About Immaculate Conception · Saint Helena, Nebraska
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is a historic Gothic Revival parish in the tiny Missouri River town of St. Helena, Nebraska (population roughly 85–89), serving the surrounding rural Cedar County community as part of Holy Family Parish within the Archdiocese of Omaha. The church was built in 1896–97 by Heinrich Stuckenhoff and Company from designs associated with architect Josef Schwartz, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Long one of the archdiocese's celebrated 'jewel-box' small-town churches, Immaculate Conception was designated a Jubilee pilgrimage site by the Archdiocese of Omaha during the 2025 Jubilee Year. Today it is cared for by the priests and staff of the multi-site Our Catholic Family grouping headquartered in nearby Fordyce.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception (the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin)
- Rector
- Rev. Marcus Knecht
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Omaha
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a faithful, multigenerational rural parish where, in the words of its people, 'their faith is important to them… they love their church, they're involved in parish life and prayer, and they pass on the faith.' Weekend and weekday Mass is celebrated in a building recognized across the country for its Gothic Revival beauty, and visitors are warmly welcomed. Pilgrims and travelers are particularly encouraged to visit during the 2025 Jubilee Year, when the Archdiocese of Omaha has designated the church as an official pilgrimage site.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesdays 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration / confession available during this window)
Adoration times
- Wednesdays 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
About Immaculate Conception Parish
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is the Catholic parish serving the tiny Missouri River village of St. Helena, Nebraska (Cedar County), and the surrounding German-Catholic farming community. It is part of the multi-site Holy Family / Our Catholic Family grouping administered out of Fordyce, within the Archdiocese of Omaha. Weekend and weekday Mass are scheduled here as part of a rotation across the cluster of small parishes that make up Our Catholic Family.
- Located at St. Helena St. & 9th St., St. Helena, NE 68792
- Part of the Our Catholic Family parish grouping (Fordyce, NE)
- In the Archdiocese of Omaha
History of St. Helena and the Parish
St. Helena was founded in 1858 by Carl C. P. Myer, who brought a sawmill up the Missouri River from St. Louis and convinced other settlers to join him; by 1859 the town had a handful of buildings. German Catholic families were among the early settlers, and the current Gothic Revival church — built 1896–97 by Heinrich Stuckenhoff and Company from designs attributed to Josef Schwartz — has anchored the community ever since. The church and its rectory were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
- 1858 — St. Helena founded by Carl C. P. Myer
- 1896–97 — current Immaculate Conception Church built
- 2001 — church and rectory listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2024–25 — designated a Jubilee pilgrimage site by the Archdiocese of Omaha
Architecture
The church is a textbook example of rural German-Catholic Gothic Revival, built by Heinrich Stuckenhoff and Company and attributed to architect Josef Schwartz (who also designed the very similar Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in nearby Bow Valley). Inside and out it is richly appointed: stained-glass windows, ornate altars, an arched ceiling, a large pipe organ, and a prominent bell tower topped by a steeple roofed in aging slate shingles. The building is widely recognized for its architectural quality; as parishioner and deacon Shane Kleinschmit put it, 'This church is recognized across the country for its gothic style.'
- Gothic Revival style
- Builder: Heinrich Stuckenhoff and Company (1896–97)
- Architectural attribution: Josef Schwartz
- Notable interior features: stained-glass windows, ornate altars, arched ceiling, large pipe organ
- Exterior landmarks: bell tower and slate-shingled steeple
Jubilee Pilgrimage Site (2025)
For the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year (December 24, 2024 – January 6, 2026), the Archdiocese of Omaha designated Immaculate Conception as one of eight Jubilee pilgrimage sites in the archdiocese. Catholics can obtain a plenary indulgence by prayerfully visiting the site. The designation drew tour buses and visitors from across the region, including many who came simply to admire the small-town Gothic Revival building.
- One of eight Jubilee pilgrimage sites in the Archdiocese of Omaha
- Pilgrims may obtain a plenary indulgence by prayerfully visiting
- Other archdiocesan sites include St. Cecilia Cathedral (Omaha), St. Anthony (Cedar Rapids), Holy Family Shrine (Gretna), Assumption BVM (Lynch), Immaculata Monastery (Norfolk), St. Benedict Center (Schuyler), and St. Augustine Indian Mission (Winnebago)
Restoration Campaign
By the mid-2020s the 19th-century building needed major work. Recent projects have included about $170,000 of exterior tuckpointing, flashing and metal work on the bell tower. Roughly $400,000 more is needed to complete the current phase, $465,000 is anticipated for a full roof replacement within five years, and another $170,000 will be needed for steeple repairs including replacement of aging slate shingles. The parish has applied for assistance through the National Fund for Sacred Places and is running a GoFundMe campaign, with giving opportunities built around community events like Tour de Nebraska and St. Helena's annual Fourth of July celebration.
- Bell-tower tuckpointing/flashing/metal work completed (~$170,000)
- Additional tuckpointing needed (~$200,000–$300,000)
- Roof replacement anticipated within 5 years (~$465,000)
- Steeple slate-shingle replacement (~$170,000)
- Approximately $135,000 raised to date
- Grant application pending with the National Fund for Sacred Places
Mass and Sacraments
Immaculate Conception is served by the priests of Our Catholic Family. Mass is celebrated at the church on a limited, monthly rotation within the cluster, and weekly Eucharistic Adoration (during which confession is available) is offered on Wednesdays.
- Mass: 2nd Monday and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 12:05 PM
- Eucharistic Adoration: Wednesdays 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Confession available during Wednesday adoration hours
- Funeral Masses celebrated on-site (e.g., by Fr. Marcus Knecht, Dec. 2024)
Clergy and Staff
The parish is pastored as part of the Our Catholic Family grouping. Rev. James Keiter is listed as Pastor of Our Catholic Family, with Rev. Marcus Knecht serving as Associate Pastor and the priest regularly referenced for the parish. Deacon Shane Kleinschmit serves the cluster in multiple roles, including Director of Youth Religious Formation, and is a frequent public spokesperson for Immaculate Conception's preservation efforts.
- Fr. James Keiter — Pastor, Our Catholic Family
- Fr. Marcus Knecht — Associate Pastor (officiates regularly at Immaculate Conception)
- Deacon Shane Kleinschmit — Director of Youth Religious Formation; parish spokesperson
- Parish office / bulletin: 402-357-3506
Parish Life and Ministries
Immaculate Conception is a small, tightly-knit rural parish. Parishioners are deeply involved in parish life — choir, pro-life advocacy, faith formation for the young, and the ongoing restoration campaign that is keeping the 1897 church standing. Members describe themselves as people who 'love their parish, [are] involved in parish life and prayer, [give] back to the community and pass on the faith.'
- Choir
- Pro-life advocacy
- Youth Religious Formation (Deacon Shane Kleinschmit)
- Historic preservation / fundraising volunteers
A Hidden Treasure: The 'Hidden Jesus'
One of the parish's most distinctive devotional details is a statue known locally as the 'hidden Jesus.' It depicts Jesus in the tomb and resides under a side altar, beneath a statue of St. Joseph, hidden behind a decorative panel showing the death of St. Joseph with Jesus and Mary beside him. Once a year, after Mass on Holy Thursday, the panel is removed and the statue is unveiled. As one parishioner put it, 'That's kind of our little secret.'
- Hidden beneath a side altar under a statue of St. Joseph
- Concealed year-round by a decorative panel of St. Joseph's death
- Unveiled only after Mass on Holy Thursday
Visiting and Getting Involved
Immaculate Conception welcomes visitors year-round, and especially during the 2025 Jubilee Year. Those interested in supporting the restoration may donate through the church's GoFundMe campaign or learn more at www.ourcatholicfamily.org. Tour de Nebraska and St. Helena's annual Fourth of July celebration are key community moments when visitors can experience the church and contribute in person.
- Restoration donations accepted via the parish's GoFundMe campaign
- More information at www.ourcatholicfamily.org
- Major community events: Tour de Nebraska, St. Helena Fourth of July
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Marcus Knechtrecently appointed (mid-2020s)
Current pastor; described by Norfolk Daily News as 'recently became pastor of the parish'; celebrated a funeral Mass at Immaculate Conception in December 2024.
- Rev. Jeremy Hansearlier
Now pastor of St. Cecilia Parish in Omaha and rector of St. Cecilia Cathedral; grew up in the parish and called Immaculate Conception his home parish in the Catholic Voice Jubilee feature.