About St. Joseph · Friend, Nebraska
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small-town parish in Friend, Nebraska, part of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln (Crete Deanery). The parish serves about 39 founding families of German-Catholic heritage and is currently pastored by Rev. Kenneth Borowiak, who arrived in 2024. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with confessions offered before each Mass, and the community is known for its warm, intergenerational small-town character and active Altar Society.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Kenneth Borowiak
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Lincoln (Crete Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a close-knit small-town Catholic community where parishioners know one another by name, with accessible weekend Masses (Saturday 5:00 p.m. vigil and Sunday 9:00 a.m.) and confession offered 30 minutes before each Mass. The parish actively nurtures faith formation through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) classes led by Father Borowiak, and its Altar Society organizes a rich calendar of service and fellowship — from Lenten soup suppers and a coffee-and-rolls reception after Sunday Mass to CCD scholarships, Meals on Wheels, the Red Cross Blood Drive, and an annual soup luncheon with live auction. Whether you are a lifelong Catholic, returning after time away, or simply exploring the faith, the parish welcomes you into a family rooted in prayer, sacraments, and service to the wider Saline County community.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — 30 minutes before Mass (approximately 4:30 p.m.)
- Sunday — 30 minutes before Mass (approximately 8:30 a.m.)
Welcome to St. Joseph Catholic Church
The parish describes itself as a vibrant small-town church celebrating faith, hope, and community together. As a faith community rooted in the love of Christ, St. Joseph strives to live out the teachings of the Catholic Church through prayer, worship, and service. Whether visitors are lifelong members, occasional guests, or searching for a spiritual home, the parish family aims to be friendly and supportive. The parish website highlights the seven sacraments — Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Reconciliation, Matrimony, and Anointing of the Sick — as central to the spiritual journey it nurtures.
- Welcoming message from the parish to lifelong Catholics, visitors, and seekers
- Encouragement to participate in the seven sacraments
- Catholic Diocese of Lincoln affiliation, Crete Deanery
Becoming Catholic — OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
The parish runs an OCIA program — the current name for the adult initiation process — under the direction of its pastor, Rev. Kenneth Borowiak. OCIA walks adults through the stages of becoming Catholic, including prayer, instruction in the faith, and full participation in the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist). The program is open to anyone seeking to join the Church or complete their sacraments; interested inquirers are invited to contact the parish for access to the OCIA Portal.
- Led by Father Kenneth Borowiak
- Open to unbaptized adults, baptized Christians, and Catholics seeking to complete their sacraments
- Includes catechesis, prayer, and the Rite of Christian Initiation
Parish History
St. Joseph Parish traces its roots to 1878, when German-Catholic settlers built a small church dedicated to St. Ludgerus and a rectory for about 39 families. A tornado destroyed the original buildings only six months after they were completed. The community rebuilt, and in 1885 Father Wunibald Wolf became the parish's first resident pastor. A second church was soon outgrown and damaged by fire; within a year of rebuilding, parish membership had nearly doubled. In 1903 a new red-brick St. Joseph Church was constructed. Through the 20th century the parish added a rectory (1913), a school later converted into a parish hall (1923), and another parish hall (1983). The present church building replaced the 1903 brick structure in 1994. In 2018 the parish marked its 140th anniversary, more than fourteen decades of continuous Catholic life in Friend.
- 1878 — Original St. Ludgerus church and rectory built for ~39 families; destroyed by tornado six months later
- 1885 — Father Wunibald Wolf named first resident pastor
- 1903 — Red-brick St. Joseph Church built after fire in the second church
- 1913 — Rectory constructed
- 1923 — School built (later replaced by parish hall)
- 1983 — Additional parish hall built
- 1994 — Present church building completed
- 2018 — 140th anniversary celebrated
Altar Society
The Altar Society is the principal lay organization of St. Joseph Parish and the engine behind most of its charitable, social, and fundraising life. Its work spans routine maintenance of the church and hall, parish fellowship events, and substantial outreach to the wider community. Judy Weston currently serves as President (2024–2026). The Altar Society is part of the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (LDCCW), Crete Deanery.
- President: Judy Weston (2024–2026)
- Spiritual Advisors (historical, per LDCCW Crete Deanery roster): Rev. Thomas McGuire, Rev. Thomas Lux
- Parish Events: Lenten soup suppers, coffee and rolls after Sunday Mass, First Communion & Confirmation receptions, Graduates Breakfast, funeral dinners
- Service: Meals on Wheels, CCD scholarships, Red Cross Blood Drive, LDCCW Diaper Drive
- Donations: TV Mass, Catholic Social Services, St. Gianna's, Saline County Right to Life, local food pantry, other Catholic causes
- Fundraising: Annual Soup Luncheon with Live Auction, Donation Board, Spring & Winter raffles
- Pastoral care: sympathy, get-well, and special anniversary/birthday cards to parishioners; Mass offerings; Friend Manor Bingo & Birthday parties
Parish Census and Outreach with the Marian Sisters
Shortly after his arrival in 2024, Father Kenneth Borowiak launched an unusual pastoral initiative: a parish-wide door-to-door census carried out in partnership with the Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln. Parishioners helped create a parish map covering residences across the rural parts of Saline, Seward, and Fillmore counties, while the Sisters went door-to-door to invite residents — especially inactive Catholics — back to an active practice of the faith. Father Borowiak coordinated with local law enforcement, the Friend City Council, and the town's other ministers, and sent a bulk postal patron letter to all box holders to communicate the effort.
- Initiated by Father Kenneth Borowiak after his 2024 arrival in Friend
- Conducted with the Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln
- Coverage area: Friend and rural Saline, Seward, and Fillmore counties
- Primary goal: reach inactive Catholics and deepen their relationship with Jesus
- Coordinated with local law enforcement, Friend City Council, and other Friend ministers
Faith, Sacraments, and Service
The parish frames its identity around the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and encourages parishioners to participate actively in each one. Its sacramental life is paired with concrete acts of charity — Meals on Wheels, food pantry donations, the Red Cross Blood Drive, and the LDCCW Diaper Drive — and a regular calendar of fellowship that turns the parish hall into a gathering place for funerals, receptions, and seasonal celebrations.
- Seven sacraments celebrated and encouraged: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick
- Sacramental Reconciliation offered 30 minutes before each weekend Mass
- Charitable outreach: Catholic Social Services, St. Gianna's, Saline County Right to Life, TV Mass, local food pantry
Visiting and Contacting the Parish
St. Joseph Catholic Church is located at 405 South Main Street in Friend, Nebraska, ZIP 68359, in the heart of this small Saline County community. The parish can be reached by phone at 402-947-3651. The parish is listed in the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln's directory under the Crete Deanery. Its own website, stjosephfriend.com, hosts the welcome message, Mass schedule, OCIA information, and links to Catholic media.
- Street address: 405 South Main Street, Friend, NE 68359
- Mailing address: 405 S Main St, Friend, NE 68359
- Phone: 402-947-3651
- Parish website: http://www.stjosephfriend.com
- Diocese directory listing: lincolndiocese.org/directory/parishes/708-st-joseph-friend
- Deanery: Crete
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Wunibald Wolf1885
Named the first resident pastor of the parish.