About St. Paul · Plainview, Nebraska
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church is a small but historically rich Roman Catholic parish in Plainview, Nebraska, located at 203 E Park Avenue. Founded in 1902 by a community of pioneer Catholic families, the parish grew out of an area first ministered by St. Ludger Parish in Creighton. It is one of seven parishes in the Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes family (HSCP), a rural 'family of parishes' formed under the Archdiocese of Omaha's Journey of Faith reorganization to share priests and resources. The parish offers a Saturday Vigil Mass at 6:00 PM, weekly confession, faith formation for K-12 students, an active Altar Society, the local Catholic Order of Foresters Court #2500, and longstanding traditions like a Lenten spaghetti dinner and an ecumenical prayer service with other Plainview churches.
- Established
- 1902
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Kevin Vogel
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Omaha
Why belong here
St. Paul the Apostle is a small parish with a deep sense of community and over a century of Catholic tradition in rural northeast Nebraska. Parishioners gather weekly for Saturday Vigil Mass, pray the rosary together in church on Friday mornings followed by a prayer study and coffee in the basement, sponsor the Heartland Food Distribution twice a year to help low-income families in the wider community, and kick off Lent with a beloved parish-wide spaghetti dinner and an ecumenical prayer service with three other Plainview churches. With active faith formation for grades K–12, a parish Altar Society, the local Catholic Order of Foresters Court #2500, and a newly built Parish Center hosting family gatherings and weddings, St. Paul's offers a warm, hands-on place to belong.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:15–5:45 PM (before Vigil Mass; bulletin sometimes lists 5:30 PM)
- Confessions are heard prior to all weekend Masses across the Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes family
About St. Paul the Apostle Parish
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church is a small but historically rich rural parish in Plainview, Nebraska, one of seven parishes that make up the Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes family (HSCP) under the Archdiocese of Omaha. Despite being small in numbers, the parish is deeply involved in the wider Plainview community and is proud of its growth and stability through challenges including priest shortages. According to the parish's own description: 'St. Paul's is a community, though small in number, that has a rich history of community involvement... especially when it comes to caring for those in need.' Their most popular tradition is a spaghetti dinner to kick off Lent, and they also host an inspiring Lenten ecumenical prayer service with three other Plainview churches. Their most vibrant outreach is sponsoring the Heartland Food Distribution twice a year to serve low-income families in the community.
- Patron Saint: St. Paul the Apostle
- Feast Days: January 25 (Conversion) and June 29 (Peter & Paul)
- Parish Anniversary Milestones: 2002 — 100 Years; 2027 — 125 Years
- Church Blessing (present building): May 7, 1925
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Omaha
Parish History
The parish was founded in 1902 when Father William Windolph of Creighton celebrated the first Mass in Plainview at the former Normal College on May 11, 1902. Pioneer Catholic families — including the Dedlows, Dowlings, Hutfless, Loftus, Mahoneys, McHenrys, McMahon, Miller, Mock, Moeller, Morrison, Rehberg, Relike, Risses, and Stockman — pledged to build a brick-veneer church. Bishop Scannell purchased land for $100 and the first Mass in the new church was offered on November 16, 1902; the Solemn Blessing took place June 18, 1903. The parish was a mission of St. Ludger in Creighton and then St. Mary's in Osmond until 1917, when Father Henry Buerger became its first resident pastor.
- May 11, 1902 — First Mass offered in Plainview by Fr. William Windolph
- November 16, 1902 — First Mass in the newly built brick-veneer church
- June 18, 1903 — Solemn Blessing of St. Paul the Apostle Church
- 1905 — Two acres adjoining Pleasant View Cemetery purchased for parish cemetery
- August 1, 1917 — Fr. Henry Buerger assigned as first resident pastor
- 1918 — Large two-story wooden rectory built east of the church
- June 29, 1924 — Church destroyed by fire (presumed KKK activity); Mass held in the rectory
- May 7, 1925 — New church dedicated; built by Fr. James Brady
Liturgical Schedule & Family of Parishes
Since 2023 St. Paul has been served as part of Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes (HSCP), a family of seven rural parishes — St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Randolph), St. Michael (Coleridge), Holy Trinity (Hartington), St. Peter (Newcastle), St. Mary of the Seven Dolors (Osmond), St. Joseph (Ponca), and St. Paul (Plainview) — formed under the Archdiocese of Omaha's Journey of Faith reorganization to address declining priest numbers and shifting rural demographics. The main parish office is at 406 South Broadway, Hartington, and the pastors rotate among the seven churches.
- Saturday Vigil: 6:00 PM — Holy Trinity (Hartington) and St. Paul (Plainview)
- Sunday: 8:00 AM — St. Joseph (Ponca) and St. Jane Frances (Randolph)
- Sunday: 10:30 AM — Holy Trinity (Hartington) and St. Mary's (Osmond)
- Full Mass Calendar available via the Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes Google Calendar
Religious Education & Youth
St. Paul offers parish-based religious education for students in grades K-12, meeting on Wednesday evenings. Two 'God Nights' per semester bring families from across the HSCP family together for Mass, a meal, and a family activity, reinforcing unity across the rural parishes.
- Grades K-6: Wednesdays 6:30–7:30 PM
- Grades 7-12: Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM
- Directors of Religious Education: Laura Alexander & Kim Zuhlke
- Family 'God Nights': 6:30–8:00 PM, twice per semester, with families from St. Jane Frances, St. Mary's, and St. Paul joining together
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Paul is sustained by an active core of lay ministries and organizations. The Altar Society is the parish women's group; the local Catholic Order of Foresters Court #2500 supports both financial security and Catholic outreach; the Stewardship Council coordinates parish life; and parish trustees oversee temporal matters. Small groups gather for the Friday rosary and prayer study, and the parish sponsors community outreach including the Heartland Food Distribution.
- Altar Society (women's group)
- Catholic Order of Foresters — St. Paul Court #2500 (contact: Kelly Mauer, 402-582-4594, [email protected])
- Stewardship Council members: Cindy Burns, Kay Lammers, Mike Bernecker, Randy Wolken, Kim Wolken, Mike Naperstek, Kevin Weber, Kelly Mauer, Jane Demerath
- Parish Trustees: Mike Bernecker, Randy Wolken
- Safe Environment Training
- Annulment Sponsors
Parish Center & Facilities
The historic two-story rectory that once stood east of the church was no longer needed when priests began being shared across parishes. It was burned on September 14, 2013, and the present Parish Center was constructed in its place — construction began in May 2014, was completed in March 2015, and was formally blessed by Archbishop George Lucas on August 8, 2015. Annual fundraisers — Lenten fish fries, a fireworks stand, a bake sale, and a craft fair — help retire the parish center debt.
- Parish Center available for rental for family gatherings and weddings
- Rental contact: Cindy Burns, St. Jane Frances Office, 402-337-0644
- Basement renovations during Fr. Marc Lim's tenure (2015–2019): three classrooms, meeting area, new carpeting, updated restrooms
- Building updates: all wiring replaced, new speaker system, new choir-loft light fixtures
Office Staff & Clergy
The parish is staffed jointly with Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes. The parish office is at 406 South Broadway, Hartington, with office hours Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM–4:30 PM and Friday 8:30 AM–Noon.
- Rev. Kevin Vogel — Pastor (2025–Present)
- Rev. Owen W. Korte — Pastor (2023–2025, retired)
- Deacon Doug Tunink (Randolph), 402-360-1384
- Deacon Dennis Knudsen (Newcastle), 605-670-9958
- Kay Lammers — Business Manager ([email protected])
- Janet Creamer — Secretary ([email protected])
- Kathie Dresden — Secretary ([email protected])
- Phone: 402-254-6559 | Fax: 402-254-6553
- Mailing Address: PO Box 278, Hartington, NE 68739
Contact & Visiting
St. Paul the Apostle welcomes visitors and is committed to helping in any way it can. The parish can be reached by phone or email, and the parish office in Hartington is open weekdays to assist with scheduling, sacraments, and inquiries.
- Church Address: 203 E Park Ave., Plainview, NE 68769
- Parish Office Phone: 402-254-6559
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.holyspiritfamily.org/st-paul-church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. William Windolph1902–1904
Mission priest from Creighton; offered First Mass in Plainview, May 11, 1902.
- Rev. Ferdinand Peitz1904–1917
- Rev. Henry Buerger1917–1919
First resident pastor; large two-story rectory built 1918.
- Rev. Joseph Jageman1919
- Rev. James Brady1919–1939
Built and furnished the present church after the 1924 fire; dedicated May 7, 1925.
- Rev. Peter F. Burke1939–1944
- Rev. Rudolph Kluthe1944–1948
- Rev. Edward Gill1948–1953
- Rev. Andrew Meister1953–1956
- Rev. Anthony Pluhacek1956–1958
- Rev. Anthony Wilwerding1958
- Rev. Francis P. Kenny1959–1963
- Rev. John O. McCaslin1963–1967
- Rev. William Guthman1967–1969
- Rev. Robert Schmitz1969–1971
- Rev. Leonard Musteikis1971–1985
- Rev. Wilfred Spenner1985–1996
- Rev. James M. Buckley1996–2001
- Rev. Alexander Wild2001–2004
- Rev. Gerald Connealy2004–2015
- Rev. Mark Lim2015–2019
Major renovations: basement classrooms, wiring, sound, choir lights.
- Rev. Jeremy Hans2019–2023
Shared pastor with St. Ludger (Creighton) and St. Ignatius (Brunswick).
- Rev. Owen W. Korte2023–2025
Retired July 2025 after 44 years of priestly ministry.
- Rev. Kevin Vogel2025–Present
Became pastor following Fr. Korte's retirement.