duffy | 1978-1982 |
| Rev. Daniel Herek | 1982-1985 |
| Rev Franklin A Dvorak | 1985-1989 |
| Rev. Richard M Arkfeld | 1989-1993 |
| Rev. Keith Rezac | 1993-1997 |
| Rev. Dennis DeGuzman | 1997-1998 |
| Rev. William E Sanderson | 1998-2001 |
| Rev. John L Pietramale | 2001-2008 |
| Rev. Jeffery S Loseke | 2008-2013 |
| Rev. Dave Liewer | 2013-2019 |
| Rev. Owen Korte | 2019-Present |
| Associate | Years |
|---|---|
| Rev. Stanley Schmit | 1997-2000 |
| Rev. John Andrews | 2000-2003 |
| Rev. Garry Welsh | 2003-2004 |
| Rev. Kevin Vogel | 2023-Present |