About St. John the Baptist · Fordyce, Nebraska
St. John the Baptist is a small Catholic parish in the village of Fordyce, in northern Cedar County, Nebraska, part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Omaha. It serves about 103 registered families and worships in a historic country church at 311 Omaha Street. Since July 1, 2019, the parish has been clustered with neighboring St. Joseph (Constance) and St. Boniface (Menominee) to form All Saints Parish, doing business as 'Our Catholic Family of Parishes.' The church remains an active worship site with its own Mass and devotion schedule, sharing pastor Father James Keiter with the wider family of parishes.
- Established
- early 1900s (grew out of Holy Cross Chapel mission established 1897)
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. James Keiter
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Omaha
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist in Fordyce is a tight-knit, family-centered parish of about 103 households rooted in the German-Catholic pioneer heritage of Cedar County. It shares one pastor and staff with neighboring St. Joseph (Constance) and St. Boniface (Menominee) under 'Our Catholic Family of Parishes,' so visitors and parishioners benefit from the resources of three churches, three cemeteries, and the West Catholic Elementary School in Fordyce while still worshiping in the familiar country church. The parish is well known for its strong religious education program (CCD), its warm annual summer parish dinner and prime rib bazaar, and a genuine commitment to helping parishioners encounter Jesus, form as disciples, and live mercy as one church.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (per Discover Mass listing for the parish)
Adoration times
- Friday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM (per Discover Mass listing for the parish)
Welcome to Our Catholic Family of Parishes
St. John the Baptist in Fordyce is part of 'Our Catholic Family of Parishes,' a cluster of Catholic churches in northern Cedar County, Nebraska, brought together under one pastoral team. Since July 1, 2019, St. John the Baptist (Fordyce), St. Joseph (Constance) and St. Boniface (Menominee) have formed one canonical parish — All Saints Parish — while keeping each historic church building open for worship and ministry.
- Cluster formed July 1, 2019 under Father James Keiter
- Father Keiter resides at the St. John the Baptist rectory in Fordyce
- Three church sites and three cemeteries remain open
- Shared West Catholic Elementary School in Fordyce
History of St. John the Baptist Parish
The parish grew out of the late-19th-century settlement of German Catholic families in northern Cedar County, most of them descended from Westphalia, Germany. They first worshipped at St. Boniface in Menominee, traveling by team and wagon; later at St. Joseph near Bow Creek in Constance; and finally at Holy Cross Chapel on the Lammers Ranch (est. 1897). St. John the Baptist Parish at Fordyce was established as these families grew numerous enough to have their own parish, and for many decades shared a pastor with St. Joseph in Constance — hence the rented rectory, sold in 1987.
- Predecessor mission: Holy Cross Chapel at the Lammers Ranch (1897)
- Original Mass site for the area: St. Boniface, Menominee
- Shared pastor with St. Joseph, Constance for many years
- Rectory rented during shared-pastor years; sold 1987
- Joined cluster with St. Boniface and St. Joseph in 2007 under Father Mike Schmitz
Our Catholic Family Staff and Offices
The parish is staffed by a shared team serving all three worship sites. Father James Keiter is Pastor, with Father Marcus Knecht serving as Associate Pastor. Deacon Shane Kleinschmit directs Youth Religious Formation. The office team includes Alex Nissen (Executive Assistant to the Pastor and Finance Director), Jake Olson (Director of Facilities and Grounds, and Adult Faith/Evangelization), Marnie Kleinschmit (Director of Finance), and Lynette Pinkelman (Secretary/Bulletin Editor).
- Fr. James Keiter – Pastor (ext. 3)
- Fr. Marcus Knecht – Associate Pastor (402-358-3596)
- Deacon Shane Kleinschmit – Director of Youth Religious Formation (ext. 7)
- Alex Nissen – Executive Assistant to the Pastor & Finance Director (ext. 6)
- Jake Olson – Director of Facilities and Grounds; Evangelization & Adult Faith (ext. 2)
- Marnie Kleinschmit – Director of Finance (ext. 9)
- Lynette Pinkelman – Secretary / Bulletin Editor
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education is a hallmark of parish life. St. Andrew Catechesis coordinates CCD and Confirmation preparation for the cluster, with a published handbook and an annual CCD/Confirmation calendar. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is offered at St. Ludger Elementary in a Level 1 Atrium for children ages 3–6, with plans to expand to Level 2. Daily religious instruction, weekly Mass planning, Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, weekly Friday Rosary, daily prayer services and Saint Feast Day celebrations are integral to the parish school experience at West Catholic Elementary.
- St. Andrew Catechesis (CCD/Confirmation) – Our Catholic Family
- Religious Education Handbook (cluster-wide)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd – Level 1 Atrium at St. Ludger Elementary
- Totus Tuus summer program (St. Rose of Lima site)
- Weekly Friday Rosary at West Catholic Elementary
West Catholic Elementary School
St. John the Baptist shares West Catholic Elementary School in Fordyce with neighboring parish families. The school is state-approved and certified by the Archdiocese of Omaha, meeting both Nebraska educational standards and the additional rigorous religious standards of the Archdiocese. Religious formation is woven through the day with classroom religion instruction, weekly Mass on Wednesdays and Fridays, Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, weekly Rosary on Fridays, daily prayer services, special Advent and Lenten services, Holy Day and Saints Feast Day celebrations, and visits to local Catholic shrines. Community service is a strong feature, including Operation Christmas Child, the Yankton Area Banquet, nursing home visits, Spiritual Bouquets for grieving families, and cards to the homebound and ill.
- Shared Catholic elementary school in Fordyce
- State of Nebraska approved and Archdiocese of Omaha certified
- Daily religion education; weekly Mass on Wednesdays and Fridays
- Community service projects and outreach
- Weekly Friday Rosary service
All Saints Parish – One Family of Three Churches
On July 1, 2019, St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph (Constance) and St. Boniface (Menominee) became one canonical parish — All Saints Parish — under Father James Keiter. The decision was made proactively in response to an expected shortage of priests, with the goal of simplifying administration (one parish council, one finance committee) while keeping each church building, each cemetery, and the parish school open. The merger was celebrated with a Mass and meal near the Feast of All Saints in November 2019. At the time of the merger St. John the Baptist had 103 registered families, St. Joseph 40, and St. Boniface 125.
- Merger effective July 1, 2019
- Guided by Father James Keiter and approved by Archbishop George J. Lucas
- Three worship sites, three cemeteries, one school preserved
- All three parishes were debt-free at the time of merger
- Annual parish prime rib dinner is a shared tradition
Parish Life and Community
St. John the Baptist is known for its strong sense of community, rooted in the small-town life of Fordyce and the wider farming country of northern Cedar County. The parish prime rib dinner — held each year and attracting people from across the three parishes — is a signature event. Parishioners regularly travel between the three worship sites for Mass and devotions, and at funerals and feasts the three congregations commonly fill one another's churches.
- Annual summer parish prime rib dinner
- Parish bazaar and other fundraisers
- Spiritual Bouquets and outreach to shut-ins
- Visits to local Catholic shrines
- Cross-parish fellowship across All Saints
Visiting and Contact Information
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is located at 311 Omaha Street in Fordyce, Nebraska. The parish office phone is (402) 357-3506, with Father Keiter reached at extension 3 and the pastor's email [email protected]. Office hours for All Saints and Holy Family in Fordyce are Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM and Friday 9:00 AM to noon. Visitors are warmly welcomed; consult the Our Catholic Family website for the latest bulletin, calendar, and any changes to the schedule.
- Address: 311 Omaha St., Fordyce, NE 68736
- Phone: (402) 357-3506
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–4:30 PM, Fri 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
- Website: ourcatholicfamily.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Mike Schmitz2007 – c. 2019
First pastor of the 2007 cluster of St. Joseph (Constance), St. Boniface (Menominee) and St. John the Baptist (Fordyce)
- Rev. James (Jim) Keiterfrom c. 2019
Guided the merger of the three parishes into All Saints Parish effective July 1, 2019; lives at the St. John the Baptist rectory in Fordyce
- Father Conrad Kaupearly 1960s
Pastor of St. John the Baptist in the early 1960s, later transferred to St. Rose