About St. Wenceslaus · Wahoo, Nebraska
St. Wenceslaus is a Roman Catholic parish in Wahoo, Nebraska, in the Diocese of Lincoln, founded by Czech (Moravian) immigrants who settled in Saunders County beginning on August 15, 1874. Now in its third church building — a red-brick neo-Gothic structure dedicated in 1923 — the parish is one of the largest and most historic in the diocese, with roughly 1,454 Catholics served today. The parish runs an elementary school (Pre-K through 6) that opened in 1910 and partners with Bishop Neumann Jr./Sr. High School for grades 7–12, and it maintains a perpetual adoration program that has run continuously since 1960.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. Wenceslaus, Duke of Bohemia and patron saint of the Czech people (the church was named in honor of the patron of the settlers' former homeland, Bohemia)
- Rector
- Rev. Jeffrey Eickhoff
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln (Catholic Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska)
Why belong here
St. Wenceslaus offers daily Mass, a Sunday Latin Mass in the Extraordinary Form, an extensive confession schedule, and a perpetual adoration chapel that has run continuously since 1960 — making daily prayer available to parishioners. Families can hand their children a complete Catholic education at the parish elementary school (since 1910) and onward to Bishop Neumann Jr./Sr. High School. The parish also hosts long-standing Czech heritage organizations such as the St. Ludmilla's Guild and the Parish Council of Catholic Women, giving newcomers ready-made ways to connect with fellow parishioners.
Mass times at St. Wenceslaus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 6:30 AM – 6:50 AM
- Saturday: 7:30 AM – 7:50 AM
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (shifted to 3:00 PM after Nov 11, 2023 per diocesan schedule)
- Monday evenings: 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Wednesday evenings: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
- First Fridays: 4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration — 168 hours per week, year-round (continuous exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, established 1960)
Parish History and Czech Heritage
St. Wenceslaus grew out of a small group of Moravian Czech families who arrived in the Wahoo area on August 15, 1874. Within three years they had built their first church, and by the early 20th century they had outgrown a second. The present red-brick neo-Gothic church was dedicated on September 28, 1923, and continues to serve roughly 1,454 Catholics today. The Czech heritage is still honored through parish organizations such as St. Ludmilla's Guild (founded 1915, named for the grandmother of St. Wenceslaus) and the Parish Council of Catholic Women.
- Founded 1874 by Moravian Czech immigrants
- First church 1878; second 1891; current 1923
- Dedicated Sept. 28, 1923 by Bishop James Duffy of Grand Island
- Centennial Year celebrated in 1978
Architecture of the Church
The present St. Wenceslaus is a red-brick neo-Gothic structure with pointed-arch windows and Gothic doorways, finished off with a tall rib-vaulted ceiling and a wide center aisle. The interior has been reworked several times: a major redecoration in 1940 (which also brought a new organ and a new heating system), a 1973–1974 redecorating that removed the original white Gothic altars, and a 2019–2020 sanctuary restoration that returned the church to its original design and painted new ceiling frescoes.
- Red brick, neo-Gothic, dedicated 1923
- Rib-vaulted interior ceiling, wide center aisle
- Sanctuary restored with ceiling frescoes 2019–2020
Clergy and Parish Leadership
The parish is presently served by Pastor Rev. Jeffrey Eickhoff and additional priests Rev. Dale Allder, Rev. Robert Johnson, and Rev. Steven Mills (in residence), along with Deacon Patrick Burke. The 1983 Saunders County history lists many pastors and assistants who served in the parish's first century, beginning with Rev. Mathias Bor (first resident pastor, 1889).
- Pastor: Rev. Jeffrey Eickhoff
- Rev. Dale Allder
- Rev. Robert Johnson
- Rev. Steven Mills (in residence)
- Deacon Patrick Burke
Wahoo Catholic School (St. Wenceslaus Elementary)
St. Wenceslaus School, a Pre-K through 6th grade parish school, has been a cornerstone of Catholic education in Wahoo since 1910 (some sources date it to September 18, 1911). The Diocese of Lincoln lists 268 students with 29 faculty/staff and 2 priests serving the school. Saunders Catholic Schools reports roughly 303 students Pre-K–6, a 1:19 teacher-to-student ratio, average teacher tenure of 21 years, and 60% of teachers holding advanced degrees.
- Opened 1910 (or Sept. 18, 1911) — over a century of continuous operation
- Pre-K through 6th grade
- Originally staffed by Benedictine, then Notre Dame, then Marian Sisters and lay teachers
- Principal: Mr. Michael Weiss
- Pastor/Administrator: Rev. Jeffrey Eickhoff
Spiritual Life at the School
Daily Mass, monthly Confessions, religion classes K–6, Stations of the Cross, Adoration Club, First Communion and First Confession and Confirmation instruction, Altar Server training, and Feast Day celebrations are part of every student's experience.
- Daily Mass and monthly Confessions for students
- Religion classes K–6
- Adoration Club, Stations of the Cross, Feast Day celebrations
Bishop Neumann Jr./Sr. High School
Students graduating from St. Wenceslaus Elementary continue their Catholic education at Bishop Neumann Jr./Sr. High School (202 S Linden St, opened 1964), also in Wahoo, which currently enrolls 268 students in grades 7–12 and is staffed by 6 priests and 1 religious. The two schools together form a seamless Pre-K–12 Catholic education rooted in the parish.
- Grades 7–12 at 202 S Linden St, Wahoo
- Year opened: 1964
- 268 students, 6 priests serving the school
Parish Organizations and Ministries
St. Wenceslaus has long-standing organizations that reflect both its Czech roots and its devotional life. Among them are St. Ludmilla's Guild (a women's guild with Czech roots, founded 1915), the Rosary Society, St. Theresa's Study Club, and the Parish Council of Catholic Women. The Parish Council itself oversees governance. Two choirs — the Senior Choir (organized 1937) and a Folk Choir — serve the liturgies, and a Perpetual Adoration program, now in its seventh decade, draws committed adorers every hour of the week.
- St. Ludmilla's Guild (founded 1915)
- Rosary Society
- St. Theresa's Study Club
- Parish Council of Catholic Women
- Senior Choir (founded 1937) and Folk Choir
- Perpetual Adoration (since 1960)
- Parish Council — Brett Eddie, President
Liturgy and Music
The 1983 parish history highlights a Senior Choir that has sung at the parish since 1937 and a separate Folk Choir for more contemporary congregational song. The parish also livestreams many of its Masses online.
- Senior Choir (organized 1937)
- Folk Choir
- Mass livestreamed daily
Parish Cemetery
St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery sits about a mile and a half northwest of Wahoo. The one-acre tract was bought from Mr. and Mrs. James Virgil for $1 on February 8, 1886, though the first recorded burial (Antonie Lanik) actually dates to November 16, 1879, before the parish had formally acquired the land.
- Located 1.5 miles northwest of Wahoo
- Land purchased Feb. 8, 1886 from the Virgils for $1
- First recorded burial: Antonie Lanik, Nov. 16, 1879
Practical Information
Parish Office: 214 E. 2nd Street, Wahoo, NE 68066. Phone (402) 443-4235. School (Pre-K–6) at 108 N Linden St, (402) 443-3336. Bishop Neumann Jr./Sr. High at 202 S Linden St, (402) 443-4151. Diocesan deanery: Wahoo Deanery.
- Parish phone: (402) 443-4235
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Church basement line: (402) 443-9913
- Diocesan deanery: Wahoo
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mathias Bor1889–1892 (first tenure)
First resident pastor in Wahoo; also had charge of missions at Weston and Brainard and initially lived at Colon before moving to Wahoo in 1889.
- Rev. Alois Klein1889–1891
Succeeded Bor; oversaw the building of the second (Linden Street) church in 1891.
- Rev. Mathias Bor1892+
Returned to Wahoo in February 1892 as pastor.
- Rev. John McCabe
Pastor at the time of the 1983 Saunders County history.
- Rev. Douglas Fuller
Assistant priest in 1983.