About St. Stephen · Exeter, Nebraska
St. Stephen Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish serving the small farming community of Exeter in Fillmore County, Nebraska, and surrounding rural areas. Established in 1877, the parish is part of the Diocese of Lincoln and is canonically linked with St. Wenceslaus Church in nearby Milligan as its mission parish, sharing one pastor. The parish is well known for its striking 1903 neo-Romanesque brick church filled with 44 Munich-style stained glass windows, its strong Marian and Eucharistic devotions (including a special devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague), and an active lay life organized through the Altar Society, Knights of Columbus Council 11822, and Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- St. Stephen (protomartyr)
- Rector
- Rev. Corey Harrison
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
St. Stephen offers a tight-knit, historic Catholic community in the heart of Fillmore County where parishioners know one another by name and actively support one another in faith and life. The parish provides daily and weekly Mass, the Traditional Latin Mass on the 2nd Sunday of each month, regular Confession, faith formation for children, an active Altar Society, and a Knights of Columbus council that supports local charities and people with intellectual disabilities. Membership means joining a worshipping family that has been nurturing souls in Exeter for nearly 150 years.
Mass times at St. Stephen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–5:00 p.m. (at St. Stephen, Exeter)
- Approximately 30 minutes prior to Sunday Masses
Parish History
St. Stephen Parish was formed in 1877 to serve Catholic families in and around Exeter, Nebraska. A first church was built in 1878, and under the Irish priest Fr. Walter McDonald (serving 1899–1916) the current large brick church was constructed in 1901 and dedicated on May 27, 1903. The parish has been served by many dedicated priests, including Monsignor Henry H. Ingenhorst for over 32 years, and continues today as part of the Diocese of Lincoln.
- 1877 – Parish formed
- 1878 – First church built
- 1899–1916 – Fr. Walter McDonald builds current church, school, and rectory
- 1901 – Current church constructed
- 1903 (May 27) – Church dedicated
- 1917 – Steeple shortened by a windstorm
- 1988–89 – Major renovations
- 1997–98 – 44 Munich-style stained glass windows refurbished and re-leaded
- 2003 – Church restored for 125th anniversary
- 2013 – New parish hall and grotto dedicated
Church Architecture & Stained Glass
The 1903 neo-Romanesque brick church was built to seat 700 and remains the visual landmark of Exeter. It contains 44 Munich-style stained glass windows, six glowing windows in the western apse depicting favorite saints of the early German and Irish parishioners, and a magnificent opalescent figurative window on the façade showing the patron, St. Stephen. The original pine main altar houses a statue of St. Stephen the protomartyr, and side altars honor the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. The ceiling of the sanctuary preserves a painted Ascension mural from the original 1903–1918 installation.
- Neo-Romanesque brick exterior, built to seat 700
- 44 Munich-style stained glass windows (refurbished 1997–98)
- Façade window depicting St. Stephen the patron
- St. Boniface depicted in three apse windows (German heritage)
- Original pine main altar with St. Stephen statue holding martyr's palm and three stones
- Side altars of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph
- Baptismal font with image of St. John the Baptist and Jesus
- Ascension mural on the sanctuary ceiling (1903–1918)
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
Rev. Corey Harrison was appointed pastor of St. Stephen, Exeter and St. Wenceslaus, Milligan, effective June 16, 2025. He also serves as chaplain of the local Knights of Columbus Council 11822. The parish has been served by a long line of priests since 1877, including Monsignor Henry H. Ingenhorst, who held the pastorate for over 32 years.
- Rev. Corey Harrison — current pastor (2025–present)
- Monsignor Henry H. Ingenhorst — over 32 years of service
- Fr. Walter McDonald — pastor 1899–1916, built current church
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish supports faith formation for children through its Parish CCD program and connects families to the Diocese of Lincoln's broader OCIA, adult education, and grade/high school catechetical resources. Children are also supported in attending diocesan youth camps. CCD teachers are honored annually at a parish brunch.
- Parish CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine)
- OCIA and adult education (Diocese of Lincoln)
- Grade school and high school religion curriculum (Diocese of Lincoln)
- Youth camp sponsorships
Altar Society
The St. Stephen Altar Society is the active women's organization of the parish and an affiliate of the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (LDCCW), Crete Deanery. Led by President Judy Weston (2024–2026), the society handles routine cleaning of the parish hall and rectory, deep cleaning of the church at Christmas and Easter, supports funerals, and contributes to numerous charitable causes.
- Routine cleaning of parish hall and rectory
- Christmas and Easter cleaning of the church
- Donations to Matt Talbot, Fillmore County Ministerial Association, Catholic Social Services in Lincoln, and St. Gianna's
- Red Cross Blood Mobile assistance
- Senior Center health checks
- Prayer shawl ministry
- Greeting cards to parishioners and Christmas bags for shut-ins
- LDCCW Diaper Drive for Birthright
- Annual Salad Luncheon fundraiser
- Dessert table for Knights of Columbus Fish Fry and Hamburger Feed
- Funeral dinners, parish brunch honoring 8th and 12th grade graduates and CCD teachers
- Mother's and Father's Day recognition, World Marriage celebration at Mass
- First Communion and Confirmation celebrations
Knights of Columbus Council 11822
The local Knights of Columbus council serves the parishes of St. Stephen (Exeter), St. Wenceslaus (Milligan), and the community of Friend. The council is well known in the area for its annual Tootsie Roll drive supporting people with intellectual disabilities, including recent contributions to the EMF schools' special needs program and a hydroponics unit for an Exeter Milligan Friend High School student. Fr. Corey Harrison serves as chaplain of the council.
- Knights of Columbus Council 11822 (Exeter, Milligan, Friend)
- Annual Tootsie Roll drive for people with intellectual disabilities
- Fish Fry and Hamburger Feed fundraiser
- Support for EMF schools' special needs program
- Chaplain: Rev. Corey Harrison
Sacraments
St. Stephen celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and welcomes parishioners and visitors to participate in the parish's sacramental life. First Communion and Confirmation are celebrated communally each year, often marked by reception following the Altar Society's brunch.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Holy Communion (Eucharist)
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
Devotions & Special Features
The parish has a particularly strong devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague, whose statue now in the church was donated in 1953 by a parish family in thanksgiving for the healing of their young son. The 2013 grotto on the parish grounds complements these Marian and Eucharistic devotions, and the Traditional Latin Mass on the 2nd Sunday of each month draws Catholics from the wider region.
- Special devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague
- Parish grotto dedicated in 2013
- Traditional Latin Mass on the 2nd Sunday of each month
- Marian side altar
Visiting & Contact
St. Stephen Catholic Church is located at 207 N Union Avenue on the northwest corner of Exeter, Nebraska. The parish shares a pastor and ministry with St. Wenceslaus in nearby Milligan; both parishes share a single website (emcatholic.com) and a single parish office reachable at 402-266-5581.
- Address: 207 N Union Ave, Exeter, NE 68351
- Phone: 402-266-5581
- Website: https://www.emcatholic.com/
- Mission parish: St. Wenceslaus, Milligan
- Deanery: Crete (Diocese of Lincoln)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Walter McDonald1899–1916
Irish priest; built the current church (1901, dedicated 1903), school, and rectory; buried in local cemetery under a Crucifixion sculpture.
- Rev. E. Boll
Buried alongside Fr. McDonald in the local cemetery under the Crucifixion sculpture.
- Rev. A.A. Antochowski
Buried alongside Fr. McDonald in the local cemetery under the Crucifixion sculpture.
- Rt. Rev. Msgr. P.J. Healy
Buried alongside Fr. McDonald in the local cemetery under the Crucifixion sculpture.
- Monsignor Henry H. Ingenhorst32+ years
Longest-tenured pastor in recorded parish history.
- Rev. Corey Harrison2025–present
Current pastor; also serves St. Wenceslaus, Milligan; chaplain of Knights of Columbus Council 11822.