Former St. Mary Catholic Church, Rockville, NE

The early Polish Catholic pioneers who settled south of the Middle Loup River near Rockville, Nebraska found it difficult to practice their faith with no church nearby.  On Saturday evenings, Catholic families would board the train at Rockville and ride to Loup City, where they would attend Mass on Sunday morning, and return home in the afternoon.  Occasionally priests from Grand Island would also visit the area to celebrate the sacraments.

This haphazard arrangement could not last, and the early settlers decided to send one of their strongest leaders, Joseph Roszczynialski(!) to plead their cause to the priests in Grand Island.  Their request for a permanent church was forwarded to Bishop Richard Scannell of Omaha, and the bishop granted permission shortly thereafter.  

(Photo source)

Roszczynialski himself served as the architect and chief builder of the new 300-seat St. Mary of the Holy Rosary Church and also designed and built its high altar.  It's likely that Roszczynialski served as the architect for several other Polish Catholic churches in the area as well.  Construction of the 40 x 92 foot Rockville church began in the spring of 1908 and progressed rapidly.  The cornerstone was blessed on May 9, 1909 and by October 20th of the same year, the church was dedicated by Bishop Scanell.

At various times from 1910 to 1918, the parish found itself as a mission of either Grand Island, Loup City, Farwell, or Paplin.  Desperate for a more consistent life of worship, parishioners built a rectory in 1911, but seven more years passed before Rockville received its first resident pastor.  Even with a new rectory, Rockville only managed to secure a resident pastor for eight years, and in 1926 Rockville again became a mission of Farwell.  St. Mary remained a mission of several different area parishes throughout the rest of its history.

Various modifications were made to the church building over the years, including the addition of electricity in the early 1920s, a lowered ceiling and sanctuary renovation in the 1950s, and another sanctuary remodeling in the 1970s.  In 1978, the bell tower was struck by lightning and repaired by simply capping the tower at the roofline.  The former church's bell now resides at the nearby St.Mary Cemetery.

In many ways, the present day situation for Rockville Catholics is not so different than that of their forebears.  In 2006, St. Mary was clustered with five other area parishes, leaving Rockville with Mass only four times per year along with the occasional wedding or funeral.  Parishioners dispersed to various surrounding communities for the regular celebration of the sacraments and religious education.  The parish held it's final Mass on August 24, 2014 and the church building and its remaining contents were sold at auction on October 11, 2014.

In an unfortunate twist of fate, a radical traditionalist group calling themselves the "The Religious Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (CMRI)" purchased the building for $16,000.  This non-Catholic group has no affiliation whatsoever with the Catholic Church and believes that there hasn't been a legitimate pope since 1958.  For more information about this group, this article features the insights of nuns formerly associated with them.




Bibliography

Jim Graves, “The Return to Rome, Five Years Later,” The Catholic World Report, 19 October 2012, accessed 29 January 2014.

Janis Lewandowski, "Rockville church remembered as 'little parish that could,'" West Nebraska Register, 10 October 2014.

Mary Parlin and Colleen Gallion, comps. 100 Years of Faith: The History of the Diocese of Grand Island. Grand Island, NE: West Nebraska Register, 2012.

Lauren Sedam, "Saying final goodbyes to St. Mary’s," The Grand Island Independent, 10 October 2014.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Raymond, MN

In the community of Raymond, Minnesota, there are two church buildings that once served as the places of worship for the now-disbanded Sacred Heart Parish.

A small, wood frame building near downtown served as the first Sacred Heart Church.  It appears to be abandoned.

The wood frame church was later replaced by a much larger structure located in the southwestern part of town.  Judging by its architectural style, I would guess that this church was constructed in the late 1950s or early 1960s.  It likewise appears to be abandoned.

In 1990, Sacred Heart Church was closed and the parish merged with nearby St. Clara Catholic Church in Clara City, Minnesota.  A statue of the Sacred Heart that once graced the grounds of the Raymond church now stands alongside the church in Clara City. 

I have been unable to find any historical information about either of the church buildings in Raymond.  If any readers would like to share some history or photographs, please feel free to contact me.

St. John Lutheran Church (LCMS), Hooper, NE

Lutheran services were first held in rural areas north of Hooper as early as 1868.  By 1871, St. John's had constructed its first church building northeast of the present community of Hooper, Nebraska.  The present church building was constructed in 1911.  In 1955 it was moved into the city limits of Hooper and expanded.  It would be interesting to know exactly how the church building was moved, as the journey would have included crossing the Elkhorn River over a very narrow bridge.  St. John's Cemetery still stands near the original location of the church.

It's with sadness that I learned that St. John's had closed in June of 2012.  The congregation had dwindled to a hand full of people and the decision was made to disband.  By the time I was able to photograph the church interior, the furnishings had been removed and donated to a new LCMS church in Black River Falls, Wisconsin.

The interior of the church is quite plain, though it's probably unfair to make such a judgment in a building devoid of furnishings.  It's likely that renovations in the 1950s and 1970s brought the interior to its present state.

A view from the former chancel area towards the balcony and narthex.  A few scattered mementos of the church's past line the walls of the nave.

A glance into the attic area above the narthex reveals the German heritage of this congregation.  A board, which likely hung above the church's entrance, bears the remnants of its formal German name.

A Wangerin-Weickhardt pipe organ stands guard at the right of the chancel.  The instrument is in playable condition, but does not appear to have been maintained.  More information is available on this instrument from the OHS Database.

The blue-dominated nave windows feature etched glass medallions depicting various Christian symbols.  These windows likely date from the 1970s.

Two windows in the narthex present local agricultural and religious themes.

An article on the closing of St. John Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Hooper is available at the Fremont Tribune.  The church building, lots, and remaining contents (pipe organ, stained glass windows, bell, and fixtures) are scheduled to be auctioned as one lot on December 1, 2012.

I encourage readers to send me your memories of St. John's and any photos you may have to be posted here. 

First United Methodist Church, North Bend, NE

Methodists in North Bend, Nebraska area held their first service on June 6, 1858. From this time until 1860, services were held in homes during the winter and oftentimes in a local cottonwood grove during the summer. In 1872, the first Methodist church building (pictured above) was constructed on the site of the present church. In 1897, the church was substantially remodelled. Work included repairs to the church exterior and bell tower as well as new paint, papering, and wood burning stoves for the interior. New seating was added to the building in 1901.

In 1912, Lincoln architect J.R. Smith was enlisted to design the present church building. ( It is worth noting that J.R. Smith also designed North Bend's Carnegie Library, which was dedicated in 1913.) The church was constructed by Thomas Eastergaard at a cost of $5,910 and was dedicated on February 2, 1913.

Electricity was later added to the church in 1915 and a new parsonage constructed in 1918. In 1949, the church interior was redecorated. An electric organ was installed, new carpet laid, and a new furnace installed. A addition including a fellowship hall and classrooms was constructed in 1957. In 1965, Purple Cane Methodist Church north of North Bend closed and merged with its sister congregation in town.

In 1969, the front entryway of the church was remodeled. The bell tower was removed and main stairs enclosed and reoriented to the south. The entire church was also faced with brick. The renovations totaled $18,500. The church bell, formerly in the now-removed bell tower was placed in front of the church in 1971.

The interior of the church was extensively remodeled in 1979. At that time, the ceiling was lowered, south room partitioned off, new carpeting, insulation, a large oak cross above the altar was added. The church was rededicated on June 8, 1980.

Though the church interior has been radically altered over the years, it retains a sense of warmth, created largely from the brown tones of the stained glass windows.

In the late 1950s, many memorials and generous gifts helped purchase the blond oak pulpit furniture, baptismal font, and brass candle holders and cross.


The stylized 1950s interpretation of the Gothic style is easily found in the sanctuary furnishings.

While simple in design, the stained glass windows contain some of the most vivid and striking colors I've seen. These windows, original to the church, were created by the Midland Art Glass Company of Omaha for a cost of $240.

The real artistic treasure is the large window at the rear of the church.

The number of congregation members began to steadily decrease and by September of 2010, the congregation voted to disband.

On January 2, 2011, the contents of the church were auctioned off. The final service was held the following Sunday, January 9. The church building, along with its windows are now listed for sale.

Prior to the church's closing, the congregation of about 12 people met in a smaller room south of the main body of the church in order to save on utility costs.

The small chapel room as it was decorated for the Advent season, just before the church was closed.

The small chapel room contains a smaller version of the church's large east window. I would imagine that the meaning of this window has changed over time for congregation members. With the church now closed, this window almost seems to symbolize the church structure that they once loved giving way to an uncertain, but beautiful path to the future.

Newspaper Articles related to the closing of the North Bend United Methodist Church:

Methodists observe 150th
Methodists hope lay minister will help prolong church's life
Methodist church celebrating final year
North Bend Church is Closing
Finals days of Methodist church planned
Methodists hold final service in North Bend

Zion Presbyterian Church, Rural Clarkson, NE

Zion Presbyterian Church is a familiar sight to travelers on Highway 15 north of Schuyler. The church building, designed by Czech architect M.D. Flechor was constructed in 1887. This is the first Czech Presbyterian church in the state of Nebraska.

The adjacent cemetery predates the church building and was dedicated in 1875.

Regular church services were held until December 1975 and the property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The absence of a regular congregation has taken a serious toll on the building over the past 35 years. Many of the stained glass windows were stolen several years ago.

Most of the windows that remain in place are in an unfortunate state of disrepair.


Given the historical and cultural importance of this church, I hope that it can be preserved. Unfortunately, it seems that the building has been in a steady state of decline for some time now. I'm unsure of who even owns the building or looks after it. Any reader insights?

Former St. James Catholic Church, Mead, NE - Camp Creek Church, Rural Waverly, NE

The original St. James Catholic Church in Mead was constructed in 1883. When a new church was constructed in Mead in 2002, the former church was moved to rural Waverly, where it is now part of an historical village at the Camp Creek Threshers site. For a detailed history of the parish and this church building, click here.

Very few elements of the original church remain, though historical artifacts are continually being added by the Camp Creek Threshers.

A photograph of the church interior as it appeared in the early 1990s.

Ohiowa United Methodist Church, Ohiowa, NE

This past summer I attended the auctioning of the contents of the United Methodist Church in Ohiowa, Nebraska. I've been to several church and school auctions and they are truly uncomfortable events; it's these places of worship and education that often form the center of a community. An odd mixture of sadness, fond memories, and questioning is easily sensed.

Methodist Circuit Riders began visiting the Ohiowa community as early as 1871. Later, the minister from nearby Chelsea was charged with providing services for the growing Ohiowa congregation. At this time, services were being held in the schoolhouse and various locations around town.

In 1888, Rev. C.S. Kathan was appointed to serve the Ohiowa area and oversaw the building a permanent church that same year. In 1910, excavations were made for a basement. The church was move onto this foundation and an addition was built on the east side for the choir and an alcove on the west for the pulpit.

Various other renovations later took place, including the addition of large folding doors to the east, a gas furnace, a remodeled basement, and new altar furniture.

The church interior was quite simple, but cozy. The pressed tin ceiling and graceful curved pews were the main embellishments of the interior.

The last service in the church was held on June 7, 2009. The church was also officially deconsecrated at this time. Two article on the church and its closing are available here and here.

An ornate, etched transept window indicated that it was donated by local Civil War Veterans, the members of the G.A.R.

"The time has come for this congregation of Christ's holy Church, under God's leadership, to disband and take leave of this building. It has been consecrated for the ministry of God's Holy Word and Sacraments. It has provided refuge and comfort for God's people. It has served well our holy faith. It is fitting, therefore, that we should take our leave of one another and of this consecrated house, lifting up our hearts in thanksgiving for this common store of memories."

-- Declaration of Purpose from the Deconsecration Ceremony