About St. Mary · Lincoln, Nebraska
St. Mary's Catholic Church — popularly known as 'The Old Cathedral' — is a downtown Lincoln, Nebraska parish at 1420 K Street on Capitol Square. The building was constructed in 1888 as the First Christian Church, purchased in 1904 by the first Bishop of Lincoln, Bishop Thomas Bonacum, and rebuilt after an 1906 fire. It served as the Cathedral of the Diocese of Lincoln (as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception) from its dedication on December 8, 1911 until 1965, when the Cathedral of the Risen Christ became the new diocesan cathedral. Since then the church has been known simply as St. Mary Catholic Church. The parish is the 'mother church' of four Lincoln parishes created from its territorial boundaries (Sacred Heart 1919, Blessed Sacrament 1921, St. Teresa 1925, North American Martyrs 1994), and it offers daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, faith formation, a robust outreach ministry through Foodnet, and a multi-phase restoration campaign to preserve its historic building.
- Established
- 1867 (as the first Catholic church in Lincoln; current 14th & K building purchased in 1904, dedicated 1911, renamed St. Mary in 1965)
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (the building was dedicated as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in 1911)
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Walsh
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers downtown Lincoln Catholics a rare combination: a historic 'mother church' with a daily Mass and Confession schedule (Mon–Fri 11 am–noon, plus Saturday afternoons and evenings), a vibrant Eucharistic Adoration program (with dedicated Pro-Life and World Peace holy hours), and a deep commitment to downtown service — most visibly through its Saturday Foodnet food-distribution ministry, which has run at the parish since July 2010. Add in a CCD youth faith-formation program on Sundays, OCIA inquiry support, a Knights of Columbus council, a Legion of Mary praesidium, Women's Ministry, an Adult Choir, and a visible, ongoing building-restoration effort the whole parish is investing in, and there is a clear, practical path for any new parishioner to worship, serve, and belong.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – Friday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- First Saturday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
- Check the bulletin for Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July, and Holy Week
Adoration times
- Monday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Pro-Life Holy Hour)
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon (Holy Hour for World Peace)
About St. Mary's Catholic Church
St. Mary's Catholic Church sits on Capitol Square in downtown Lincoln at 1420 K Street and is widely known as 'The Old Cathedral.' The parish belongs to the Diocese of Lincoln and is led by Pastor Fr. Joseph Walsh, with Fr. Thomas Walsh serving as Senior Parochial Vicar and Fr. Joseph Finn in residence providing chaplaincy at Nebraska Regional Center, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, and Bryan LGH East. The parish offers daily noon Mass Monday through Saturday, four Sunday Masses, two daily Eucharistic Adoration holy hours, and a generous daily Confession schedule.
Our History
The story begins with the first Catholic church in Lincoln, built in 1867 at 13th and M and named St. Theresa in 1877. When the Diocese of Lincoln was created in 1887, St. Theresa became the Pro-Cathedral under Bishop Thomas Bonacum. The diocese purchased the 1888 First Christian Church building at 14th and K in 1904, but a fire during 1906 renovations destroyed most of the structure. Bishop J. Henry Tihen consecrated the rebuilt church as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1911 — so crowded that only 600 of the faithful could attend by lottery. The church served as cathedral until 1965, when the Cathedral of the Risen Christ was dedicated; the former cathedral was thereafter known as St. Mary Catholic Church.
- 1867 – First Catholic church in Lincoln built at 13th and M
- 1877 – Named St. Theresa
- 1887 – Diocese of Lincoln established; St. Theresa becomes Pro-Cathedral under Bishop Bonacum
- 1888 – First Christian Church building at 14th and K constructed
- March 29, 1904 – Diocese purchases the First Christian Church building ($17,900 including adjoining property)
- August 8, 1906 – Renovations begin
- August 28, 1906 – Fire destroys most of the building; rebuilding begins immediately
- December 8, 1911 – Bishop J. Henry Tihen consecrates the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
- August 18, 1965 – Cathedral of the Risen Christ dedicated; St. Mary's becomes a parish church
- June 15, 1993 – Parish (1,200 families) split when North American Martyrs Parish is established
Mother Church of Lincoln
Four Lincoln parishes were created by subdivision of St. Mary's territorial boundaries over the course of the 20th century, making St. Mary's the historical mother church of Catholic downtown Lincoln:
- Sacred Heart Parish (1919)
- Blessed Sacrament Parish (1921)
- St. Teresa's Parish (1925)
- North American Martyrs Parish (1994)
Meet Our Priests
The pastoral team at St. Mary's includes the pastor, a senior parochial vicar, and a priest-in-residence who serves as chaplain to local hospitals and care centers.
- Fr. Joseph Walsh — Pastor
- Fr. Thomas Walsh — Senior Parochial Vicar; In Residence / People City Mission
- Fr. Joseph Finn — In Residence; pastoral care for Nebraska Regional Center and Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital; chaplain for Bryan LGH East
- Melinda Pearson — parish staff
Apostolic Leadership Council
The parish is governed by an Apostolic Leadership Council that meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM. Council meetings are open to the public.
- Chair – Bernice Polivka
- Pastor – Fr. Joseph Walsh
- Treasurer – Ron Grose
- Care of St. Mary Campus – Clarissa & Vishnu Reddi
- Community Space – Brad Graham & Cathy Maestas Graham
- Economics – Sue Kouma Johnson
- Blessed Mother – Raquel Roberts
- Build Communion – Liz Werner
Faith Formation and Education
St. Mary's runs a Sunday CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program for youth not enrolled in Catholic schools, and offers OCIA inquiry support for adults exploring the Catholic faith. The parish is also part of the Pius X High School family of parishes and supports Pius X through a parish assessment in its current capital campaign.
- CCD / Youth Faith Formation — Sundays 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (inquiry support and educational resources)
- Pius X High School Parish Assessment ($319,354 in the Arise & Become campaign)
Parish Ministries and Organizations
St. Mary's offers a wide and practical range of ministries through which parishioners can worship, serve, and build communion. The parish's stewardship framework organizes these into Worship, Serve, and Build Communion categories.
- Adult Choir (Jane Plettner, director; Thursdays 7:30 PM practice)
- Knights of Columbus (1st Tuesdays, 6 PM, Flynn Hall)
- Legion of Mary (Mondays, 6 PM)
- Women's Ministry (Mary Room and Martha Room; book studies)
- Seven Sisters Apostolate (prayer for priests)
- St. Therese Flower Guild (altar flowers)
- Fertility Awareness
- Diocesan Young Adult Community: Salt + Light
- Hearts Restored — post-abortion healing ministry
- Parish safety team
Outreach: Foodnet
St. Mary's has hosted a Foodnet food-distribution site in Flynn Hall (the church basement) every Saturday at 11:30 AM since July 2010. There are no income or need requirements, and no personal identification is needed. Volunteers are coordinated through the parish office.
- Saturdays at 11:30 AM in Flynn Hall
- Hosted at St. Mary's since July 2010
- Volunteer time commitment roughly 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM; youth able to lift and carry are welcome
- Contact: Kathy Johnson via the parish office, 402-435-2125
- Learn more: www.foodnetlincoln.org
Restoration Campaign — 'Arise and Become the Voice of Mary'
After a 2021 architectural assessment, St. Mary's launched a four-phase restoration of its historic building. Phases 1 and 2 are complete (West Side in December 2022; HVAC and Electrical in 2024); Phases 3 (Exterior) and 4 (Interior / Flynn Hall remodel) began in Fall 2024 and June 2025 respectively. The campaign has been rebranded as 'Arise and Become the Voice of Mary' with a $4.1 million fundraising goal.
- Phase 1 (Completed December 2022) — The West Side: foundation waterproofing, new flashing, gutter re-lining, expanded confessionals, statue of Our Lady and the Infant Jesus ($966,261 ADA/access component)
- Phase 2 (Completed 2024) — HVAC and Electrical: new transformer, modern electrical panel, alarm system, raised ceilings in Flynn Hall with LED lighting
- Phase 3 (In Progress, Fall 2024) — Exterior Restoration: brick and mortar repair, tuckpointing, weatherproofing ($1,713,653)
- Phase 4 (In Progress, June 2025) — Flynn Hall Remodel and Interior: ADA restrooms, audiovisual upgrades, kitchen overhaul, ADA ramp, elevator, storage ($1,104,313+)
- Pius X High School Parish Assessment ($319,354)
- Final sanctuary interior restoration planned as the last phase before 2029
Parish Life and Stewardship
St. Mary's frames parish life around three pillars: Worship, Serve, and Build Communion. The Stewardship page on the parish website gives parishioners concrete ways to plug into each — from joining the choir, becoming a catechist, leading the Rosary before Mass, or arranging altar flowers, to volunteering at Foodnet, donating to the People In Need fund, or attending Apostolic Leadership Council meetings.
- Worship — choir, cantors, catechists, Rosary leaders, acolytes, readers, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, altar servers, St. Therese Flower Guild, sanctuary cleaning, Seven Sisters Apostolate, safety team, Legion of Mary
- Serve — monthly dinners for the priests, Foodnet Saturday volunteers, parish events, Apostolic Leadership Council, People In Need fund donations, CCD catechists
- Build Communion — Knights of Columbus, Women's Ministry, CCD youth, parish events, meeting parish staff, introducing yourself after Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Bishop Thomas Bonacum1887–1911
First Bishop of Lincoln; purchased the First Christian Church building in 1904 and oversaw its rebuilding after the 1906 fire.
- Bishop J. Henry Tihen1911–1917
Second Bishop of Lincoln; consecrated the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1911.
- Bishop Louis Benedict Kucera1930–1957
Fifth Bishop of Lincoln; served during the cathedral era at 14th & K.
- Bishop James Vincent Casey1957–1967
Sixth Bishop of Lincoln; oversaw the 1965 transition when the Cathedral of the Risen Christ replaced St. Mary's as cathedral.