About St. Francis Borgia · Blair, Nebraska
St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church is a parish in Blair, Nebraska, serving the Catholics of Washington County. Founded in the late nineteenth century by Irish and German railroad workers and settlers, the parish is now one of three communities joined as Trinity Catholic Parishes — alongside St. John the Baptist in Fort Calhoun and St. Patrick in Tekamah — under the pastoral care of Father Damien Wee. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Omaha and remains an active, family-centered community with daily Mass, Saturday adoration, religious education, youth ministry, and a tradition of service that has been visible in moments both ordinary and extraordinary, including the response to the 2024 Blair tornado.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- Saint Francis Borgia
- Rector
- Father Damien Wee
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Omaha
Why belong here
St. Francis Borgia offers the full rhythm of Catholic life in a small-town setting: daily Masses three days a week, a Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and Saturday confessions. The parish is part of Trinity Catholic Parishes, so parishioners share clergy, faith formation, and youth ministry with the neighboring communities of Fort Calhoun and Tekamah — a real plus for families looking for Christian fellowship across Washington County. Active ministries include youth ministry (led by Deacon Jeff and Darla Zurek), the parish's welcoming Catholic 101 / OCIA process for adults exploring the faith, and a tradition of outreach that was vividly visible after the April 2024 Blair tornado, when the community rallied around affected families.
Mass times at St. Francis Borgia
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Adoration times
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- First Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
About St. Francis Borgia
St. Francis Borgia is a Catholic parish in Blair, Nebraska, and the central community of Trinity Catholic Parishes — a grouping that also includes St. John the Baptist in Fort Calhoun and St. Patrick in Tekamah. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Omaha (Metro East Deanery) and traces its formal origins to 1886, when the local Catholic congregation incorporated itself under the patronage of St. Francis Borgia. Today it serves Washington County Catholics with daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, faith formation for children and adults, and active youth ministry.
- Address: 2005 Davis Drive, Blair, NE 68008
- Phone: 402.426.3823 (Central Office)
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. or by appointment
- Part of Trinity Catholic Parishes; Archdiocese of Omaha
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Blair began shortly after the town was incorporated in 1869, when missionaries from Omaha began making periodic visits and saying occasional Masses in the section house and private homes. The parish was organized in 1871 as St. Joseph's Catholic Church, then incorporated in 1886 under the title St. Frances Catholic Church of Blair. Irish and German Catholic railroad workers and settlers contributed their time and money to build the first church at 15th and Colfax for about $1,000. Growth followed quickly: a larger church was built at the same site in 1889 (with non-Catholic friends pitching in) and a rectory was added in 1900.
- 1871 – parish organized as St. Joseph's Catholic Church
- 1886 – incorporated as St. Frances Catholic Church of Blair
- First church built at 15th and Colfax (~$1,000)
- 1889 – larger church built at the same location
- 1900 – rectory added
- 1958 – new church built at 2005 Davis Drive; social hall and rectory included; 130 families at that time
- Education building added later for weekly religious instruction of ~200 children
Trinity Catholic Parishes
St. Francis Borgia is joined with St. John the Baptist in Fort Calhoun and St. Patrick in Tekamah as Trinity Catholic Parishes. The three communities share a pastor (Father Damien Wee), a central office in Blair, and many ministries. St. John the Baptist in Fort Calhoun has historically been the mission church of the Blair parish and remains the only other Catholic church in Washington County. Shared programming includes adult faith formation, youth ministry, and major liturgies such as the annual Corpus Christi Mass and Procession.
- St. Francis Borgia, Blair (central parish)
- St. John the Baptist, Fort Calhoun (mission church)
- St. Patrick, Tekamah
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Trinity Catholic Parishes spans both children and adults. Roughly 200 elementary-age children receive weekly religious instruction in the parish's education building, and Rachel Olson serves as Religious Education Coordinator for the Tekamah site. The adult-initiation process is offered under the friendly name 'Catholic 101' (the parish's title for OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), running on Thursday evenings from September through April or early May, with dinner at 6:00 p.m. and class from 6:30–8:00 p.m. Inquiry is welcome with no commitment, and current Catholics are encouraged to attend too.
- Weekly Religious Education for ~200 elementary-age children
- Catholic 101 / OCIA — Thursday evenings, 6:00–8:00 p.m., September through April/May
- Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification & Enlightenment, and Mystagogy periods explained on the parish website
- Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) celebrated at the Easter Vigil
- Informational meeting typically held in early August at St. Francis Borgia
Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry for the Blair parish is led by Deacon Jeff Zurek and his wife Darla Zurek, and operates as part of Trinity Catholic Parishes' shared ministry structure. The program is designed to bring younger parishioners into the liturgical, service, and community life of the parishes.
- Led by Deacon Jeff & Darla Zurek
- Serves St. Francis Borgia (Blair) youth within Trinity Catholic Parishes
Parish Organizations & Community Life
Historically the parish has sustained a broad roster of lay organizations that have served as the backbone of community life. The Council of Catholic Women and the Men's Holy Name Society remain active, the Confraternity of Catholic Doctrine provided catechetical instruction for grade- and high-school students, and an Over 55 Club supports older parishioners. A parish council with several committees helps coordinate the work of the congregation. Today, outreach continues through collections for Joseph's Coat Thrift Store and Food Pantry in Blair, and the parish has been visibly present at major community moments — including the response to the April 2024 tornado.
- Council of Catholic Women
- Men's Holy Name Society
- Confraternity of Catholic Doctrine
- Over 55 Club
- Parish Council with several committees
- Outreach to Joseph's Coat Thrift Store and Food Pantry, Blair
Parish Staff
Trinity Catholic Parishes is served by a small team of clergy and lay staff who work across all three communities. Father Damien Wee is the pastor; Deacon Jeff Zurek is based in Blair and also coordinates Youth Ministry with his wife Darla. Deacons Jerry Mapes and Paul Cerio serve Fort Calhoun. Office Manager Beth Holdridge and Maintenance (Blair) Darryl Childs handle day-to-day operations. Sam Minarik is Evangelization Coordinator and Rachel Olson is the Religious Education Coordinator for Tekamah.
- Father Damien Wee — Pastor
- Deacon Jeff Zurek — Deacon (Blair); Youth Ministry (with Darla Zurek)
- Deacon Jerry Mapes — Deacon (Fort Calhoun)
- Deacon Paul Cerio — Deacon (Fort Calhoun)
- Sam Minarik — Evangelization Coordinator
- Rachel Olson — Religious Education Coordinator (Tekamah)
- Beth Holdridge — Office Manager
- Darryl Childs — Maintenance (Blair)
- Theresa Gebhardt — Maintenance & Cleaning (Fort Calhoun)
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms and Marriages are scheduled through the Central Office (402.426.3823). Reconciliation is heard every Saturday afternoon, and First Friday brings an extended period of Adoration. Adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist journey through Catholic 101 / OCIA, with the Sacraments of Initiation typically celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
- Baptism — schedule via the Central Office
- Marriage — schedule via the Central Office
- Reconciliation — Saturday 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
- Eucharistic Adoration — Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; First Fridays 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- OCIA / Catholic 101 — adult initiation, Thursdays Sept.–May
Community Response & Outreach
On April 26, 2024, an EF-3 tornado up to half a mile wide damaged or destroyed numerous homes south of Blair, including the homes of several St. Francis Borgia parishioners such as the Youngers and the Villwoks. Father Damien Wee arrived the next morning with bottled water and snacks to pray with and comfort families; Deacon Jeff Zurek was also present, walking affected parishioners through their losses. Within an hour of the storm, neighbors and fellow parishioners had already mobilized to help — an illustration of the parish's tightly woven community life that long predates the disaster.
- April 26, 2024 EF-3 tornado south of Blair
- Father Damien Wee ministered to displaced families the morning after the storm
- Deacon Jeff Zurek prayed with and accompanied affected parishioners
- Parishioners (e.g., John and Lisa Villwok) gather donations for Joseph's Coat of Blair year-round
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish through the Central Office in Blair, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon and by appointment. The church is located on the south edge of Blair at 2005 Davis Drive, easy to find from the rest of Washington County.
- St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church — 2005 Davis Drive, Blair, NE 68008
- Phone: 402.426.3823
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.trinitycatholicparishes.org/st-francis
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. or by appointment