About St. Vitus · Touhy, Nebraska
St. Vitus Catholic Church is a small, Czech-heritage mission parish serving the village of Touhy, Nebraska, in the Diocese of Lincoln (Wahoo Deanery). The parish has been a mission of St. John Nepomucene Church in Weston since 1965 and is currently shepherded by Rev. Matthew Vandewalle. Set on a hill overlooking the village, the neo-Gothic brick-and-wood church has been a local landmark since its dedication on October 7, 1903, and continues to reflect its Czech-Catholic roots through its stained glass, altars, Stations of the Cross in Czech, and a Moravian-style painted ceiling.
- Established
- 1902
- Patron
- St. Vitus
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew Vandewalle
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
St. Vitus offers the intimacy of a small country parish where most people know each other, set inside a richly decorated Czech-heritage church. As a mission of St. John Nepomucene in Weston, it gives families regular Sunday Mass in the heart of the village and a supportive Catholic school community at St. John Nepomucene School. The parish's active Altar Society keeps the community connected through funeral dinners, bake sales, church cleaning, and seasonal charity drives (diaper, food pantry, Advent baby shower).
Mass times at St. Vitus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 20 minutes before Weekend Masses (or by appointment)
- 30 minutes before Sunday Mass
History of St. Vitus Parish
St. Vitus Catholic Church in Touhy, Nebraska, grew out of the Czech Catholic Workmen's society (Katolicky Delnik), St. Ladislaus Branch No. 36, which was organized in 1897. After two refusals, parishioners finally won Bishop Thomas Bonacum's approval to build a church on August 18, 1902. Rev. Mathias Bor directed construction; the cornerstone was laid May 6, 1903; the bell blessed June 23, 1903; and Father Maurice Rippenberger of Lincoln celebrated the first Mass at the dedication on October 7, 1903. For its first decade the church was a mission served from Wahoo, Crete, Saints Cyril & Methodius (Plasi), and Plattsmouth. In 1913 Father Mlejnek was appointed the first resident pastor and a parish house was built east of the church.
- 1897: Katolicky Delnik, St. Ladislaus Branch No. 36 organized
- Feb 24, 1901: First petition at Touhy Schoolhouse
- Aug 18, 1902: Bishop Bonacum approves building
- May 6, 1903: Cornerstone blessed
- Oct 7, 1903: First Mass celebrated by Fr. Rippenberger
- 1913: Parish house built; first resident pastor appointed
20th-Century Milestones
Through the mid-20th century, St. Vitus weathered a pastor's death, a church fire, and changing pastoral assignments. Father Wenceslaus Beranek's 18-year tenure (1938-1956) was the longest, and he initiated the 1946 remodel that reshingled and rewired the church and completely remodeled the sanctuary. In 1965 the parish was made a mission of St. John Nepomucene in Weston, the relationship it retains today. By 1976 there was talk of closing the church; Bishop Glennon Flavin allowed it to remain only on the condition that parishioners repair the structure, support Catholic education, and deepen parish piety — a turning point that preserved St. Vitus for the next generation.
- Dec 8, 1937: Rev. Joseph Bauer dies in office
- 1938-1956: Rev. Wenceslaus Beranek serves 18 years (longest tenure)
- 1946: Major remodel under Fr. Beranek
- May 8, 1961: 39 acres east of the cemetery deeded to St. Vitus
- 1965: St. Vitus becomes a mission of St. John Nepomucene, Weston
- 1976: Bishop Flavin agrees to keep church open with conditions
- 1976-1977: Exterior and interior repairs completed
- June 15, 2003: Centennial Mass with Bishop Bruskewitz
- 2014: Office and restrooms added on the west side
- Oct 1, 2015: 79 registered envelope-holders
Czech Heritage & the Choice of St. Vitus
St. Vitus was chosen as patron of the parish in 1902, and the reason has not been recorded — but it is thought to be because other popular Czech-heritage saints (St. Wenceslaus, St. John Nepomucene, St. Ludmila) were already taken by other Lincoln Diocese parishes. St. Vitus (d. c. 303 AD) was a young Sicilian martyr venerated as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and invoked against epilepsy, rabies, and snakebite; he is also the patron saint of beer brewers, and the world's oldest brewery, Weihenstephan near Freising, Germany, takes him as patron. His feast day, June 15, was the longest day of the year on the old Julian calendar (summer solstice). The parish's Czech roots remain visible in the Stations of the Cross, the high-altar imagery, and the Moravian-style painted ceiling.
- St. Vitus is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
- Patron against epilepsy, rabies, and snakebite
- Patron saint of beer brewers (Weihenstephan Brewery)
- Feast day: June 15 (Julian summer solstice)
- Czech-language Stations of the Cross inside the church
The Church Building & Interior Art
Designed by Jacob Ort of Wahoo and built by James O'Donnell Construction Company, the 36-by-80-foot wooden frame with brick veneer is a neo-Gothic structure that has sat on the hill above Touhy as a local landmark since 1903. Its richly layered interior features brightly colored stained glass with curved stylings and floral designs, dedication plaques of Czech names at the base of each window, and a multi-spired high back-altar with a central tabernacle flanked by statues of the patron St. Vitus (depicted as a boy holding the palm leaf of martyrdom) and Saints Cyril and Methodius, the 9th-century Greek brothers who brought the Slavonic liturgy to Moravia.
Notable Artwork & Devotions
On the base of the high altar are unique enamel paintings of the Last Supper and of St. Wenceslaus (with a crown) celebrating the Eucharist — the latter a likely allusion to the turmoil of the Hussite Wars that followed Wenceslaus's death in 1419. Side altars are dedicated to the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, and alongside the Blessed Mother stands a traditional Daprato statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague in a gold and white cloak. Dark-hued enamel Stations of the Cross line the nave walls, each scene framed by spires and a cross with the caption below in Czech. Overhead is a white Moravian-style painted ceiling with repeating floral patterns highlighted by yellow flowers.
- Stained glass with Czech dedication plaques
- Multi-spired high back-altar with central tabernacle
- Enamel paintings of the Last Supper and St. Wenceslaus
- Side altars of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph
- Daprato statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague
- Stations of the Cross in Czech
- Moravian-style painted ceiling
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Vitus is currently served by Rev. Matthew Vandewalle as pastor, who also serves St. John Nepomucene, Weston. Nanette Sabatka serves as Church Secretary. The parish falls within the Diocese of Lincoln's Wahoo Deanery, and the mailing address is administered through the Weston parish office.
- Pastor: Rev. Matthew Vandewalle
- Church Secretary: Nanette Sabatka
- Diocese: Lincoln (Wahoo Deanery)
- Mailing: PO Box 10, Weston, NE 68070-0010
Altar Society & Parish Life
St. Vitus's Altar Society is the heart of parish life for this small mission church. Members prepare and serve funeral dinners, run an annual bake sale, and clean the church. The Society also organizes seasonal charity drives: a diaper drive, a food pantry drive, and an Advent baby shower, anchoring the parish's outreach to the wider Saunders County community.
- Funeral dinners
- Annual bake sale
- Church cleaning
- Diaper drive
- Food pantry drive
- Advent baby shower
Catholic School Connection
Children of St. Vitus parishioners attend St. John Nepomucene School in Weston, the parish school of the mother church that shares pastoral care with the mission. One of the three conditions Bishop Flavin set in 1976 for keeping St. Vitus open was a renewed effort to support Catholic education — a commitment that continues through the school today.
- St. John Nepomucene School, Weston
- Supports Catholic education as part of 1976 agreement to keep St. Vitus open
Contact & Visiting
The church is located on North Main Street in the village of Touhy, Nebraska (ZIP 68065), in Saunders County. The mailing address is administered through the Weston parish office at PO Box 10, Weston, NE 68070-0010. The parish phone is 402-642-5245, and the shared website is stjohnschurchweston.com, which also carries the current bulletin and calendar for both churches.
- Address: North Main Street, Touhy, NE 68065
- Mailing: PO Box 10, Weston, NE 68070-0010
- Phone: 402-642-5245
- Website: stjohnschurchweston.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mathias Bor1902-1905
From Wahoo; first director of construction
- Rev. Anthony Bednar1905
From Crete
- Rev. John Vlcek1905-1906
From Saints Cyril and Methodius, Plasi
- Rev. Jaroslav (Valerian) Hancik1906
From Plattsmouth
- Rev. John Vlcek1907-1910
From Plasi
- Rev. Victor P. Mlejnek1910-1914
From Plasi
- Rev. Alois Gryc1914-1915
From Plasi
- Rev. Victor Mlejnek1915-1919
First resident pastor
- Rev. Francis Kopecky1920-1925
- Rev. Michael PazourekSept-Oct 1925
- Rev. Martin Bogar1925-1929
- Rev. Joseph Blacha1929-1930
From Plasi
- Rev. Adam HanumFeb-Aug 1930
- Rev. Paul DonovanDec 1929 - Jan 1930
- Rev. A. Smith1930
- Rev. Joseph Bauer1931-1937
Died in office (stroke, Dec 8, 1937)
- Rev. John Pastorak1937-1938
- Rev. Wenceslaus Beranek1938-1956
Longest tenure; began 1946 remodel
- Rev. Wenceslaus Sladky1956-1960
- Rev. Kasimir J. Bobrowski1960-1965
- Rev. Otto H. Ekhaml1965-1974
From Weston; served when St. Vitus became a mission in 1965
- Rev. Paul York1974-1982
From Weston
- Rev. Peter Gadient1982-1983
From Weston
- Rev. Thomas Au1983-1985
From Weston
- Rev. James C. Schrader1985-1986
From Weston
- Rev. John Cooper1986-1996
From Weston
- Rev. Randall Langhorst1996-
From Weston; concelebrated the 2003 Centennial Mass with Bishop Bruskewitz
- Rev. Matthew Vandewallecurrent
Current pastor