About St. Joseph · Walthill, Nebraska
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small rural parish at 501 Main Street in the village of Walthill, Thurston County, in northeast Nebraska. It sits within the Archdiocese of Omaha and, since 2023, has been a member of the Holy Apostles Parish Family, a collaborative network of 12 parishes and 2 schools in the rural northeast corner of the archdiocese. The parish shares three priests with its sister communities and describes itself as 'a living and growing community of prayer, support and service formed by the Gospel,' reaching out especially to those on the nearby Omaha Reservation. Sunday Morning Mass is celebrated weekly, with confessions heard before and after Mass.
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Father Mark Beran
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Omaha
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a welcoming rural parish where Sunday Mass is offered each week and confessions are available before and after every Mass, making it easy to fit the sacraments into a busy life. As a member of the Holy Apostles Parish Family, the parish connects its members to a network of 12 parishes and 2 Catholic schools across northeast Nebraska, sharing priests and faith-formation resources. The community's stated mission is to be 'a living and growing community of prayer, support and service formed by the Gospel,' with particular outreach to families and neighbors living on the Omaha Reservation.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before and after every Mass
About St. Joseph, Walthill
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish located at 501 Main Street in the village of Walthill, Nebraska, in Thurston County. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Omaha and is one of twelve parishes in the Holy Apostles Parish Family, a collaborative grouping of rural parishes in the northeast corner of the archdiocese. The parish shares pastoral staff with its sister communities and offers Sunday Morning Mass and confessions before and after each Mass.
- Address: 501 Main Street, Walthill, NE 68067
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Omaha
- Parish Family: Holy Apostles Parish Family (formed 2023)
History
St. Joseph's history is intertwined with the Catholic missionary presence on the Winnebago and Omaha Reservations in Thurston County. The current church building on Main Street was dedicated in 1919. For many years the parish was closely linked to St. Augustine Indian Mission in nearby Winnebago, founded in 1909 by Mother Katharine Drexel (now Saint Katharine Drexel). In 1998 Father Tom Gall, while serving as Associate Director of St. Augustine Indian Mission and overseeing its school renovation, also became Pastor of St. Joseph's Walthill. In 2023 the parish joined eleven others to form the Holy Apostles Parish Family.
- Current church dedicated 1919
- Closely tied historically to St. Augustine Indian Mission, Winnebago (founded 1909)
- Father Tom Gall named Pastor of St. Joseph's in 1998
- Joined Holy Apostles Parish Family in 2023
Our Mission
The parish's published mission statement reads: 'St. Joseph Catholic Church strives to be a living and growing community of prayer, support and service formed by the Gospel. In our lives we try to live out these Gospel values in our Catholic heritage and pass them on to the upcoming generations. In the spirit of Jesus we try to reach out to those living on the Omaha Reservation who are in need of our support and care within our parish and beyond.'
Clergy and Staff
St. Joseph is served by clergy who are shared with the other parishes of the Holy Apostles Parish Family. The parish's current pastor is Father Mark Beran, with Father Mark Bridgman serving as Associate Pastor. Deacon Don Blackbird assists with parish ministry across the family of parishes.
- Father Mark Beran — Pastor
- Father Mark Bridgman — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Don Blackbird
Holy Apostles Parish Family
In 2023, in response to Archbishop George Lucas's call to form missional communities, twelve parishes in the rural northeast corner of the Archdiocese of Omaha came together as the Holy Apostles Parish Family — named for the Twelve Apostles. The family shares three priests and one collaborative parish office, and collaborates on religious education and adult faith formation across the region.
- Formed: 2023
- Number of parishes: 12
- Number of schools: 2
- Shared priests: 3
- Shared office and faith-formation programs
Parish Family Member Churches
St. Joseph, Walthill is one of twelve parishes in the Holy Apostles Parish Family, alongside the following sister parishes:
- St. Augustine, Winnebago
- St. Cornelius Mission, Homer
- Holy Cross, Bancroft
- Holy Family, Decatur
- St. John the Baptist, Pender
- St. Joseph, Lyons
- St. Mary, Hubbard
- St. Michael, South Sioux City
- Our Lady of Fatima, Macy
- St. Patrick, Jackson
- Sacred Heart, Emerson
Family Schools
The Holy Apostles Parish Family includes two Catholic schools serving families across the region:
- St. Augustine Indian Mission School, Winnebago
- St. Michael's School, South Sioux City
Visiting St. Joseph
St. Joseph is located on Main Street in the heart of the village of Walthill, near the heart of the Winnebago and Omaha Reservations. The parish shares its phone line through the village listing at (402) 846-5550. For the latest Mass and confession schedule, visit the Holy Apostles Parish Family website at holyapostlesfamily.org/mass-times.
- Address: 501 Main Street, Walthill, NE 68067
- Phone: (402) 846-5550
- Schedule: holyapostlesfamily.org/mass-times
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Tom Gall1998–
Began serving as Pastor of St. Joseph's, Walthill in 1998 while also serving as Associate Director of St. Augustine Indian Mission and overseeing the school renovation there.