About St. Bonaventure · Columbus, Nebraska
St. Bonaventure Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Columbus, Nebraska, founded in 1877 by the Franciscan Fathers (O.F.M.) and now part of the Archdiocese of Omaha. Located at 1565 18th Avenue, the parish serves approximately 1,680 families — including nearly 400 Hispanic families — and is bilingual, offering Mass in both English and Spanish each Sunday. The community is best known locally for more than 59 years of continuous Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, and it is home to St. Bonaventure Elementary School (K-6), the parish preschool, and is closely linked with Scotus Central Catholic Jr./Sr. High School. Their motto — 'One Church, Encountering Jesus, Equipping Disciples and Living Mercy' — reflects their identity as a stewardship parish committed to intentional discipleship.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- St. Bonaventure
- Rector
- Rev. Patrick Harrison
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Omaha
Why belong here
St. Bonaventure offers the rare gift of more than 59 years of continuous Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration — a daily chapel open around the clock for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. It is also a bilingual community, celebrating a Spanish Mass every Sunday alongside English Masses, and supports a full Catholic education from preschool through 12th grade (Scotus Central Catholic). With active OCIA, Family Faith Formation, youth ministry, Bible Study, hospital and homebound visitation, and a strong stewardship parish structure, newcomers are invited into a concrete, lifelong walk of discipleship.
Mass times at St. Bonaventure
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Adoration times
- 24-Hour Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the parish chapel (ongoing for over 59 years)
Welcome and Parish Identity
St. Bonaventure describes itself as 'a vibrant and welcoming community of intentional disciples of Jesus Christ,' with the motto 'One Church, Encountering Jesus, Equipping Disciples and Living Mercy.' The parish identifies itself as a stewardship parish, dedicated to becoming intentional disciples through worship, ministry, education and service. The Welcome page emphasizes that the community walks together through every phase of life and welcomes new members of all ages.
- Founded by the Franciscan Fathers in 1877
- Stewardship parish
- Motto: 'One Church, Encountering Jesus, Equipping Disciples and Living Mercy'
- Spanish-language staff member Yesica Ruiz added to support Hispanic ministry
Our History
Catholic life in Columbus dates to before 1860, with the log-cabin St. John's Church. The current parish was formally organized under the Franciscans in 1877, built up through the construction of the brick church in 1883, expansions in 1891 and 1909, and the importation of Munich stained-glass windows in 1926. Daughter parishes — St. Anthony (1913) and St. Isidore (1963) — were later carved from St. Bonaventure to serve growing Polish and west-side populations. The weekly Spanish Mass began in January 1997 and was celebrated for its 20th anniversary in March 2017 with Archbishop Lucas.
- 1860: First Catholic parish in Columbus organized under Rev. Almire Fourmont
- 1873: Delegation to Vicar Apostolic O'Connor in Omaha
- 1877: Fr. Ambrose Janssen, O.F.M., selects site; first baptism April 22, 1877
- 1878: Friary, school and church dedicated November 17; Angelus bells begin
- 1883: Cornerstone of brick church laid July 8
- 1899: Fr. Cyril Mitera, O.F.M., ordained — first priest from Platte County
- 1913: St. Anthony Parish formed for Polish Catholics
- 1926: 18 stained-glass windows imported from Munich
- 1949: First parish bulletin printed (1,100 copies)
- 1963: St. Isidore Parish formed for west/north Columbus
- 1997: Sunday Spanish Mass begins
- 2017: 20-year anniversary of Spanish Mass celebrated
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Patrick Harrison and served by Associate Pastors Fr. Nicholas Mishek and Fr. Jacob Chindo, with Fr. Gregory Carl in residence as Archdiocesan Servant Minister. Retired priest Fr. Gerry Gonderinger remains involved. Two deacons — Dcn. Dan Keiter and Dcn. Jim Naughtin — assist with parish life. Lay staff includes Belinda Keiter (Pastoral Ministry & Stewardship Development), Jill Ainsworth (Director of Religious Education), Monika Wemhoff (Business Manager), Jon Misfeldt (Liturgist & Administrative Assistant), Tim Hotovy (Maintenance), and Yesica Ruiz (Hispanic ministry).
- Pastor: Fr. Patrick Harrison ([email protected])
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Nicholas Mishek ([email protected])
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Jacob Chindo ([email protected])
- Servant Minister in residence: Fr. Gregory Carl
- Retired Priest: Fr. Gerry Gonderinger
- Deacon: Dcn. Dan Keiter
- Deacon: Dcn. Jim Naughtin
- Pastoral Ministry & Stewardship: Belinda Keiter
- Director of Religious Education: Jill Ainsworth
- Business Manager: Monika Wemhoff
- Liturgist & Admin Assistant: Jon Misfeldt
- Maintenance: Tim Hotovy
- Hispanic Ministry: Yesica Ruiz
Pastoral Ministry and Outreach
Pastoral Ministry at St. Bonaventure encompasses OCIA, Bible Study, Apologetics, hospital and skilled-nursing visitation, homebound Communion, and grief support. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to those who cannot attend Mass; parishioners also lead Bible studies at the local jail. The parish grounds its ministry in the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and encourages every parishioner to act as a pastoral minister to one another.
- Hospital and nursing home visits / Communion
- Homebound visitation and Communion
- Grief support
- OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
- Adult Bible Study and Apologetics
- Jail Bible Study ministry
Faith Formation and Catholic Education
Faith Formation at St. Bonaventure includes Family Faith Formation (FFF/PRE) for grades K-6, sacrament preparation for 1st Reconciliation, 1st Communion and Confirmation, OCIA for adults, Vacation Bible School, GodTeens, and the Tri-Parish Youth Ministry. The parish is closely tied to Columbus Catholic Schools, supporting St. Bonaventure Elementary (K-6), the parish Preschool/Childcare, and Scotus Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School. St. Bonaventure Elementary traces its roots to the first Catholic school in Columbus, opened in 1878; the current elementary building's first spade of earth was turned June 26, 1950, with a preschool/childcare addition completed in 2004.
- Family Faith Formation (K-6)
- Sacrament Preparation (1st Reconciliation, 1st Communion, Confirmation)
- OCIA — Becoming Catholic
- Vacation Bible School
- GodTeens
- Tri-Parish Youth Ministry (Sarah Doerneman)
- St. Bonaventure Elementary School (K-6) — 402-564-7153
- St. Bonaventure Preschool & Childcare — 402-564-9338
- Scotus Central Catholic Jr./Sr. High School
Hispanic Ministry and the Spanish Mass
The Sunday 1:30 p.m. Spanish Mass at St. Bonaventure serves nearly 400 Hispanic parishioners, drawn from about 460 Hispanic families among the parish's roughly 1,680 total families. The Mass began in January 1997 after Spanish-speaking women gathered signatures requesting it, and was celebrated for its 20-year anniversary on March 19, 2017, when Archbishop George J. Lucas presided. Ministries supporting the Hispanic community include Jovenes Para Cristo, a religious-education and leadership program, and the parish's Hispanic Minister Yesica Ruiz.
- Spanish Mass every Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
- Hispanic Minister: Yesica Ruiz
- Jovenes Para Cristo (Hispanic faith formation & leadership)
- 20-year anniversary celebrated March 19, 2017 with Archbishop Lucas
Liturgical Ministries
St. Bonaventure supports a wide range of liturgical ministries that enable parishioners to participate actively in Mass, including altar servers (open to boys and girls from 5th grade through high school, with periodic training), Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, sacristans, ushers, gift-bearers, and adult servers for daily Mass and funerals.
- Altar Servers (5th grade through high school)
- Adult servers (daily Mass and funerals)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Sacristans
- Ushers / Gift-bearers
St. Bonaventure Cemetery
St. Bonaventure maintains a parish cemetery under the oversight of its pastor, currently Rev. Patrick Harrison (402-563-3313). The cemetery is listed as a parish ministry on the parish website.
- Cemetery contact: Rev. Patrick Harrison, 402-563-3313
Get Involved — Stewardship
As a stewardship parish, St. Bonaventure invites parishioners to share their time, talent and treasure through its many ministries and organizations. Newcomers can register online through the parish website, and online giving is also available.
- Parish registration available online
- Online giving available through the parish website
- Archdiocese Annual Appeal supported each year
Contact and Visit
The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 8:30 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m. to Noon. The mailing address is 1565 18th Avenue, Columbus, NE 68601, phone 402-564-7151, fax 402-562-6025, email [email protected]. Mass times, confession times and a directions link are all posted on the website's Contact Us page.
- Address: 1565 18th Avenue, Columbus, NE 68601
- Phone: 402-564-7151
- Fax: 402-562-6025
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 a.m.–Noon, 1:00–4:30 p.m.; Fri 8:30 a.m.–Noon
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stboncc
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Almire Fourmontbefore 1860
First pastor of the early St. John's congregation in Columbus.
- Father Ambrose Janssen, O.F.M.1877
Arrived in Columbus in February 1877 to select the parish site.
- Rev. P. Sebastian, O.F.M.1877
Administered the first baptism in the new church on April 22, 1877.
- Rev. Cyril Mitera, O.F.M.ordained July 1, 1899
First priest from Platte County and from St. Bonaventure Parish; First Solemn High Mass July 4, 1899.
- Father Protase Kuberek, O.F.M.1913
Organized the Polish parish of St. Anthony after withdrawing from St. Bonaventure on October 4, 1913.
- Father Francis Price1963
First pastor of St. Isidore Parish, carved from St. Bonaventure in 1963.
- Fr. Michael Swanton
Pastor during the 20-year celebration of the Spanish Mass (2017).
- Fr. Taylor Leffleruntil 2025
Former associate pastor; reassigned in June 2025 as pastor of parishes in Clarkson, Humphrey, Leigh, Lindsay and Tarnov.