Parish Pastor

Rev. Jerel Scholl

frscholl@inebraska.com

Street Address:
213 East 8th Street
Mead, NE 68041

Church Phone:
(402) 624-3555

Mailing Address:
213 East 8th Street
Mead, NE 68041

Mass Times

Saturday:  5:30 p.m.

Sunday:  9:00 a.m.

Confessions will be held

before each weekend mass.

History of the Church

     In 1867 the first Catholic families settled in the area that would later become Mead migrated from Springfield, Illinois.  These were the families of John Holden, Quentin McCarthy, Fenton Phelan, and William Phelan. There arrival came 9 years before the establishment of the Union Pacific Railroad station. This railroad was completed through Mead in 1876, and the first house in Mead was built in 1877.

     It was difficult for these families to attend church, because the nearest churches were located in Fremont and Elkhorn.  This was difficult because to reach other place it was necessary to cross the Platte River, this was difficult since there were no bridges. For that reason, Father John Lonergan from Fremont traveled to the Mead and celebrated Holy Mass in the homes of the people, and when the school building was completed he used it for services.

     In 1880, the twenty-five families who established homes in Mead united their efforts in establishing a church 70x45 feet at around $2000. The priests from Saint Patrick Church in Fremont continued to minister to the parish for eight years, until in 1888 Father Charles M. Browne was named pastor of Mead, Malloy Settlement and Sand Creek. But unfortunately Father Browne could not adjust to this new environment and therefore left the diocese on January 3, 1889.

     From 1889-1936 St. James was a mission of Colon with many different priest running the parish over those years. Then in 1936 the parish became a mission of Wahoo until 1949 with six different priest. And then again in 1949 the Mead parish became a mission of Colon until 1967. On April 18, 1967, Father Charles J. Keenan was appointed by Bishop Casey as the first resident pastor of Saint James Parish. 

      In 1949 the Altar Society was organized. Since then the members have not only cared for the altar linens and cleaned the church but they have contributed generously to improvements made in the church. In 1952; a new tabernacle and two sets of vestments were purchased, also at this time the statues were repainted and the altar was repaired. About a year later art-glass windows were installed, and a new organ was purchased. At around 1955; extensive improvements were made including excavation for a basement under the church to be used as a parish hall, remodeling and enlarging the front entrance of the church, sacristy and sanctuary, and the installation of a new furnace. That all together cost around $5500, and to save money the men of the parish with the pastor, Father Robert Trausch did most of the work.

     In 1982 the parish reached its climax on Pentecost Sunday, May 30,  when Bishop Glennon P. Flavin celebrated a Holy Mass on the church grounds. Saint James Centennial choir and Pat Morrissey's folk group furnished the music. Bev Janecek was the organist and Mary Jamieson of Yutan was the cantor and soloist. The homily was delivered by Monsignor Charles Keenan, the first resident pastor of Mead.

     Sister Bernice Morrissey is a former member of Saint James Parish. Also Seth Sabata as a parishioner who has chosen to follow Christ in the religious life.  Seth Sabata has entered the Legionairies of Christ.

• Previous Pastors- Father Charles J. Keenan(1967-1969), Father Philip Rauth(1969-1980), Charles Rada(1980-1985), Michael Christensen(1985-1995), Charles Townsend(1995-2007)

History of St. James

     St. James was one of the disciples of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome., and brother of John the Apostle. He is called St. James the Greater to distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus, who is also known as James the Less. James is described as one of the first disciples to have joined Jesus. The Synoptic Gospels state that James and John were with their father by the seashore when Jesus called them to follow him. According to the Gospel of Mark, James and John were called Boanerges, or the "Sons of Thunder". James was one of only three apostles whom Jesus selected to bear witness to his Transfiguration. Acts of the Apostles records that Agrippa I had James executed by sword, making him the first of the apostles to be martyred.