About Immaculate Conception · Rulo, Nebraska
Immaculate Conception is a small historic Roman Catholic parish in the village of Rulo, Nebraska — one of the state's southernmost communities on the Missouri River. Founded in 1863, it predates both the State of Nebraska (admitted 1867) and the Diocese of Lincoln (established 1887), making it one of the oldest parishes in the diocese. The parish belongs to the Falls City Deanery of the Diocese of Lincoln, shares a pastor with mission church St. Mary in Arago, and gathers for Sunday morning Mass in a beloved Gothic-style church whose present building was blessed in 1914 and has been carefully maintained by generations of farming families.
- Established
- 1863
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception (of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Samuel Beardslee
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a tight-knit rural parish whose families — many with generations of roots here — treat the church as an extension of their own households. Visitors and parishioners find a community that comes together, as it did when farmers hand-dug the church basement in 1956 and again at the 150th anniversary in 2013, to keep its historic Gothic church (blessed 1914) in good shape. With weekly Sunday Mass, regular confession, an active Altar Society that serves coffee and rolls after Sunday Mass, and shared mission with St. Mary in Arago, the parish offers an authentically family-style Catholic life on Nebraska's southeastern river border.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:10 a.m. (before Mass)
Parish History
Founded in June 1863 — before Nebraska was a state — Immaculate Conception is one of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Lincoln. After a tumultuous first half-century (a botched basilica foundation, an undersized frame church of c. 1865, a tornado that leveled a brick church in 1868, an 1886 railroad displacement, and a January 1913 fire), the parish rebuilt the present Gothic Revival church under Father Robert Bickert, breaking ground in August 1913 and blessing the finished building on April 29, 1914. Generations of farming families have kept the church and grounds in repair ever since, climaxing in a memorable 150th anniversary celebration with Bishop James D. Conley on June 23, 2013.
- 1863 — Father Almire Fourmount appointed first pastor, begins a basilica whose foundation must be dismantled and sold to pay workers.
- c. 1865 — Father William Kelly raises a small frame church, soon too small for the growing congregation.
- 1868 — A new brick church is destroyed by a tornado as the roof is about to be added.
- 1871 — L-shaped combined church and rectory erected.
- 1886 — Railroad right-of-way forces the parish to relocate.
- January 5, 1913 — Church burns; Sister Mary Gunthildis runs in under burning eaves to save the Blessed Sacrament.
- June 1913 — Father Robert Bickert arrives to rebuild; groundbreaking follows two months later.
- April 29, 1914 — Current Gothic church blessed.
- 1956 — Basement hand-excavated by parish farmers; new roof, organ, sound system, rectory renovation, cemetery cross.
- 1963 — Centennial: buildings renovated, new entrance to parish hall, automated chimes installed.
- June 23, 2013 — 150th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop James D. Conley and Father David Oldham.
Architecture and the Church Building
The present church is a Gothic-style structure that has become the visual and spiritual heart of the parish. Built of the finest quality brick with Bedford limestone trim, slate roofing, and copper-clad cornices and tower, it has been kept in continuous repair by the parish family — including repainting and stonework restoration in the year leading up to the 2013 anniversary.
- Architectural style: Gothic Revival
- Exterior: finest quality brick, Bedford limestone trim, slate roof, copper cornices and upper tower
- Original stained glass windows, several donated by parish families
- Blessed April 29, 1914
Altar Society
The Immaculate Conception Altar Society is the principal lay organization in the parish, welcoming new members and coordinating the everyday work that keeps the parish hospitality visible and active. Activities are rooted in service to the parish family and to the wider rural community.
- Serve coffee and rolls after every Sunday Mass
- Recite Rosary before Mass (monthly; weekly May/October)
- Clean church several times a year
- Decorate the church for Christmas
- Host funeral dinners upon request
- Run a lunch stand at local farm sales as needed
- Annual Ice Cream Social
- Bake pies for the Men's Club Pork Barbeque & Fish Fry
- Lenten Pancake Breakfast
- 2024–2026 President: Judy Weston
Men's Club
The parish Men's Club supports both fellowship and fundraising, with the Altar Society traditionally baking pies to accompany the club's Pork Barbeque & Fish Fry events.
- Annual Pork Barbeque & Fish Fry (with pies baked by the Altar Society)
Clergy and Pastoral Care
Immaculate Conception shares pastoral ministry with its mission parish, St. Mary in Arago, and is in good standing with the Diocese of Lincoln's pastoral assignments. Contact for the parish is by telephone at the parish number; the diocese's directory pages are the parish's primary online presence.
- Pastor: Rev. Samuel Beardslee (also serves St. Mary, Arago; teaches at Sacred Heart High School, Falls City)
- Part of the Falls City Deanery, Diocese of Lincoln
- Parish phone: 402-245-4731
Cemetery
Immaculate Conception parish maintains its own Catholic cemetery, listed in Find a Grave as Cemetery #2186792. A cemetery cross was installed as part of the larger 1956 round of parish improvements.
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Rulo, Nebraska
- Cemetery cross installed 1956
Visiting and Contact
Rulo sits along the Missouri River in far southeastern Nebraska. The parish's street address is at 7th and Rouleau Streets, with a mailing address of 601 W Rouleau St., Rulo, NE 68431. The Diocese of Lincoln parish directory is the central online listing for Mass times, confession times, and clergy assignments.
- Street: 7th & Rouleau Sts., Rulo, NE 68431
- Mailing: 601 W Rouleau St, Rulo, NE 68431
- Phone: 402-245-4731
- Deanery: Falls City
- Mission: St. Mary, Arago
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Almire Fourmount1863–
First pastor officially appointed in June 1863 by Bishop Michael O'Gorman, vicar apostolic of Nebraska Territory. Attempted to build a basilica; foundation stones were disassembled and sold to pay workers; he was reassigned.
- Father William Kelly
Succeeded Father Fourmount; oversaw construction of a small frame church c. 1865 that proved too small for the growing congregation.
- Father Robert BickertJune 1913–
Arrived June 1913 to oversee rebuilding after the January 1913 fire; ground broken for the present Gothic church two months later, blessed April 29, 1914.
- Father David Oldham
Pastor as of the 150th anniversary Mass in June 2013, concelebrated with Bishop James D. Conley.
- Rev. Benjamin Rynearson
Listed in third-party parish directories as a recent pastor of Immaculate Conception / St. Mary, Arago.
- Rev. Samuel Beardslee2026–
Appointed pastor of Immaculate Conception, Rulo, and St. Mary, Arago, while also teaching at Sacred Heart High School, Falls City, per the Diocese of Lincoln's 2026 clergy appointments.