About St. Martin · Douglas, Nebraska
St. Martin of Tours is a small Catholic mission parish in the village of Douglas, Nebraska, founded in 1889 as a mission of St. Leo the Great in nearby Palmyra. Today it is part of the merged Sts. Leo & Martin Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln, sharing a pastor and pastoral staff with St. Leo. The current brick church was built in 1963 to replace the original 1889 frame structure, and the parish continues a steady rhythm of weekly Mass, confession, adoration, CCD religious education, and parish organizations such as the Council of Catholic Women.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- St. Martin of Tours
- Rector
- Rev. Robert Johnson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
St. Martin of Tours offers a small, close-knit rural Catholic community in Douglas with deep roots going back to 1866, sharing pastoral care with neighboring St. Leo in Palmyra. Parishioners enjoy weekly Sunday Mass, regular confession, Eucharistic adoration before Mass, CCD faith formation for children PreK-12, and active lay groups such as the Council of Catholic Women. It is a parish where the same families have worshipped for generations, where a pastor once crafted the stained-glass windows with his own hands, and where joining means becoming part of a living 135+ year legacy of faith.
Mass times at St. Martin
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 7:30 - 7:50 am
- Thursday: 7:30 - 7:50 am
- Sunday: 7:30 - 7:45 am
Adoration times
- Tuesday & Thursday: approximately 7:00-7:50 am (about 1 hour prior to morning Mass)
- Sunday: approximately 7:00-7:45 am (about 1 hour prior to Mass)
Parish History
Catholic worship in the Douglas area began in 1866 with Fr. Emmanuel Hartig, OSB, who gathered the faithful monthly — first in a dugout, then a log cabin, then a frame house built by Terry McGinley in 1872. From 1874 to 1889 the local Catholics traveled eight miles north to Palmyra for Mass. In 1889, Fr. Martin Corbett proposed building a church in Douglas; McGinley and Wash Wolf bought three lots for $150, and Rolfe G. Beetem (assisted by Isaac and Irvin Roberts) constructed the original frame church for $1,573. The congregation chose St. Martin of Tours as their patron, and a parish cemetery was laid out about a quarter-mile south of town.
The 1938 Fire and the 1963 Brick Church
In 1937 Fr. John Kean began remodeling and beautifying the interior, and a large bell from the town's old public high school was donated to the parish. In April 1938 an overheated furnace caused extensive damage to the building. Parishioners responded with vestments, a chalice, pews and kneelers, carpeting, a baptismal font, and stained-glass windows. A building fund for a new church was started in the 1950s under Fr. Peter Gadient. Fr. Edward Jaworoski, pastor, with Monsignor Joseph J. Przudzik officiating, laid the cornerstone on April 21, 1963. Jack Beers was the architect and Jack Saylor the contractor; the new brick church cost an estimated $30,000. Fr. Jaworoski himself handcrafted the leaded glass windows behind the altar. Bishop James Casey dedicated the new church on May 28, 1963, with Fr. Leo Shedivy as pastor.
Merger with St. Leo, Palmyra
St. Martin has been the mission church of St. Leo in Palmyra since 1889, and the two communities have shared a pastor throughout their existence. In recent years — under then-pastor Fr. Sean Kilcawley — St. Leo and St. Martin were formally suppressed and a new canonical parish, Sts. Leo & Martin Parish, was erected, with both worship sites retained. Father Kilcawley noted that the two patronal feast days (Nov. 10 and Nov. 11) fall on the same Sunday when transferred, a coincidence he called striking. The original St. Leo church in Palmyra was demolished in September 2022.
Clergy and Parish Staff
St. Martin's current pastor is Rev. Robert Johnson, appointed effective June 16, 2025; he also teaches at Pius X High School in Lincoln and serves as an advocate on the Diocesan Tribunal. The parish is supported by a Business Manager (Heather Aden), a Parish Secretary (Dennis Drudik), a Parish Assistant for bulletins, new parishioners, and Mass stipends (Laurie Ketterl), and a CCD Coordinator (Lisa Soto).
- Rev. Robert Johnson — Pastor (appointed June 16, 2025)
- Heather Aden — Parish Business Manager
- Dennis Drudik — Parish Secretary
- Laurie Ketterl — Parish Assistant (Bulletins, New Parishioner Welcome, Mass Stipends)
- Lisa Soto — Parish CCD Coordinator
Faith Formation (CCD)
The parish offers a CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) religious education program for students from PreK through 12th grade. Classes meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:45 to 8:00 pm and are coordinated by Lisa Soto. Online registration forms, a financial assistance application, and the 2025-2026 CCD calendar are made available through the parish website.
- PreK-12th Grade CCD
- Wednesday evenings 6:45 - 8:00 pm
- Coordinator: Lisa Soto
Sacraments
The Sacramental Needs page on the parish website outlines preparation and reception for the six primary Catholic sacraments. Parishioners are invited to contact the parish office for information about Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders.
- Baptism
- Reconciliation
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
Parish Life and Organizations
Beyond the Mass schedule and CCD program, the parish supports several lay organizations and councils. The Council of Catholic Women (CCW) is actively recruiting new members, and the Parish Council and Parish Finance Council help guide parish governance and finances. The website also promotes 'Become Catholic' (RCIA) and Adult Faith Formation opportunities for those exploring or deepening the Catholic faith.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
- Parish Council
- Parish Finance Council
- Become Catholic (RCIA)
- Adult Faith Formation
Contact, Address, and How to Visit
St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church is located at 125 W. 3rd Street, Douglas, NE 68344. All mail should be directed to the parish office in Palmyra at 330 W. 8th Street, Palmyra, NE 68418. The parish office phone is 402-780-5535 and email correspondence can be sent to the parish secretary at [email protected]. The pastor can be reached at [email protected].
- St. Martin address: 125 W. 3rd Street, Douglas, NE 68344
- Mailing address (Parish Office): 330 W. 8th Street, Palmyra, NE 68418
- Phone: 402-780-5535
- Parish Secretary email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stsleoandmartin.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Emmanuel Hartig, OSB1866-
Began gathering area Catholics for monthly worship, first in a dugout then a log cabin and frame house
- Fr. Martin Corbett1889
Proposed and oversaw the construction of the original St. Martin church
- Fr. John Kean1937-
Remodeled the interior and accepted donation of the town's old high school bell
- Fr. Peter Gadient1950s
Started the building fund for the present church
- Fr. Edward Jaworoski
Pastor who built the new brick church; personally constructed the leaded glass windows behind the altar
- Monsignor Joseph J. Przudzik
Officiated at the cornerstone laying on April 21, 1963
- Bishop James Casey1963
Dedicated the new brick church on May 28, 1963
- Fr. Leo Shedivy1963
Pastor at the dedication of the new church
- Fr. Sean Kilcawley
Pastor at time of the 2022-2023 canonical merger of St. Leo and St. Martin into one parish; released in 2025 to become Director of Human Formation at St. Patrick's Seminary, Menlo Park, California
- Rev. Robert Johnson2025-
Appointed pastor of Sts. Leo and Martin Catholic Church effective June 16, 2025