About St. Mary · Odell, Nebraska
St. Mary Catholic Church in Odell, Nebraska is a small rural mission parish in the Fairbury Deanery of the Diocese of Lincoln. Founded in 1881 as a mission among Czech and Irish Catholic settlers in Gage County, the parish has been served by various priests over its 140+ year history and is currently a mission of St. Mary Parish in Wymore. The community gathers for Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. and is supported by an active Altar Society that keeps the parish's faith life, fellowship, and local traditions alive in this small Nebraska village.
- Established
- 1881
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (originally dedicated as Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1886, later shortened to St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Loras Grell
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln (Fairbury Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Mary, Odell is a close-knit rural mission parish where the Altar Society keeps Catholic tradition alive through monthly coffee-and-rolls fellowship, an annual Pork Loin Dinner, World Marriage Day breakfast, and devotional practices like the Rosary before Sunday Mass and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on the fourth Sunday. Worshippers here belong to a community that has gathered continuously since 1881 — across Czech, Irish, and later generations of southeast Nebraska farm families — and shares pastoral care with the neighboring Wymore parish. For Catholics looking for a small, traditional mission parish rooted in prayer, parish history, and genuine small-town fellowship, St. Mary offers a faithful home.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:30–8:50 a.m.
Parish History
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Odell traces its roots to 1881, when Czech and Irish Catholic families in this Gage County village began gathering for Mass in one another's homes. Priests such as Rev. August Rausch (a Silesian) and Rev. Philip Maly traveled to the community at intervals to celebrate the sacraments. In 1886 the parishioners built a church of their own and dedicated it to Our Lady of Perpetual Help — a devotion especially dear to Czech Catholics — before the parish's name was shortened to St. Mary. Early priests included Rev. Maly (the first incumbent, 1888), Rev. J. F. Bonenkent, and others who came from Lincoln and neighboring parishes until 1907, when a rectory was finally built and Father Mosler became the parish's first resident priest.
- 1881 — Parish founded as a mission
- 1886 — Original church built by Czech and Irish parishioners, dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- 1907 — Rectory built; Father Mosler becomes first resident priest
- 1962 — New church built under Father Edward Valasek
- Grotto built on north side by Brother Egbert Backer, OSB, of the Benedictine Mission House in Schuyler
- 1986 — Becomes a mission of St. Mary, Wymore, under Father Dennis Hotovy
- St. Joseph Cemetery is maintained by the parish
Parish Identity & Dedication
The parish is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the name given to the original 1886 church by its Czech and Irish founders. Over time, the parish came to be known simply as St. Mary. As a mission of St. Mary Parish in Wymore, the Odell church shares pastoral care with the larger parish across the boundary of Gage County.
- Patron: Blessed Virgin Mary / Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Type: Mission (Mission to St. Mary, Wymore)
- Deanery: Fairbury
Clergy & Pastoral Care
St. Mary, Odell is served by the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Wymore. The current pastor is Rev. Loras Grell, whose residence and mailing address are at the Wymore parish (PO Box 13, Wymore, NE 68466; 402-645-3160). As a mission, the parish depends on the pastor and staff of the Wymore parish for sacramental care, faith formation coordination, and administrative support.
- Rev. Loras Grell — Pastor (resides at St. Mary, Wymore)
- Rev. Dennis Hotovy — appointed pastor in 1986; served the Odell mission for 25 years
Altar Society
The Altar Society is the heart of parish life at St. Mary, Odell. Its members keep the church's devotional rhythm going, host regular fellowship, and represent the parish on the Fairbury Deanery and the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (LDCCW).
- Host coffee & rolls once a month
- Celebrate World Marriage Day with a breakfast
- Host an annual Pork Loin Dinner
- Support a child through the Catholic Children's Fund
- Pray the Rosary before Sunday Masses
- Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on the 4th Sunday of the month
- Members serve as officers on the Fairbury Deanery and LDCCW
Devotions
The parish keeps traditional Marian and Eucharistic devotions as a regular part of its Sunday rhythm. The Grotto on the north side of the church — built by Brother Egbert Backer, OSB, of the Benedictine Mission House in Schuyler — offers an outdoor place of prayer alongside the parish's liturgical schedule.
- Rosary before Sunday Mass
- Chaplet of Divine Mercy on the 4th Sunday of each month
- Outdoor Grotto (north side of the church)
St. Joseph Cemetery
St. Mary parish maintains a separate burial ground known as St. Joseph Cemetery, a longstanding feature of the parish's presence in the Odell community. The cemetery remains part of the parish's property and ministry.
- Name: St. Joseph Cemetery
- Maintained by St. Mary Parish, Odell
Buildings & Grounds
The parish campus includes the present-day church (built 1962 under Father Edward Valasek), the rectory (built 1907), and the Grotto on the church's north side built by Brother Egbert Backer, OSB. The earlier 1886 church building, dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, was replaced by the present structure.
- 1962 church (current)
- 1907 rectory
- Outdoor Grotto
- St. Joseph Cemetery
Deanery & Diocesan Affiliations
St. Mary, Odell belongs to the Fairbury Deanery of the Diocese of Lincoln, alongside other rural and small-town parishes in southeast Nebraska. Members of St. Mary's Altar Society serve as officers on the Fairbury Deanery of the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (LDCCW), connecting the parish to wider diocesan women's leadership and service.
- Diocese of Lincoln
- Fairbury Deanery
- Sister parishes in the Fairbury Deanery: St. Mary (Alexandria), St. Joseph (Barneston), St. Joseph (Beatrice), St. Michael (Fairbury), Sacred Heart (Hebron), St. Mary (Wymore)
- Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (LDCCW)
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Mary, Odell through the pastor's residence at St. Mary Parish in Wymore. Mass is celebrated Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m., with confessions heard immediately beforehand.
- Street address: 521 Perry Street, Odell, NE 68415
- Mailing address: PO Box 13, Wymore, NE 68466
- Phone: 402-645-3160
- Sunday Mass: 9:00 a.m.
- Confessions: Sunday 8:30–8:50 a.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. August Rausch1880s
Silesian priest who, with Rev. Philip Maly, served the early Odell mission by visiting from neighboring parishes to celebrate Mass in parishioners' homes.
- Rev. Philip Maly1886–1888
Helped build the first church in 1886; became the first incumbent in 1888 before returning to his native land a year and a half later.
- Rev. J. F. BonenkentEarly 1900s
Traveled from Lincoln to serve the parish.
- Father Mosler1907–
First resident priest of Odell; took up residence when the rectory was built in 1907.
- Father Edward Valasek1962
Directed the construction of the present church building, replacing the 1886 structure.
- Rev. Dennis Hotovy1986–2011 (approx.)
Appointed pastor in 1986 when Odell became a mission of Wymore; served the Odell mission for 25 years.