About Sacred Heart · Hebron, Nebraska
Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic parish in Hebron, Thayer County, Nebraska, belonging to the Diocese of Lincoln and the Fairbury Deanery. The parish traces its origins to the late 1870s when pioneer Catholic families in Thayer County built their first church, and Bishop James O'Connor appointed its first resident pastor, Rev. Phillip Erlach, on July 11, 1880. Today the parish is led by Very Rev. Steven Major and offers a Saturday Vigil Mass and a Sunday Mass, along with confessions before each. The parish also livestreams its Sunday Mass on a dedicated YouTube channel and maintains an active Facebook page.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Very Rev. Steven Major
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers a tight-knit, family-sized Catholic community rooted in over 140 years of pioneer faith in Thayer County. Parishioners can worship at a Saturday Vigil Mass or Sunday Mass, take advantage of confessions before both weekend liturgies, and stay connected through a parish YouTube livestream and Facebook presence — making it easy for homebound or traveling members to remain part of the community.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00–5:45 p.m.
- Sunday 9:00–9:45 a.m.
Parish Identity & Patron
Sacred Heart Parish is named after the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The parish's centennial history notes that no record survives of the exact reason the founding families chose this name, but Pope Pius IX had been promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus around the same period, and many parishes founded in that era across the United States received the same dedication.
- Patron: Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Name origin: tied to mid-19th century promotion of Sacred Heart devotion by Pope Pius IX
- Located in the Fairbury Deanery of the Diocese of Lincoln
History of the Parish
The congregation traces back to the late 1870s, when pioneering Catholic families in Thayer County built their first church while the region was still under the Vicariate-Apostolic of Nebraska. Missionary priests from Crete — including Rev. Ferdinand Lechleitner — tended to the community until Bishop James O'Connor was able to appoint a resident pastor. The parish has served Hebron continuously ever since, marked by incorporation in 1916, mid-century construction projects in the 1950s, and the 1976 centennial celebration.
- 1870s: Pioneer families organize the first church
- 1880: Rev. Phillip Erlach becomes first resident pastor (July 11)
- 1887: Parish comes under the newly created Diocese of Lincoln
- 1892: Religious Sisters take over teaching in the parochial school
- 1916: Parish corporation incorporated (Sept. 18)
- 1954: Articles of Incorporation amended; new church/rectory/school financed
- 1976: 100th anniversary celebrated with commemorative booklet 'The Bell'
Parish Corporation & Governance
Sacred Heart Church of Hebron is incorporated as a non-profit corporation under Nebraska law. The Bishop of Lincoln serves as president, the pastor serves as ex officio secretary-treasurer, and lay members sit on the board. The parish's registered office is at the Diocesan Chancery in Lincoln, while its principal place of business is at 436 N. 3rd Street, Hebron.
- Legal entity: Sacred Heart Church of Hebron, a corporation
- Registered agent: The Catholic Bishop of Lincoln, a Corporation
- Mailing address: 436 N 3rd St, Hebron NE 68370-1215
Clergy
The parish is currently served by Very Rev. Steven Major, listed by the Diocese of Lincoln as pastor of Sacred Heart, Hebron.
- Current Pastor: Very Rev. Steven Major
Livestream & Online Presence
Sacred Heart livestreams its Sunday Mass on a dedicated YouTube channel and maintains an active Facebook page. This makes it easy for parishioners who are traveling, homebound, or living away from Hebron to remain connected to the parish community.
- Sunday Mass livestream: 10:00 a.m. on YouTube
- YouTube channel: youtube.com/@sacredheartchurchhebron7154
- Facebook: facebook.com/SacredHeartHebron
Parish School (Historical)
From its earliest days the parish prioritized Catholic education. Pioneer families organized a parochial school almost immediately after founding the congregation, with children taught in the church by lay teachers until 1892, when religious Sisters arrived to take over instruction. A new school building was among the projects financed by the parish corporation in the mid-1950s.
- School organized by pioneer families in the early years
- Lay teachers in the church until 1892
- Religious Sisters taught from 1892 onward
- New school built mid-1950s
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach Sacred Heart by phone or email. The street address (the church itself) is on Eads Avenue, while the mailing address is on North 3rd Street.
- Street address: 360 Eads Ave, Hebron, NE 68370
- Mailing address: 436 N 3rd St, Hebron, NE 68370-1215
- Phone: (402) 768-1764
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Phillip Erlach1880–1892
First resident pastor; Austrian-born priest ordained 1865 by Bishop James O'Gorman; arrived July 11, 1880.
- Rev. Albert Petrasch1892–1906
Ordained Nov. 30, 1889 in Lincoln by Bishop Thomas Bonacum; served almost 15 years with assistants Father Lutz, Rev. J. Barrett, and Rev. Charles Becker.
- Rev. Frank J. Ress1907–1914
Born in Reinfeldshof, Bavaria; studied at the American College in Louvain, Belgium; previously at West Point, Fairbury, and Beatrice.
- Rev. Joseph Resscirca 1916
Listed as pastor on the parish's original 1916 Articles of Incorporation.
- Rev. Michael Merkl1915–1929
Born Dover, Indiana 1853; ordained 1886; appointed to Hebron Jan. 17, 1915; served missions at Steinauer, Campbell, Harvard, Juniata, Assumption, and Burchard; retired due to failing eyesight.
- Rev. Charles F. Rada
Ordained Oct. 11, 1896 in Würzburg, Bavaria for the Diocese of Lincoln; previously Auxiliary Chaplain of the Hastings Naval Depot; later assigned to Lincoln and became Rector of the Cathedral of the Risen Christ.
- Msgr. Charles J. Keenanpre-1958–1962
Served Sacred Heart, Hebron from 1958–1962.
- Msgr. Raymond L. Wageman1943
Invested as Domestic Prelate September 1, 1943; served as Secretary-Treasurer of the parish corporation.
- Msgr. Clarence Crowley1962–1966
Succeeded his predecessor at Sacred Heart, Hebron.
- Msgr. William J. Rezabek1966–1968
Later Pastor at Blessed Sacrament, Lincoln; appointed Diocesan Consultor by Bishop Glennon P. Flavin on November 1, 1973.