About St. James · Mead, Nebraska
St. James Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Mead, Nebraska, in the Diocese of Lincoln. Its motto is "In Praise of God's Mercy." The parish serves the village of Mead and the surrounding Saunders County farmland, where Catholic families have worshipped since 1867. Today it offers a Saturday Vigil Mass, a Sunday morning Mass, weekday Mass Monday through Friday, Saturday/Sunday confessions, and First-Saturday/Sunday Eucharistic Adoration. It is pastored by Fr. Tony Schukei and is supported by a long-running Altar Society that continues the parish's tradition of hands-on care for the church and its grounds.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- St. James
- Rector
- Fr. Tony Schukei
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
St. James is a close-knit, century-old parish where nearly every Mass and ministry is shaped by parishioner involvement — from the Altar Society's decades of caring for the altar linens and improvements, to the men who literally dug the church basement, to a regular schedule of Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, weekday Mass five days a week, and First-Saturday/Sunday Eucharistic Adoration. The parish offers a parish hall available for rental, an online parish registration form, and a livestreamed Sunday Mass on Facebook, making it easy for new families to plug in. It's the kind of rural Nebraska parish where you'll know your priest by name and your fellow parishioners by face.
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays: 3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
- Sundays: 8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
- Anytime by appointment
Adoration times
- First Saturdays and First Sundays of the month, between the weekend Masses
Parish Identity & Location
St. James Catholic Church sits at 213 East 8th Street in the village of Mead, Nebraska (ZIP 68041), in Saunders County west of Omaha. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Lincoln and, within it, the Wahoo Deanery. Its parish motto is 'In Praise of God's Mercy.' The parish is pastored by Fr. Tony Schukei; the rectory phone is (402) 624-3555 and the general office inbox is [email protected]. The Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass is livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page (facebook.com/St.James.Mead).
- Address: 213 East 8th Street, Mead, NE 68041
- Phone: (402) 624-3555
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Diocese of Lincoln (Wahoo Deanery)
- Motto: In Praise of God's Mercy
- Livestream: facebook.com/St.James.Mead
History of the Parish
Catholic families have worshipped in Mead since 1867, when the Holden, McCarthy and Phelan families arrived from Springfield, Illinois. Mission priests rode out from Fremont — across the unbridged Platte River — to say Mass in their homes and in the sod schoolhouse. In 1880 the families built a 70 x 45-foot church for about $2,000. For most of the next 78 years St. James was a mission attached to Colon and Wahoo; on April 18, 1967 Bishop Casey appointed Fr. Charles J. Keenan as the parish's first resident pastor. The parish celebrated its centennial on Pentecost Sunday, May 30, 1982, with Bishop Glennon P. Flavin celebrating Mass on the church grounds and Msgr. Keenan preaching the homily.
- 1867 — first Catholic families (Holden, McCarthy, Phelan) arrive from Springfield, IL
- 1880 — original church built (70 x 45 ft., ~$2,000)
- 1888 — Fr. Charles M. Browne named first pastor; left diocese Jan. 3, 1889
- 1889–1936 — mission of Colon
- 1936–1949 — mission of Wahoo
- 1949–1967 — mission of Colon again
- 1949 — Altar Society organized
- April 18, 1967 — Fr. Charles J. Keenan named first resident pastor by Bishop Casey
- 1950s — basement added; entrance, sacristy and sanctuary remodeled; new furnace, art-glass windows, new organ
- May 30, 1982 — Centennial Mass celebrated by Bishop Glennon P. Flavin
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Ministry life at St. James is anchored by the long-running Altar Society (founded 1949), which continues to care for the altar linens, clean the church, and fund improvements. The parish also publishes a Ministry Schedule (PDF) covering liturgical roles, runs a Faith Formation / CCD program (listed under 'Youth' on the diocesan directory), offers a Parish Registration Form for new families, and maintains a parish hall available for rental.
- Altar Society — altar linens, church cleaning, improvements
- Altar Society hosts Annual St. James Soup Supper/Luncheon
- Monthly rolls-and-coffee breakfast after Mass
- Funeral luncheon service
- Diaper Drive and eyeglass collection
- Advent Baby Shower and Catholic Social Services collections
- Liturgical ministries (per published Ministry Schedule PDF)
- Parish Hall rental
- Parish Registration Form
- Faith Formation / CCD (per Diocese of Lincoln parish directory)
Altar Society
Organized in 1949, the St. James Altar Society is the parish's oldest continuously active lay organization. Members care for the altar linens, clean the church, and contribute to ongoing improvements; over the decades they have funded vestments, a tabernacle, art-glass windows, organ, furnace and basement excavation. Today they serve funeral luncheons, host a monthly rolls-and-coffee breakfast, collect diapers and eyeglasses, and host the Annual St. James Soup Supper/Luncheon — a signature parish event. They also collect items for the Advent Baby Shower and Catholic Social Services.
- Founded 1949
- Cares for altar linens and pays for altar candles
- Hosts funeral luncheons and monthly rolls-and-coffee breakfast
- Hosts Annual St. James Soup Supper/Luncheon
- Collects for Diaper Drive and eyeglasses
- Supports Advent Baby Shower and Catholic Social Services
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the standard Catholic sacraments. Reconciliation (confession) is heard each weekend and by appointment. Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, and Matrimony are arranged through the parish office. Anointing of the Sick is available by appointment through the rectory.
- Confession — Saturdays 3:30–4:00 p.m., Sundays 8:00–8:30 a.m., or by appointment
- Baptism — by appointment through the parish office
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist — through CCD
- Confirmation — through CCD
- Matrimony — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment through the rectory
Community Outreach & Fellowship
Beyond Sunday Mass, St. James is a hub of community life in Mead. The parish hall is available to rent for events, and the parish hosts a free community meal on the last Wednesday of each month (6:00–6:45 p.m.). The 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass is livestreamed on Facebook so homebound parishioners and family elsewhere can worship with the parish in real time.
- Free Community Meal — last Wednesday of every month, 6:00–6:45 p.m.
- Parish Hall rental (form on parish website)
- Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass livestreamed on Facebook
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Charles M. Browne1888–1889
Named pastor of Mead, Malloy Settlement and Sand Creek; left the diocese January 3, 1889.
- Father John Lonergan
Traveled from Fremont across the Platte River (no bridges) to say Mass in Mead homes and in the schoolhouse.
- Father Robert Trausch
Led major 1950s renovations: basement/parish hall, remodeled entrance/sacristy/sanctuary, new furnace; parishioners did most of the work.
- Fr. Charles J. Keenan1967–1969
First resident pastor of St. James, appointed by Bishop Casey on April 18, 1967.
- Fr. Philip Rauth1969–1980
- Fr. Jim Schrader1980–1985
- Fr. Michael Christensen1985–1995
- Fr. Charles Townsend1995–2005
- Fr. Troy Schweiger2005–2007
- Fr. Jerel Scholl2007–2010
- Fr. Brian Kane2010–2015
- Fr. Mike Morin2015–2020
- Fr. Gary Gross2020–present (as of parish site)
Listed as current pastor on the parish's own history page.
- Fr. Tony Schukeicurrent (homepage)
Listed as current pastor on the parish homepage and Diocese of Lincoln directory.