About St. John · Omaha, Nebraska
St. John's Parish is a Roman Catholic church located at 2500 California Plaza on the Creighton University campus in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1887–1888 as a collegiate chapel for Creighton College by Sarah Emily Creighton and the early Jesuits, the church became a parish in 1897 under Bishop Richard Scannell. It is a ministry of the Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) within the Archdiocese of Omaha and serves both the university community and the wider Omaha area, drawing Creighton students, faculty, residents, and visitors to its landmark English Gothic building on California Plaza.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist (intended: St. John the Baptist, patron of John A. Creighton)
- Rector
- Fr. Eric Immel, SJ
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Omaha
Why belong here
St. John's is the parish church of Creighton University and a designated City of Omaha Landmark, offering a rare combination of historic Jesuit Catholic worship and a vibrant, student-friendly community. Daily noon Mass, Sunday evening Masses during the academic year, Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and a full Reconciliation schedule make it easy to practice the faith in the heart of campus. Its ministries are organized around five parish commissions — Worship, Faith Formation, Community, Outreach, and Administration — and its liturgical and music ministries (directed by a liturgist and music minister) support both students and longtime Omaha parishioners in a beautiful English Gothic setting filled with stained glass.
Mass times at St. John
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 12:30–1:00 pm (Reconciliation Chapel, left of the altar)
- Saturday: 4:00–5:00 pm (Reconciliation Chapel, left of the altar)
- Sunday: 8:00–9:00 pm (Confessionals, by the side entrances near the altar — academic year)
- By appointment: call the Parish office at 402-280-3031
- A lit candle outside the Reconciliation Chapel or confessional indicates a priest is present
Adoration times
- Exposition, Adoration, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament — Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:00–9:00 pm (during the academic year)
History of St. John's Parish
St. John's traces its origins to the founding of Creighton College in 1878 by Bishop James O'Connor and the early Jesuits, funded from the bequest of Mary Lucretia Creighton. Sarah Emily Creighton, widow of John A. Creighton, supplied the funding to build a proper collegiate chapel. The cornerstone was laid June 26, 1887, drawing an estimated 4,000 people, and the chapel was dedicated May 6, 1888. Bishop Richard Scannell formally made it a parish in January 1897, with 320 families and a new parish grade school run by the Sisters of Mercy. Major expansion came in 1922–1923, when transepts, sanctuary, sacristies and a lower level were added and the interior was enriched with a Canna marble communion rail and a gold-plated tabernacle.
- 1887 — Cornerstone laid June 26 by Bishop O'Connor
- 1888 — Dedicated May 6, the Feast of St. John before the Latin Gate
- 1897 — Established as a parish by Bishop Scannell; grade school opens under the Sisters of Mercy
- 1922–1923 — Transepts, sanctuary, sacristies and lower level added; dedicated by Archbishop Harty September 2, 1923
- 1977 — 60-foot, six-ton steeple, clockworks and tape carillon installed
- 1979 — Catholic students counted in parish census for the first time (3,500 students)
- 1981 (January 6) — Designated a Landmark of the City of Omaha
- 2006 — Major renovations completed
- 2015 (February) — Exterior elevator added for accessibility
Building & Architecture
Designed in 1886 by Omaha architect P.J. Creedon in the English Gothic style, the church is 184–185 feet long and 138 feet wide at the transept, with seating for about 1,080. The 1887–1888 nave is faced in Warrensburg sandstone with Bedford stone trim; the 1921–1923 addition by architect J.M. Nachtigal is faced in Indiana limestone. The interior features a Canna marble communion rail with 300-pound bronze gates, a gold-plated tabernacle, and an extensive cycle of stained glass windows depicting saints and symbols. The 1977 steeple, clockworks, and tape carillon replaced earlier arrangements, and a 2015 exterior elevator made the lower level accessible.
- Architect (1886): P.J. Creedon, Omaha
- Architect (1921 addition): J.M. Nachtigal
- Style: English Gothic
- Original facing: Warrensburg sandstone with Bedford stone trim
- Addition facing: Indiana limestone
- Capacity: ~1,080
- Landmark of the City of Omaha since January 6, 1981
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. John's is staffed by Jesuits of the Midwest Province together with lay professionals who run the parish's day-to-day operations. The pastor leads the community in collaboration with an associate pastor, a Parish Life Director, a liturgist, a music minister, a business manager, and administrative support. The pastor in mid-2025 is Fr. Eric Immel, SJ, who succeeded Fr. Matt Walsh, SJ.
- Pastor: Fr. Eric Immel, SJ
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Ed Witt, SJ
- Parish Life Director: Sara Schulte-Bukowinski (402-280-2934)
- Liturgist: Chase Becker
- Music Ministry: Molly Mattingly
- Business Manager: Kathleen Denne
- Administrative Assistant: Alicia McMahon
- Support Staff: Sara Goetzinger
Parish Commissions & Ministries
Parish life is organized through five commissions — Worship, Faith Formation, Community, Outreach, and Administration — which meet on the second Tuesday of each month. The parish invites involvement through liturgical ministries (altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, hospitality ministers, sacristans, and tower bell ringers), music ministry, faith formation (including OCIA and baptism preparation), and outreach to local, regional, and global partner communities.
- Worship Commission
- Faith Formation Commission (OCIA, baptism prep, lifelong learning)
- Community Commission (fellowship, service, social life)
- Outreach Commission (local, regional, global partner communities)
- Administration Commission (stewardship, communications)
- Liturgical ministries: Altar Servers, Lectors, EMHC, Hospitality Ministers, Sacristans, Tower Bell Ringers
- Music Ministry
- Parish Pastoral Council
Sacraments
St. John's prepares and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Adults seeking baptism, confirmation, or full communion enter the parish's Initiation Ministry program (OCIA), and expectant parents may take part in baptism preparation. Reconciliation is offered at multiple published times each week, the Anointing of the Sick is available by appointment, and funeral liturgies are scheduled through the parish office and listed on the Parish Life / Events page.
- Baptism (with preparation for parents)
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (First Communion)
- Reconciliation (Mon–Fri, Sat, Sun evenings — academic year)
- Matrimony / Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Funerals (listed on Parish Life page)
Family of Parishes & Wider Community
St. John's is a member of the 'Historic 24th Street Family of Parishes,' a collaborative grouping that also includes St. Benedict the Moor (2423 Grant Street) and Sacred Heart Church (2218 Binney Street). The family-of-parishes model brings together the historic north Omaha Catholic parishes clustered along the 24th Street corridor in cooperation with the Archdiocese of Omaha.
- St. John's Parish — 2500 California Plaza
- St. Benedict the Moor — 2423 Grant Street
- Sacred Heart Church — 2218 Binney Street
- Archdiocese of Omaha — archomaha.org
- Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) — jesuitsmidwest.org
Visiting St. John's
St. John's is open daily for worship and welcomes both regular parishioners and visitors. As a City of Omaha Landmark since 1981, the church is also a destination for those interested in late-19th-century English Gothic architecture, the stained glass windows, and Creighton family history. The 10:30 am Sunday Mass and the noon weekday Mass are livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.
- Address: 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178
- Phone: 402-280-3031
- Accessibility: exterior elevator added February 2015 connects main church to lower level
- Landmark of the City of Omaha since January 6, 1981
- Livestream: 'St. John's Live' for the 10:30 am Sunday Mass and weekday noon Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Meuffels, S.J.1897
First pastor after St. John's was established as a parish in January 1897 by Bishop Scannell.
- Fr. Martin Bronsgeest, S.J.1898
- Fr. Simon Ryan, S.J.1916
- Fr. Thomas McNieve, S.J.1918
- Fr. George Dineen, S.J.1920
Served during the period when the major 1922–1923 addition was being planned.
- Fr. Edward Anderson, S.J.1922
Likely oversaw the start of the 1922 addition completed and dedicated September 2, 1923 by Archbishop Harty.
- Fr. John O'Bryan, S.J.1929
- Fr. Patrick Harvey, S.J.1930
- Fr. Joseph O'Brien, S.J.1932
- Fr. William Corboy, S.J.1943
- Fr. William Doyle, S.J.1950
- Fr. Raymond Ireland, S.J.1958
- Fr. Kenneth Herian, S.J.1964
- Fr. Leo Burns, S.J.1965
- Fr. Robert Flahavan, S.J.1970
Era of Vatican II liturgical changes — movable altar first used 1967 at the 9 a.m. student Mass.
- Fr. John Lynch, S.J.1972
- Fr. Ted Bohr, S.J.1985
- Fr. Thomas Lukaszewicz, S.J.1986
- Fr. Howard Kalb, S.J.1990
- Fr. John Lynch, S.J.1995
Possibly a second term or duplication on the parish list.
- Fr. Bert Thelen, S.J.1997
- Fr. Patrick Malone, S.J.2011
- Fr. Patrick Gilger, S.J.2014
- Fr. Gregory I. Carlson, S.J.2015
- Fr. Lorn J. Snow, S.J.2015
Served in 2015 alongside Fr. Carlson.
- Fr. Matt Walsh, S.J.null
Former pastor; still referenced on staff page; known for pointing out lessons in the stained glass windows.
- Fr. Eric Immel, S.J.null
Current pastor; joined the From the Mall podcast to discuss becoming pastor and his Jesuit journey.