About St. Mary · Saint Mary, Nebraska
St. Mary Catholic Church is a small mission parish in the village of Saint Mary (originally Smartville), Johnson County, Nebraska, in the rolling farmland of the southeastern part of the state. Founded in 1890 by 14 Polish immigrant families, it has been served from its earliest days in connection with neighboring parishes and is presently a mission of St. Andrew Church in Tecumseh within the Diocese of Lincoln, Falls City Deanery. The parish celebrates Sunday Mass at 8:00 a.m. and a Wednesday evening Mass, with the Sacrament of Reconciliation offered before each, and maintains an active program of faith formation, youth ministry (CYO), and liturgical ministries through its joint pastoral team of Father Christopher Kubat (pastor) and Father Thomas McGuire (in residence).
- Established
- 1890
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (historical Polish-Gen record: 'St. Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary')
- Rector
- Reverend Christopher Kubat
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln (Falls City Deanery); mission of St. Andrew, Tecumseh
Why belong here
St. Mary is a small, historically Polish-heritage parish where Mass and the other sacraments are celebrated with care, and where the bonds between the few remaining families run deep. Worshippers can attend Sunday Mass at 8:00 a.m. with Reconciliation beforehand, send their children to Family Prayer & Discipleship (CCD) classes and the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), or serve in liturgical ministries such as lector, acolyte, and altar server — all under the pastoral care of Father Christopher Kubat and Father Thomas McGuire. Because St. Mary is paired with St. Andrew in Tecumseh, parishioners also have access to the wider pastoral resources, school (St. Andrew School), and joint faith-formation programs of both communities.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30 a.m.
- Wednesday 5:00 p.m.
Parish History
St. Mary was founded in 1890 by 14 Polish families on land donated by Robert Smart, the man after whom the town of Smartville (later Saint Mary) was named. The first church was dedicated October 7, 1890 by Father Jakimowicz, a Polish-speaking priest from the Diocese of Omaha, because the Diocese of Lincoln did not yet have Polish-speaking clergy. The current church was built by parishioners and dedicated by Bishop Louis Kucera on October 7, 1947. A renovation c. 1989 under Father Hain brought tuck-pointing, roof repairs, new carpet, paint, and altar furnishings (built by Father Hain), with Bishop Glennon Flavin rededicating the building on October 7, 1989. The parish marked its 125th anniversary on October 7, 2015, and a new altar was dedicated December 9, 2018.
- Founded October 7, 1890 by 14 Polish families
- First dedicator: Father Jakimowicz (Diocese of Omaha)
- Current church dedicated October 7, 1947 by Bishop Louis Kucera
- Renovated c. 1989 under Father Hain; rededicated by Bishop Glennon Flavin, October 7, 1989
- 125th anniversary celebrated October 7, 2015
- New altar dedicated December 9, 2018
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
St. Mary celebrates one Sunday Mass each week at 8:00 a.m. and a weekday Mass on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered before each Mass — Sundays at 7:30 a.m. and Wednesdays at 5:00 p.m. Visitors are advised to consult the parish calendar for any changes and for additional Mass or adoration times that may be scheduled.
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 a.m.
- Weekday Mass: Wednesday 5:30 p.m.
- Reconciliation: Sunday 7:30 a.m.
- Reconciliation: Wednesday 5:00 p.m.
Clergy & Parish Staff
St. Mary is served jointly with St. Andrew Parish in Tecumseh by a pastoral team led by Father Christopher Kubat as pastor and supported by Father Thomas McGuire in residence. The St. Andrew School, located in Tecumseh, is led by Head Teacher Kathi Mercure and serves students from both parishes. Bulletin submissions and notices go through the joint parish office.
- Rev. Christopher Kubat — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Thomas McGuire — In Residence ([email protected])
- St. Andrew School Head Teacher — Kathi Mercure ([email protected], 402-335-2234)
- Parish Hall Reservation Contact — Louise Masur (402-430-7568)
- Joint Parish Welcoming Committee Coordinator — Terry Kerr
- Bulletin submissions — [email protected] (due Fridays by 3:00 PM)
Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Mary centers on the home, with parents recognized as the first and best teachers of the Catholic faith to their children. The parish runs a Family Prayer & Discipleship program (CCD) modeled on the national Family Formation curriculum: monthly parish gatherings for parents and children, with parents taking home the lessons for the other three weeks of the month to teach at a time that fits each family. A Catholic Youth Group for high-school students meets weekly to grow as disciples of Jesus. Adults seeking Baptism may contact the pastor about RCIA classes.
- Family Prayer & Discipleship / CCD (monthly meetings + home lessons)
- Catholic Youth Group (weekly meetings for high-school students)
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve at the altar through a roster of liturgical ministries. A printed schedule (shared between St. Andrew and St. Mary) assigns lectors, acolytes, and altar servers for each Mass, and church cleaning is also organized on a rotating monthly basis with a designated chair. The 'Liturgical Ministries' section of the parish website notes that more information and online sign-ups are coming soon.
- Lector
- Acolyte
- Altar Server
- Church Cleaning (monthly rotating groups with chair)
Parish Council & Pillar Teams
A joint St. Andrew & St. Mary Parish Council meets monthly to launch, implement, and continue to develop the 2020–2025 Strategic Plan. The council especially focuses on five pillars: Faith; School & Academics; Community Engagement & Stewardship; Finance; and Building & Grounds. Parishioners interested in joining one of the pillar teams are encouraged to contact the parish office.
- Faith
- School & Academics
- Community Engagement & Stewardship
- Finance
- Building & Grounds
Parish Life & Announcements
News and updates — including Confirmation announcements, ministry schedules, CYO meetings, stewardship reports, and special events like the Diocesan Eucharistic Pilgrimage (Serra Route) — are shared through the weekly bulletin and the parish website. Recent bulletins confirm that St. Mary students receive the Sacrament of Confirmation alongside St. Andrew School students, and that the parish contributes to stewardship through regular tithes and online giving.
- Weekly bulletin posted online at stmarystmary.org
- Confirmation celebrated jointly with St. Andrew School students
- Online giving via the parish website
- CYO meeting nights (Wed 7:30 p.m.) at St. Mary
Visit, Contact & Directions
St. Mary Catholic Church is located at 61518 Highway 41 in the village of Saint Mary, Nebraska, with a mailing address of PO Box 656, Tecumseh, NE 68450. The parish phone number, shared with St. Andrew, is 402-335-3742. As a mission of St. Andrew, Tecumseh, much of the parish's administrative life (including bulletin submissions, online giving, and joint events) flows through the Tecumseh parish office.
- Street Address: 61518 Highway 41, Saint Mary, NE
- Mailing Address: PO Box 656, Tecumseh, NE 68450
- Phone: 402-335-3742
- Website: http://www.stmarystmary.org/stmary
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Jakimowicz (Polish-speaking priest from the Diocese of Omaha)1890
Dedicated the original church on October 7, 1890; served because the Diocese of Lincoln had no Polish-speaking priests at that time.
- Father Hain
Guided the c. 1989 renovation including tuck-pointing, roof repairs, and altar furnishings that he built himself.