About Sacred Heart · Beaver Crossing, Nebraska
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a small, rural Roman Catholic parish in the village of Beaver Crossing, Nebraska, within the Diocese of Lincoln. The parish is paired with its mission church, St. Patrick's in the neighboring town of Utica, and the two share a single pastor, Rev. Msgr. Mark Huber, V.G., who also serves the diocese as Vicar General and Promotor of Justice. Weekend Mass is celebrated Saturday at 5:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart in Beaver Crossing and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at St. Patrick's in Utica, with confession heard before each. The parish runs a K–12 catechism program in addition to weekday Mass and Eucharistic adoration, serving farming families across southeast Nebraska.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Mark Huber, V.G.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a tight-knit rural Catholic community where a single shepherd, Msgr. Mark Huber, ministers to two parishes — Sacred Heart in Beaver Crossing and its mission St. Patrick's in Utica. Members enjoy the classic small-parish rhythm: a Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart, a Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. at St. Patrick's, weekday Masses through the week, weekly Eucharistic adoration Friday mornings, a K–12 catechism program, and a Legion of Mary praesidium that meets Wednesday mornings. The parish's bulletin also shows a real culture of stewardship — readers, acolytes, rosary leaders, musicians, building-renovation fundraising, and outreach to local crisis pregnancy centers — making it easy for any family to find a way to belong.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30–4:50 p.m. at Sacred Heart (before the 5:00 p.m. Vigil Mass)
- Sunday 8:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's, Utica (before the 9:00 a.m. Mass)
- Other times by appointment — call the rectory to arrange an in-person meeting or a time at the confessional
Adoration times
- Weekly exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament at Sacred Heart Church on Friday mornings, 7:00–8:00 a.m.
Sacred Heart Parish — Beaver Crossing, Nebraska
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is the parish church for the village of Beaver Crossing, a small farming community in Seward County in southeast Nebraska. According to the parish's IRS nonprofit record (Cause IQ), the parish was formally organized in 1946 under the Diocese of Lincoln, and today it serves Catholic families in Beaver Crossing together with its mission church, St. Patrick's, in nearby Utica. The parish website describes the community with the phrase "Serving Utica and Beaver Crossing," emphasizing the two-town footprint of this single pastoral family.
Pastor and Clergy
The parish is led by Rev. Msgr. Mark Huber, V.G., who was appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart, Beaver Crossing, and St. Patrick, Utica, in the Diocese of Lincoln's 2020 clergy assignments (effective June 15, 2020). In addition to his role as pastor, Msgr. Huber continues to serve the diocese as Vicar General and as Promotor of Justice and Judge for the Diocesan Tribunal. The rectory (parish residence) is at Sacred Heart Church in Beaver Crossing, and he can be reached through the parish phone (402-532-2545) or his cell (402-416-1943).
- Rev. Msgr. Mark Huber, V.G. — Pastor (appointed June 15, 2020)
- Msgr. Huber also serves as Vicar General and Promotor of Justice / Judge, Diocesan Tribunal of the Diocese of Lincoln
- Rectory / parish residence: Sacred Heart Church, PO Box 208, Beaver Crossing, NE 68313
Faith Formation and Religious Education (Catechism)
The parish website states that "Catechism is taught during the school year to those from kindergarten through high school," reflecting a single, parish-wide religious-education program that serves children and youth of all ages across both Beaver Crossing and Utica. The parish has also set up a dedicated Facebook page so that parents and catechists can share information and coordinate the program through the year.
- K–12 catechism program operating during the school year
- Parish Facebook page used as a communication hub for parents and catechists
- Connection with St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School for faith formation
Parish Ministries and Stewardship
Although Sacred Heart is a small parish, the bulletin shows a robust list of lay ministries that keep weekend Mass running smoothly. Each week's bulletin names the lector/acolyte, acolyte, rosary leader, musicians, and statue-carriers for both churches, and parishioners give of their time to stewardship of the historic buildings — most recently a building-renovation campaign that raised $3,185.22 in a single week. The parish also runs an annual garage sale fundraiser during Utica Heritage Days and supports outreach to local crisis pregnancy centers in York and Lincoln.
- Lectors and Acolytes (e.g., Steve Wambold, Kevin Medow)
- Music ministry (Angie & Mari, parish musicians)
- Rosary leaders and Marian statue carriers (Pat Vavra, Diane Kallhoff, Donna Richards)
- Building Renovation fundraising
- St. Patrick's annual Garage Sale during Utica Heritage Days
- Outreach: Crisis Pregnancy Center of York, Lincoln Crisis Pregnancy Center, and Birthright of Lincoln
Mission Church — St. Patrick's, Utica
St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Utica, Nebraska, is officially a Mission Church of Sacred Heart Parish. The Diocese of Lincoln's directory lists it as a separate parish entity (with the same pastor), but the parish website describes both churches as one pastoral family. The detailed history that the parish publishes is primarily the story of St. Patrick's, Utica, going back to 1869.
- St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Utica, NE — Mission of Sacred Heart Parish
- Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. at St. Patrick's
- Confessions Sunday at 8:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's
- Wednesday Mass at 7:00 a.m. at St. Patrick's
- Annual garage sale fundraiser held at St. Patrick's during Utica Heritage Days
History of St. Patrick's, Utica (the Parish's Published Story)
The parish website's "About" page is devoted to the story of the mission church at Utica. In 1869, the Burlington Railroad pushed west through Nebraska territory, and many of the construction crews were Catholic. Utica was one of the towns platted along the line; although the first residence dates to 1872, the village was not officially established until August 1877 and grew rapidly thereafter. By 1877, sixteen Irish and German Catholic families lived in the area and were served by missionaries and traveling priests from Lincoln and Seward. The first Mass was celebrated in 1880 in the old section house.
The First St. Patrick's Church (1882)
On April 10, 1882, about 22 Catholic families purchased an acre lot from George Wright for $35 (he had bought it from the Burlington and Missouri Railroad) and built a wood-framed church under the supervision of Rev. C.F. Quinn, resident pastor of Seward's Catholic Church. The builder was James Fallon, a Catholic man who built hundreds of early buildings in the county, and the contract price was $852. The first church stood directly west of the present building and was dedicated in honor of St. Patrick by the Bishop of the Diocese of Omaha. The parish lists its founding fathers as Florian Geiger, Mathias Noel, Wendelin Buller, William Leif, Frederich Rohren, James O'Donnell, and Thomas McNiff.
The Second St. Patrick's Church (1915)
About thirty-one years after the frame church was built, 35 families decided to replace it with a new brick church. Rev. John J. Murphy, along with P.R. Wolff, Peter Hubertus, Anthony L. Buller, and J.W. Gagan, drew up a contract with Monsieur Green of Manhattan, Kansas, and H.W. Brinkman, Architect of Emporia, Kansas. Construction began in March 1915. The butternut Gothic main altar, side altars, communion rail, confessional, 30 white-oak pews, and kneelers cost $1,210, the windows $348, and the total cost was $10,201.95 — completed in November 1915 and paid in full by 1916. The old frame church was sold to William Leif, Jr. for $300, moved five and a half blocks south, used as a garage, and burned two years later.
The St. Patrick's Cemetery
Three acres of burial ground were purchased in 1884 by Bishop James O'Connor for $150 from George Wright. The cemetery lies one mile east and a half mile south of Utica. Burials were not formally recorded until 1904. Over the decades the grounds were improved with a grotto containing a statue of the Blessed Virgin (built 1958, replaced 1972), the old Utica Public Schools flag pole (added 1989), a sundial in memory of Mike Slawnyk, decorative wrought-iron memorial gates (1993), an outdoor granite altar (May 2002), landscaping by former parishioner Brian Tomes (2003), and underground flag-pole holders donated by sextons Harry and Jane Slawnyk. Father Patrick Murphy established the Memorial Day Mass and the Mass for veterans' funerals at the cemetery in 1994.
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Sacred Heart offers the full rhythm of Catholic sacraments appropriate to a parish church: the daily celebration of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation before each weekend Mass and by appointment, and Eucharistic Adoration every Friday morning. For other sacraments (Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, First Communion, Confirmation), parishioners contact the parish directly through the rectory phone.
- Eucharist — daily Mass and weekend Mass
- Reconciliation — Saturday 4:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart, Sunday 8:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's, and by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration — Friday mornings, 7:00–8:00 a.m.
- Anointing of the Sick and other sacraments — by calling the rectory at 402-532-2545
Bulletin, News, and Weekly Newsletter
The parish publishes a weekly combined bulletin for Sacred Heart and St. Patrick's, posted on the parish website and emailed to parishioners. Each issue lists the week's Mass intentions and schedule, the names of lectors, acolytes, rosary leaders, musicians, and statue-carriers for both churches, the stewardship totals for the previous week, the monthly intention of Pope Francis, and announcements for upcoming events (Garage Sale, Legion of Mary, Memorial Day Mass, building-renovation progress, and more).
- Weekly bulletin posted in PDF form on sacredheartcatholicbc.org
- Weekly stewardship report (Adults, Plate, Peter's Pence, Building Renovation, etc.)
- Monthly Prayer Intention of Pope Francis included in each bulletin
- Announcements of upcoming parish events and fundraisers
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Msgr. Mark Huber, V.G.June 15, 2020 – present
Appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Beaver Crossing and St. Patrick Parish in Utica by the Diocese of Lincoln in the 2020 clergy assignments; retained his curial role as Vicar General and other diocesan appointments.