History
History of St. Paul, Plainview, Nebraska
The history of the Catholic Church begins in Nebraska in 1885, when this primitive mission land received status as a Catholic Diocese, with its bishop residing in Omaha. Later it was divided, creating a Diocese in Lincoln in 1887, and a Diocese in Kearney in 1912, later changed to Grand Island. Omaha was eventually elevated by Pope Pius XII to the degree of Archdiocese.
History excerpts from St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Plainview, Nebraska, 1902-2002, p. 2-4.
The First Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in Plainview was offered at 12:00 noon, on May 11, 1902, by Father William Windolph of Creighton, Nebraska, at the former Normal College in Plainview. In a meeting following the Mass, pioneer Catholics from the area decided to build a small brick veneer church if $1000 could be raised. Amond those pioneer Catholics were Charles Dedlow, Daniel Dowling, Anna Dowling, Juliana Hutfless, Thomas Loftus, James Mahoney, James McHenry, Joseph McHenry, John McMahon, William Miller, George Mock, J.B. Moeller, Charles Morrison (grandfather of Duane Bivens), Ignatz Rehberg, Henry Relike, Frank Risse, John Risse, and Charles Stockman (grandfather of Naomi VanSlyke).
St. Paul, Plainview first church.
Bishop Scannell of Omaha purchased a parcel of land for $100 from the Wm. B. Chilvers' estate, the church was built, and the first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated in the newly finished structure on November 16, 1902. The Solemn Blessing of the church, named St. Paul the Apostle, took place on June 18, 1903, and was declared a mission of St. Ludger's Catholic Church of Creighton. The main altar memory of his family. was donated by Daniel Dowling in memory of his family.
On June 30, 1904, Father Ferdinand Peitz, the appointed pastor of St. Mary's in Osmond, was given charge of Plainview as a mission, celebrating Mass at Plainview four times a month (two Saturdays and two Sundays).
On Thanksgiving Day 1904, a new bell was installed; and in the spring of 1905, an organ was secured, and a choir with Rosa Hutfless as organist was organized. By December 31, 1905, the remaining debt of $350 on the church was retired. The Stations of the Cross were donated by Daniel Dowling in 1907.
Through the efforts of John McMahon, a trustee, two acres of land north of and adjoining Plainview’s Pleasant View Cemetery were secured on June 16, 1905, for a cemetery. The land was purchased form John and Ida Cox for $200, then platted and fenced for $100. Two children, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Smith and the son of Mr. and Mrs. John McMahon, were the first to be buried there.
In July of 1917, Charles Dedlow and Charles Stockman asked Archbishop Jeremiah Harty of Omaha to assign a resident pastor to St. Paul's. The request was granted and Father Henry Buerger was appointed to St. Paul's on August 1, 1917. St. Ignatius of Brunswick was then made a mission of St. Paul's. The first marriage in the church was that of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Fisher of Brunswick on September 5, 1917; the first person baptized was Wilfred Barton of Royal on September 8, 1917.
Plans were immediately made to build a residence for the priest. The parish records carried the following note: "On Mondy (Monday) morning Aug. 13 (in spite of the 13) Edward C. Mock hitched "Beauty" to the Shay and took undersigned (Rev. Henry Buerger) out collecting. Evening proved to be the end of a perfect day, $1600 having been collected in bankable notes." In the weeks following, funds totaled $3,186.50.
St. Paul, Plainview first church and rectory.
A building committee was formed of six men of the parish: Charles Dedlow, William Hutfless, Charles Stockman, Charles Morrison, Owen P. McGinn, and Thomas J. McHenry. They decided to build a house according to plans made by P. Gult, an architect from Omaha. Charles Morrison provided the carpentry work at a cost of $350, and a modern house of six rooms, a bath, office, and full basement was completed in 1918 for $3,500.
Father Buerger's pastorate at St. Paul's ended in September 1919, to be followed by that of Father Joseph Jageman, who labored here less than a year. Father Jageman had given a graduation address at Trinity College in Sioux City, Iowa, and was boarding the train for home, when he slipped and fell beneath the train, the moving wheels crushing his legs. He died the next day at a Sioux City hospital. Father James Brady, a young priest from Ireland, then came to serve St. Paul's growing parish for the next twenty years.
On Sunday, June 29, 1924, St. Paul's suffered a major set back when the church was burned beyond repair (presumably by Klan activity), and all vestments, sacred vessels, and furnishings were destroyed. Creighton's and Osmond's Catholic Churches ministered to Plainview and Brunswick until a new church could be built. Mass at this time was celebrated in the rectory with parishioners sitting on the stairway and on the front porch.
With generous contributions and labor from the parishioners, some assistance from the Catholic Church Extension Society of Chicago, and the help of personal friends, Father Brady built and furnished a new and larger church in a year's time, patterned after St. Ignatius Church in Brunswick. The new St. Paul's Church was dedicated on Thursday, May 7, 1925, at a ten o'clock Mass. Father John McNamara, the pastor of St. Andrew's in Bloomfield, St. Andrew's in Bloomfield, officiated.
June 1939, Father Peter Burke was appointed to St. Paul's. During this time the church was decorated and the majority of the parish debt was retired. The remainder of the debt was paid by Father Rudolph Kluthe, who was pastor from 1944-1948. Improvements continued when the new stained glass windows were installed and the parish house was renovated. He also organized the Catholic Youth Organization and promoted social activities for the young people.
St. Paul, Plainview second church.
St. Paul, Plainview second church high altar.
Father Edward Gill came to St. Paul's in 1948 and stayed for five years, implementing improvements to the church, including re-roofing, installing a new furnace, and remodeling the kitchen. Father Meister, Rev. Anthony J. Pluhacek, and Rev. Anthony J. Wilwerding followed in succession, serving for brief periods of time. In June of 1959, the Rev. Francis P. Kenny assumed the pastorate of St. Paul's completing the renovation of the church and rectory, which were begun by his predecessors.
The Rev. John O. McCaslin came in June of 1963, initiating changes to the facility brought about by Vatican II. Plans also were begun for the parish's Golden Jubilee, celebrated in October 1967.
Rev. William Guthman was assigned to St. Paul's following Father McCaslin's transfer. At this time two nuns were also in residence here. Sister Mary Fortis, Sister Mary Fortis, O.S.F., who coordinated music efforts, and Sister Mary Corbiniano, who was the housekeeper, resided here about a year.
In June of 1969 until June of 1971, Rev. Robert Schmitz served St. Paul’s, followed by Rev. Leonard Mustekis, who was born in Lithuania and who spent fourteen years here. During this time a new organ was purchased for $3,268. Rose Klug also resided in the rectory serving as Father Mustekis’ housekeeper.
Church interior following renovations post Vatican II.
Rev. Wilfred Spenner came in June 1985, followed by Rev. James Buckley in 1996, and Rev. Alexander Wild in 2001.
In recent years, St. Paul’s exterior has been sided, an elevator has been installed and a new garage has been built. The rectory now serves as the parish religious education center. Located in front of the church, a colorful, lighted sign was purchased by the Jim Burger family in memory of Jim’s parents, Joe and Stella Burger. Also to the southeast of the church, a beautiful Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands, donated by the Connie Plugge family in memory of Connie’s husband Jack Plugge.
Continual redecorating and updating of the church’s interior has occurred, including a mural and a new crucifix in the sanctuary, donated by Paul and Marge Haverkamp. New vestments were also recently purchased by various parish families and organizations.
At this writing, October 2002, current projects include the refurbishing of the stained-glass windows and the addition of a granite altar and crucifix at St. Paul-St. Ignatius Cemetery, the corpus being donated by Paul and Marge Haverkamp in memory of their daughter, Jolene Haverkamp.
(St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Plainview, Nebraska, 1902-2002, p. 2-4)
| Pastor | Years |
|---|---|
| Rev. William Windolph | 1902-1904 |
| Rev. Ferdinand Peitz | 1904-1917 |
| Rev. Henry Buerger | 1917-1919 |
| Rev. Joseph Jageman | 1919-1919 |
| Rev. James Brady | 1919-1939 |
| Rev. Peter F. Burke | 1939-1944 |
| Rev. Rudolph Kluthe | 1944-1948 |
| Rev. Edward Gill | 1948-1953 |
| Rev. Andrew Meister | 1953-1956 |
| Rev. Anthony Pluhacek | 1956-1958 |
| Rev. Anthony Wilwerding | 1958-1958 |
| Rev. Francis P. Kenny | 1959-1963 |
| Rev. John O. McCaslin | 1963-1967 |
| Rev. William Guthman | 1967-1969 |
| Rev. Robert Schmitz | 1969-1971 |
| Rev. Leonard Musteikis | 1971-1985 |
| Rev. Wilfred Spenner | 1985-1996 |
| Rev. James M. Buckley | 1996-2001 |
| Rev. Alexander Wild | 2001-2004 |
| Rev. Gerald Connealy | 2004-2015 |
| Rev. Mark Lim | 2015-2019 |
| Rev. Jeremy Hans | 2019-2023 |
| Rev. Owen Korte | 2023-Present |
History of St. Paul, Plainview, Nebraska
St. Paul the Apostle parish in Plainview began when Mass was celebrated on May 11, 1902 at the Normal College in Plainview. Within a year, a small brick veneer church was built, and the first Mass there was offered on November 16, 1902. To complete St. Paul's early establishment, two acres of land north of Plainview, adjoining Plainview's Pleasant View Cemetery on the north side, was purchased in 1905 for a cemetery.
History excerpts from St. Paul, Plainview, Parish Directory 2020.
During those early years, St. Paul's was a mission first of St. Ludger Parish in Creighton, and then St. Mary's Parish of Osmond. On August 1, 1917, St. Paul's first resident priest, Fr. Henry Buerger, was assigned, and a large two-story wooden rectory was built east of the church in 1918. St. Ignatius was made a mission of St. Paul's. After a fire on Sunday, June 29, 1924, the church and its contents were burned beyond repair. Once again, the Catholic churches of Creighton and Osmond ministered to St. Paul's until a new church could be built. Meanwhile, Masses were held in the rectory with parishioners sitting on the stairway and the front porch. The existing church was built and then dedicated on May 7, 1925.
Former priests serving St. Paul's were Fathers William Windolph, Ferdinand Peitz, Henry Buerger, Joseph Jageman, James Brady, Peter F. Burke, Rudolph Kluthe, Edward Gill, Andrew Meister, Anthony Pluhacek, Anthony Wilwerding, Francis P. Kenny, John O. McCaslin, William Guthman, Robert Schmitz, Leonard Musteikis, Wilfred Spenner, James Buckley, Alexander Wild, Stan Schmit, Jerry Connealy, Keith Rezac, and Marc Lim.
Due to the sharing of priests in recent years, St. Paul's older two-story rectory was no longer needed. On September 14, 2013, the structure was burned to make way for a new parish center. Construction began in May 2014, was completed in March of 2015, and formally blessed by Archbishop George Lucas on August 8, 2015. Many fundraisers - Lenten fish fries, a fireworks stand, a bake sale and a craft fair - are held yearly to help pay off the parish center debt.
Bell from St. Paul's church. Inscriptions read: Meneely Bell Co. Troy, N.Y. 1904. Ave Maria, Plainview, Neb 1904. The bell was removed from the tower during Fr. Lim's pastorate and placed in the parish center.
Recently, during Fr. Marc Lim's tenure (2015-2019), significant renovations and updates to the church structure occurred. Basement transformations included the installation of three classrooms, a comfortable meeting area, new carpeting, and updated restrooms. Throughout the church building, all wiring was replaced, and a new speaker system and new light fixtures in the choir loft were installed. In 2019, St. Paul's went from sharing a pastor with St. Joseph's in Pierce to sharing a pastor with St. Ignatius in Brunswick and St. Ludger in Creighton. This new and current pastor is Fr. Jeremy Hans.
(St. Paul, Plainview, Parish Directory 2020)