About St. Mary of the Seven Dolors · Osmond, Nebraska
St. Mary of the Seven Dolors is a Roman Catholic parish in Osmond, Nebraska, part of the Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes family within the Archdiocese of Omaha. Founded as a mission in 1892 and organized as its own parish in 1904, the parish serves about 166 families in the rural northeast Nebraska community, maintaining both a parish church and a PreK–8 Catholic school. The parish is devoted to Our Lady of Sorrows (the Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin Mary), with a feast day of September 15.
- Established
- 1892 (as a mission); organized as a parish in 1904
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Seven Dolors (Our Lady of Sorrows)
- Rector
- Father Kevin Vogel
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Omaha (part of Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes family)
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Seven Dolors is a tight-knit rural parish where families still know each other by name, yet large enough to sustain a vibrant Catholic school serving Pre-K through 8th grade. Faith-filled laity lead the ministries here, with a strong choir (families, youth, and adults singing together at Mass, holy days, and funerals), active Knights of Columbus and Ladies Guild, and a beloved annual Swiss-steak parish dinner in September. With weekday Mass, Tuesday adoration, regular reconciliation, rosary before Mass, and Christ-centered schooling for the children of the parish, St. Mary's offers everything a Catholic family needs to live the liturgical year together.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Seven Dolors
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Approximately 1/2 hour prior to weekend Mass times
Adoration times
- Tuesdays 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
- Tuesdays 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Parish History
St. Mary of the Seven Dolors traces its roots to September 1892, when Monsignor John Vranek of Creighton organized St. Mary's Mission and a frame church was built on the lot where the Catholic school now stands. A cyclone struck on the day the first church was to be dedicated — June 27, 1897 — knocking it off its foundation and tearing out the tower and belfry. The building was rebuilt and relocated 40 feet north by John Kuba of Randolph, and while repairs were made, Mass was celebrated in the Henry Billerbeck home. In July 1904 the mission was organized into a full parish and received its first resident pastor, Father Ferdinand Peitz, who served about 27 Catholic families. The current church was dedicated May 22, 1912. The parish marked its 75th anniversary in 1979, with its 125th anniversary due in 2029.
- Mission founded September 1892 by Msgr. John Vranek
- First cyclone damage June 27, 1897 (same day as planned dedication)
- Organized as a parish July 1904; first resident pastor Fr. Ferdinand Peitz
- Current church dedicated May 22, 1912
- 75th anniversary celebrated 1979; 125th anniversary coming in 2029
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is currently shepherded by Pastor Father Kevin Vogel, with Associate Pastor Father William Targy and Deacon Doug Tunink assisting. The parish operates through Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes, a family grouping within the Archdiocese of Omaha, with the parish mailing address in nearby Hartington. The wide circle of lay ministers includes a pastoral minister, parish council president, sacristan head, school board president, and contacts for prayer chain, pro-life, youth religious education, safe environment, walking with moms in need, communion to the homebound, cemetery, building and grounds, decorating, bulletin, and bookkeeping.
- Father Kevin Vogel — Pastor
- Father William Targy — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Doug Tunink
- Pastoral Minister: Mary Ann Schlichting
- Parish Council President: Joe Aschoff
- Sacristan Head: Joe Aschoff
- Bookkeeper: Cindy Burns
St. Mary's Catholic School (PreK–8)
St. Mary's Catholic School is a faith-based PreK through 8th-grade school where students attend weekday Mass twice a week. The original school building was constructed in 1906 and was staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee, Wisconsin until 1996. Construction on the current building began in fall 2001; it opened for the 2002–2003 school year and demolition of the old school began on Christmas Eve 2003. The parish is proud to still have a parish school even with only about 166 registered families.
- Original school built in 1906
- Staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis of Milwaukee, WI until 1996
- Current school groundbreaking fall 2001; opened for 2002 school year
- Old school demolished Christmas Eve 2003
- Students attend weekday Mass twice a week
- Head Teacher: Cindy Beacom
- Office Secretary: Amanda Schieffer (M–F 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.)
- Address: 302 East 5th Street, P.O. Box 427, Osmond, NE 68765
- Phone: 402.748.3433
Faculty & Staff
The school team includes an administrative assistant, a paraprofessional/technology coordinator, and classroom teachers serving preschool through 8th grade, with specialty offerings in Spanish, art, music, and PE.
- Amanda Schieffer — Administrative Assistant
- Rhonda Meier — Paraprofessional/Technology
- Mrs. Vinson — Pre-K/K/PE
- Mrs. Beacom — 1st/2nd
- Mrs. Geneski — 3rd/4th/Art
- Miss Vargas — 5th/6th, 5th–8th Science & Math, Preschool-8th Music
- Mrs. Cheney — 5th–8th Social Studies, Spanish, Finance, ELA
Music Ministry
The parish describes its choir as its 'most vibrant quality.' Daughters and dads, family members, and friends join together to cantor and lead worship at Mass, with the whole parish joining in song. A full choir — both youth and adult — turns out for Easter, Christmas, and even funerals, giving parishioners 'a beautiful and loving send-off' for their loved ones. The choir rotates scheduled Masses weekly throughout the year under Music Ministry leaders Melissa Lind and Sue Wingert.
- Includes youth and adult choirs singing together
- Full choir for Easter, Christmas, and funerals
- Family-led cantoring — 'daughters and dads' often singing together
- Coordinated by Melissa Lind and Sue Wingert
Parish Organizations & Groups
Parish life at St. Mary's is anchored by an active Knights of Columbus council, a Ladies Guild, and a Christian Mothers circle, alongside parish-organized ministries for youth, pro-life, moms in need, the homebound, and the cemetery. The St. Mary's Guild — the women's organization — keeps the church, school, and rectory clean, serves funeral dinners, hosts monthly coffee-and-rolls, sponsors the annual fall dinner, and regularly visits the Osmond Care Center for crafts, bingo, and other activities with the residents.
- Knights of Columbus
- St. Mary's Guild / Ladies Guild
- Christian Mothers
- Religious Youth (SMARTS)
- Walking With Moms in Need
- Pro-Life
- Prayer Chain
- Communion to the Homebound
- Foresters
- Decoration Committee
- Cemetery Committee
Annual Swiss-Steak Dinner & Parish Traditions
Each September the parish hosts its famous church dinner, a beloved local tradition featuring Swiss steak with all the extras. The Guild serves, and the Knights of Columbus and other groups assist — it's a centerpiece of parish identity and a major fundraiser.
- Annual September parish dinner
- Famous Swiss steak with all the extras
Parish Governance & Stewardship
St. Mary of the Seven Dolors is part of Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes, which coordinates shared pastoral and administrative services for several north-central Nebraska parishes. A local Stewardship Council representing school, finance, cemetery, maintenance, parish council, and women's groups meets regularly with the pastor and office staff to guide parish life.
- Part of Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes family of parishes
- Stewardship Council includes finance committee, parish council, cemetery, maintenance, school, and women's groups
- Pastoral, financial, and school decisions coordinated with Archdiocese of Omaha
Cemetery
St. Mary maintains its own parish cemetery, with Jerome (Jerry) Wingert serving as the parish cemetery contact. The cemetery is one of the responsibilities represented on the parish Stewardship Council.
- Cemetery contact: Jerry Wingert (402.748.3423)
- Represented on the parish Stewardship Council
Getting Involved — Contact Directory
Parishioners and visitors can plug into nearly any aspect of parish life through the published contact directory. From the Knights of Columbus to the Music Ministry, from SMARTS youth to the Walking With Moms in Need group, every ministry has a named coordinator with a phone number — a testament to how lay-led the parish is.
- Knights of Columbus — Bill Steffen (402.841.4100)
- Ladies Guild — Jeni Krienert (402.992.1990)
- Christian Mothers — Mary Beth Stech (402.748.3424)
- Religious Youth / Safe Environment — Lisa Harder (402.640.6011)
- Walking With Moms in Need — Nancy Stech & Deb Korth
- Pro-Life — Nancy Stech
- Prayer Chain — Edith Aschoff (402.748.3440)
- Communion to the Homebound — Angie Aschoff (402.640.6161)
- Music Ministry — Melissa Lind (402.360.3352) & Sue Wingert (402.748.3790)
- Decoration Committee — Kayla & Terry Hoffman (402.649.0240)
- Cemetery — Jerome Wingert (402.748.3423)
- Building & Grounds — Gerald Stech (402.748.3109) & Nick Krienert (402.748.3113)
Contact & Location
St. Mary of the Seven Dolors is at 208 East 5th Street in Osmond, Nebraska. The parish mailing address is through the Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes office in Hartington, NE. The school has its own separate address and office hours on the same block.
- Church address: 208 East 5th Street, P.O. Box 397, Osmond, NE 68765
- Parish mailing: P.O. Box 278, Hartington, NE 68739
- School address: 302 East 5th Street, P.O. Box 427, Osmond, NE 68765
- Parish email: [email protected]
- School phone: 402.748.3433
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Vranek1892–1893
Monsignor; resident priest at Creighton who organized St. Mary's Mission and began building the first church in September 1892.
- Father Joseph Mazourek1893–1897
- Father Albert Hork1897–1900
Of Randolph parish which had jurisdiction over the Osmond mission.
- Father Casimir Renner1897–1900
Of Randolph parish.
- Father John McNamara1900–1904
Native of Wisner; assigned to St. Andrew's at Bloomfield while also serving St. Mary's Mission at Osmond.
- Father Ferdinand Peitz1904–1913
First resident pastor after the mission was organized into a parish in July 1904.
- Father William Buerger1913–1914
- Father Ferdinand Krings1914–1931
- Father Herman Stahl1931–1958
- Father John Vogel1958
- Father William Lordemann1958–1967
- Father James Bartak1967–1975
- Father Conrad (tys)1975–1977
- Father (unnamed)1977–1978
- Father Edward (tys)1978–1980
- Father Dan (ts)1980–1981
- Father Duane Lukes1981–2003
- Father (ref entry)1999–2001
Listed as 'Father Alexander Wild' overlaps; listed separately from main sequence
- Father Timothy Forget2015–2022
- Father Michael Swanton2005–2011
- Father (entry near 2005–2011)2011–2015
- Father Kevin Vogel2022–present
Current pastor; oversees St. Mary of the Seven Dolors as part of Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes.