About St. Philip Neri · Omaha, Nebraska
St. Philip Neri-Blessed Sacrament is a Roman Catholic parish in northeast Omaha, Nebraska, in the Archdiocese of Omaha. It was formed in 2014 by the merger of two historic north-Omaha parishes: St. Philip Neri (founded 1905) and Blessed Sacrament (founded 1919). The parish describes itself as 'a joyful Catholic community' and 'a family,' with Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish, an attached Catholic school (St. Philip Neri Catholic School, founded 1922), and a full range of liturgical, formation, outreach, and parish-life ministries. The combined parish shares its worship and pastoral staff with neighboring Holy Name Church as part of the Archdiocese's 'Urban Family D' grouping.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Philip Neri
- Rector
- Rev. Damien J. Cook
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Omaha
Why belong here
St. Philip Neri-Blessed Sacrament welcomes newcomers as part of an explicitly family-oriented, bilingual Catholic community in northeast Omaha. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish, a long-standing parish school (PreK-8), an active St. Vincent de Paul conference that assists neighbors with rent, utilities and basic needs, and dozens of ways to get involved — from Knights of Columbus and Pro-Life Committee to Liturgical Ministry, Music Ministry, Garden Angels, and Eucharistic Adoration.
Mass times at St. Philip Neri
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursdays 5:30–6:15 p.m. (English & Spanish) – Holy Name Church
- Saturdays 4:00–4:45 p.m. (English & Spanish) – Holy Name Church
- Sundays 6:45–7:15 a.m. (English & Spanish) – St. Philip Neri Church
- Anytime by appointment with a priest (English & Spanish)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Exposition: Monday–Friday, 5:00–9:00 p.m. (teams of 3 per hour)
- First Fridays: 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Exposition in the church
- Thursday 7:00 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration and Vespers in Spanish – Holy Name Church
Parish Identity and Mission
St. Philip Neri-Blessed Sacrament Parish presents itself as 'a joyful Catholic community in northeast Omaha,' united under the Archdiocese of Omaha and 'faithful to our Holy Father.' The parish mission is to support one another, be prayerful, show love through outreach, educate parishioners in the faith, and sow seeds of hope through the joyful celebration of the Eucharist — so that members love God, love others, and form disciples. In its own words, 'The best word to describe our parish is family.'
- Motto: 'A Joyful Catholic Community in Northeast Omaha.'
- Self-description: 'The best word to describe our parish is family.'
- Parish registration form available on the About page.
Our Patron Saint: St. Philip Neri
The parish's patron is St. Philip Neri (1515–1595), the Italian priest, mystic, and founder of the Oratorians known as the 'patron saint of Joyful Hearts.' Ordained in 1551, he devoted his life to bringing God's joy to the poorest citizens of Rome in the 1500s, founding schools for poor children, and instituting the Visit to the Seven Churches pilgrimage. His feast day is May 26, which the parish marks each year — the 2026 bulletin notes the 121st anniversary of the parish's founding fell on this same date.
- Born 1515 in Florence; ordained a priest in 1551.
- Founded the Congregation of the Oratorians (the Oratory).
- Patron of Joyful Hearts; dedicated to the poor children of Rome.
- Known for mystical experiences, including a globe of fire entering his mouth at prayer in 1544.
- Feast day celebrated annually on May 26.
History of St. Philip Neri Parish
The parish traces its roots to 1904 in the Florence neighborhood of northeast Omaha. The first resident pastor, Fr. Michael Barrett, was assigned in 1905, and the parish built its first rectory in 1918, school in 1922 (staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis), enlarged the church in 1937, and built the present church and rectory at 8200 N. 30th Street in 1953. In 1959 a new school replaced the original structures. In 2014, St. Philip Neri merged with Blessed Sacrament (founded 1919) to form the present combined parish, which today shares Mass and ministry with neighboring Holy Name Church as part of 'Urban Family D.'
- 1904 — St. Philip Neri Parish established at 31st & Grebe, Florence.
- 1905 — First resident pastor, Fr. Michael Barrett, assigned.
- 1918 — First rectory built.
- 1922 — School built, staffed by School Sisters of St. Francis (Clinton, Iowa).
- 1937 — Church enlarged; Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine, Kentucky, arrive.
- 1953 — Present church and rectory built at 8200 N. 30th St.
- 1959 — New school built on the site of the old rectory and church.
- 2014 — Parishes Combined: St. Philip Neri + Blessed Sacrament.
Sacraments and Preparation
Baptism preparation is offered in both English and Spanish, with formal parish registration required before scheduling a Baptism. Parents and godparents attend scheduled classes at either the SPN Parish Center (English) or the Holy Name Cafeteria (Spanish). Reconciliation is available at the regular weekly schedule or by appointment. (Other sacramental information is handled through the parish office.)
- English Baptism classes: 1st Sunday of each month, 2:00–4:00 p.m., SPN Parish Center (church basement).
- Spanish Baptism classes: every other month on Sunday, 3:00–6:00 p.m., Holy Name Cafeteria.
- Pre-registration required; contact the parish secretary.
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by a single pastor with support from deacons, a parish secretary, business manager, and ministry staff, plus school and athletics leadership. The same pastor oversees the broader Urban Family D grouping.
- Rev. Damien J. Cook — Pastor.
- Deacon George Butterfield.
- Deacon Brendan Kelly.
- Deacon Rafael Gutiérrez.
- Mary Ramm — Parish Secretary.
- Ted Snoddy — Business Manager.
- Sandy Leininger — Website and Database Coordinator.
- Monica Valles — Director of Evangelization (Spanish) and Religious Education for Children (English/Spanish).
- Eric Brink — Head of Maintenance, Church and School Buildings.
- Anne Jensen — Principal, St. Philip Neri Catholic School.
- Denise Smith — Secretary, St. Philip Neri Catholic School.
- Michele Yates — Athletic Director (parish and school).
St. Philip Neri Catholic School
St. Philip Neri Catholic School has served the parish and surrounding neighborhood since 1922, when the first school building was constructed north of the church. Today it operates as a PreK-8 elementary school at 8202 North 31st Street, with its own principal, secretary, and athletic director. The school website is spnschoolomaha.com.
- Address: 8202 North 31st Street, Omaha, NE 68112.
- Phone: 402-315-3500.
- Website: spnschoolomaha.com.
- Principal: Mrs. Anne Jensen.
- Athletic Director: Michele Yates.
- Originally staffed by the School Sisters of St. Francis from Clinton, Iowa.
Liturgical and Music Ministries
The parish invites baptized Catholics who are active, registered parishioners to share their gifts as liturgical ministers. 'All are called and gifted': by virtue of baptism, parishioners are invited to develop and use their talents in service of the liturgy and the wider parish community.
- Altar Servers — reverently assist the celebrant and deacon at Mass and special liturgies.
- Ushers / Greeters — welcome parishioners, distribute bulletins, assist with collections.
- Lectors — proclaim the Good News at Sunday and weekday Masses, Holy Days and Feast Days.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — serve at Mass and bring Communion to the homebound, hospitals (including CHI Health Immanuel), and nursing/assisted-living facilities.
- Music Ministry — choirs (English and Spanish), instrumentalists welcome; sight-reading helpful but not required.
- Arts and Environment Committee — decorates the church for the liturgical seasons.
Outreach and Service
Outreach is central to the parish's mission to 'show our love through outreach.' The St. Vincent de Paul–St. Philip Neri Conference responds to calls for help within parish boundaries with food, rent, and utility assistance; members meet twice monthly for prayer and case discussions. The parish also encourages prayer and volunteer support for bringing Communion to the homebound and to patients at CHI Health Immanuel.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays in the Parish Center.
- Immanuel Hospital Communion team — rotates every five to six weeks; Thursdays.
- Homebound Ministry — contact the parish office to bring Communion to parishioners at home.
- Pro-Life Committee — Advent Baby Shower, Life Chain (72nd & Dodge), Vigil for Life Mass and Walk, Project Rachel support.
- Garden Angels — planting flowers and weed control around the church grounds.
Parish Life and Get Involved
The parish encourages parishioners to participate as stewards of their time and talent. From councils and boards to school support and bereavement ministry, there is a wide menu of ways to plug into parish life beyond Sunday Mass.
- Pastoral Council.
- Fall Festival.
- SPN School Board.
- Home & School Association (annual dues $15/family; meets twice a year).
- Athletic Association.
- Knights of Columbus.
- Altar Society.
- Pro-Life Committee.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society.
- Funeral Luncheons Committee (prepares and serves a meal after funerals).
- Garden Angels (grounds beautification).
Family of Parishes: Urban Family D
St. Philip Neri-Blessed Sacrament worships and ministers together with neighboring Holy Name Church under the Archdiocese of Omaha's Journey of Faith initiative, which reorganized Omaha parishes into 'families' led by a single pastor with shared staff and bilingual ministry. The pastor, Fr. Damien J. Cook, leads the family with support from deacons and lay leaders.
- Combined with Blessed Sacrament in 2014; worships at St. Philip Neri and Holy Name.
- Journey of Faith / Urban Family D, Archdiocese of Omaha.
- Single pastor with bilingual staff and shared Pastoral Council.
- Family goal: build 'missional communities' that invite others to encounter Christ.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael Barrett1905–
First resident pastor of St. Philip Neri Parish; transferred from Blair; studied at St. Bonaventure's College, New York.