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Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha

The Archdiocese of Omaha (Latin: Archidioecesis Omahensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in northeastern Nebraska in the United States. Its current archbishop, George Joseph Lucas, was installed in Omaha on July 22, 2009.

Archdiocese of Omaha

Archidioecesis Omahensis
St. Cecilia Cathedral
Coat of Arms of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Location
CountryUnited States
Territory23 counties in eastern Nebraska
Ecclesiastical provinceOmaha
Statistics
Area14,051 sq mi (36,390 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2021)
1,017,223
235,975 (23.2%)
Parishes123
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedJanuary 6, 1857 (167 years ago)
CathedralSt. Cecilia Cathedral
Patron saintSaint Cecilia
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
ArchbishopGeorge Joseph Lucas
Bishops emeritusElden Francis Curtiss
Map
Website
archomaha.org
Archbishop of Omaha
Archbishopric
catholic
Incumbent:
George Joseph Lucas
Location
Ecclesiastical provinceArchdiocese of Omaha
Information
First holderJames Myles O'Gorman
Established1859
DioceseDiocese of Omaha
CathedralSt. Cecilia Cathedral
Website
archomaha.org

As of 2017, Archdiocese of Omaha served over 230,000 Catholics in approximately 120 parishes and missions.[1] Its mother church is St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha.

Territory edit

The Archdiocese of Omaha includes 23 counties in northeast Nebraska:

Boyd, Holt, Merrick, Nance, Boone, Antelope, Knox, Pierce, Madison, Platte, Colfax, Stanton, Wayne, Cedar, Dixon, Dakota, Thurston, Cuming, Dodge, Burt, Washington, Douglas, and Sarpy.[2]

History edit

1850 to 1888 edit

In the mid-19th century, the Omaha area was part of the Nebraska Territory, a vast jurisdiction that covered five states in the Northern Plains and the Rocky Mountains. For the Catholic church, the Nebraska Territory fell under the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory (East of the Rocky Mountains).[3]

In 1857, Pope Pius IX established a smaller jurisdiction, the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska. He named James Myles O'Gorman as the apostolic vicar in 1859.[4][5] When O'Gorman arrived in Omaha, he had three priests to assist him; he ordained another priest later that year.[5]

The construction of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1867 brought more Catholic immigrants into Nebraska. Many Irish immigrants working on the railroad in Nebraska were suffering injuries and illnesses. This prompted O'Gorman to plan a Catholic hospital in Omaha. Having a location for the hospital, he tasked the Sisters of Mercy to raise funds for it. The new hospital opened in 1870. O'Gorman also worked with the Sisters of Mercy to open Mt. St. Mary’s Academy, the first Catholic girls school in Omaha. By the time O'Gorman died in 1874, the vicariate had 19 priests serving 12,000 Catholics in 20 parishes and 56 missions.[5]

The second apostolic vicar of Nebraska was James O'Connor, appointed by Pius IX.[3] In 1883, Pope Leo XIII erected the Apostolic Vicariate of Montana, taking sections of Montana from the Vicariate of Nebraska.[3]

1888 to 1900 edit

Leo XIII suppressed the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska in 1888 and replaced it with the Diocese of Omaha, covering all of Nebraska and Wyoming.[6] O'Connor became the first bishop of Omaha. During his tenure as bishop, O'Connor introduced the Franciscan Fathers, the Poor Clares, the Religious of the Sacred Heart, the Benedictines, and the Sisters of Providence to the diocese. In 1879, he founded Creighton School, later to become Creighton College, in Omaha.[7]

In 1887, Leo XIII erected the Dioceses of Cheyenne and Lincoln, taking their territory from the Diocese of Omaha. At this point, the diocese only included eastern Nebraska.[3] With the assistance of Katharine Drexel, O'Connor founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Native Americans and African Americans in 1889.[8] O'Connor died in 1890.

The next bishop of Omaha was Bishop Richard Scannell from the Diocese of Concordia in Kansas, named by Leo XIII in 1891.[3] Under his governance, the cornerstone of St. Cecilia Cathedral was laid in 1907.[9] He also oversaw the diocese's expansion to 95 parishes, serving more than 80,000 Catholics.[9] Parochial schools and diocesan priests more than doubled in number, and increases were also made among religious.[10]

Scannell erected the Creighton Memorial St. Joseph's Hospital in Omaha in 1892 and a home of the Good Shepherd.[11][12] He also introduced the following religious orders to the diocese:

In 1912, Pope Pius X erected the Diocese of Kearney, taking its territory from the Diocese of Omaha.[3]

1900 to 1945 edit

In 1912, Pope Pius X erected the Diocese of Kearney, taking its territory from the Diocese of Omaha.[3] Four years later, Pope Benedict XV added several more counties from Omaha to Kearney. Scannell died in 1916.

Archbishop Jeremiah James Harty from the Archdiocese of Manilla in the Philippines was named bishop of Omaha by Benedict XV in 1916.[1] Though appointed a bishop, Harty retained the personal title of archbishop. In 1917, Harty expressed skepticism of Edward J. Flanagan and his establishment of Boys Town, a home for troubled boys in Nebraska. However, Harty later endorsed the goals of Boys Town.[13] The Sisters of Mercy opened the College of Saint Mary in Omaha in 1923.[14] Harty died in 1927.

To replace Harty, Pope Pius XI appointed Joseph Rummel from the Archdiocese of New York in 1928.[15] Rummel became archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1935, Pius XI appointed James Hugh Ryan, rector of Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and titular bishop of Modra, as the next bishop of Omaha in 1933.[16][17]

1945 to 1993 edit

Pope Pius XII elevated the Diocese of Omaha to the Archdiocese of Omaha on August 4, 1945.[3][18] The pope named Ryan as the first archbishop of Omaha. Ryan died in 1947.[19][20]

The second archbishop of Omaha was Bishop Gerald Thomas Bergan of the Diocese of Des Moines, appointed by Pius XII in 1948.[21] During his administration, more than $80 million was spent for new Catholic schools, churches, and hospitals in the archdiocese.[22] This caused him to become known as the "building bishop".[23] After Bergan retired in 1969, Pope Paul VI selected Auxiliary Bishop Daniel E. Sheehan of Omaha as the next archbishop.[24]

Sheehan's campaign for educational excellence raised more than $26 million to improve Catholic education in the Omaha Metropolitan Area.[24] In response to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, Sheehan established the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council (APC) in the early 1970s.[24] He gathered representatives from the ranks of the clergy, religious communities and laity to form pastoral council that would share in the local church's decision-making process. Due to APC action, emphasis was placed on improving family life, youth and young adult ministry, evangelization, social and rural life issues and Hispanic ministry. Sheehan led capital campaigns to raise millions of dollars for archdiocesan improvements, including a $4.5 million refurbishment of the St. James Center.[24] His final campaign had a goal of $25 million to pay for the building of Skutt Catholic High School in Omaha and other capital needs in the archdiocese.[25] Sheehan retired in 1993.

1993 to present edit

Pope John Paul II in 1993 appointed Bishop Elden Francis Curtiss of the Diocese of Helena as the next archbishop of Omaha. Curtiss retired in 2009. That same year, Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop George Joseph Lucas of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois as the fifth archbishop of Omaha.[3]

In October 2010, Lucas suppressed Intercessors of the Lamb, a hermit religious community, removing it from any association with the Catholic Church. Intercessors was founded in 1980 near Omaha by Nadine Mae Brown, a member of the Sisters of the Cross. In early 2010, Brown had requested that Lucas elevate Intercessors to the status of a religious institute. As part of the approval process, Lucas sent James Conn, a canon lawyer, on a canonical visitation to the community. In his report to Lucas, Conn noted many serious discrepancies and issues in the Intercessors' current operation. Lucas denied the application to become a religious institute was denied and sent the community a list of mandatory reforms to continue as a Catholic organization. Brown resigned from the community and the Intercessors leadership refused to enact the reforms. Lucas then stripped the Intercessors from the church. The community dissolved soon thereafter.[26][27]

As of 2023, Lucas is the archbishop of Omaha.

Sexual abuse scandal edit

During the 1980s and 1990s, John Fiala amassed accusations of inappropriate behavior toward boys in the Archdiocese of Omaha. However, when Fiala tried to transfer to the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 1995, officials in Omaha gave him a clean bill of health. The archdiocese in 2010 settled a lawsuit brought against it by a Texas boy who had been sexually abused there in 2008 by Fiala. After the alleged assault, the boy had told his story to a school counselor; Fiala was then removed from ministry. When the boy filed his lawsuit in 2010, Fiala tried to hire a hitman in Texas to murder him. Fiala revealed his plans to an undercover policeman posing as a hitman. Fiala was convicted in Texas of attempted murder in 2010 and sentenced to 40 years in prison.[28] In 2014, he was convicted of sexually abusing the boy and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.[29]

In 1997, a housekeeper found pictures and a video of nude boys in the possessions of Daniel Herek at his rectory in Omaha. She notified the archdiocese. Herek was convicted in 1998 of sexually assaulting and videotaping a 14-year-old boy and was sentenced to 20 months to five years in prison. He was laicized by the Vatican.[30][31] In 2002, a jury awarded $800,000 from the archdiocese to a boy who had been abused by Herek.[32] During the lawsuit, Bishop Sheehan denied that he transferred Herek to different parishes due to complaints about sexual abuse.

In 2002, Archbishop Curtiss removed Thomas Sellentin, an archdiocesan priest, from public ministry after Sellentin admitted sexually abusing boys over a 30-year period. Curtiss had received numerous complaints from parents and parishes over the previous years.[33] In 2003, three brothers, Richard, Thomas and Steven Schommer, sued the archdiocese, stating they had all been abused by Sellentin.[34] Sellentin was laicized by the Vatican in 2019.[35]

At the end of the 2010s, Lucas signed norms stronger than the 2002 Essential Norms (so called Zero Tolerance norms related to sexual abuse of parishioners). In October 2018, Lucas removed Francis Nigli, pastor of St. Wenceslas Parish in Omaha, from public ministry. A 21-year-old man had accused Nigli of kissing and groping him on church grounds. In 2013, Nigli had been sent away for mental health treatment after making advances to an 18-year-old man.[36] Nigli was permanently banned from ministry by the Vatican in 2021.

In November 2018, the archdiocese released the names of 38 priests and other clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct, an action requested by the state's top prosecutor.[30] Though the earliest incident of abuse on record was alleged to have happened in 1956, the archdiocese acknowledged that it did not record reports of sexual abuse until 1978.[30] In a written statement, Bishop Lucas wrote,

"We acknowledge this report with sorrow, and know that it will cause a great deal of pain.” He continued, "We’re deeply saddened so many innocent minors and young adults were harmed by the church’s ministers. To victims and their families, I am sorry for the pain, betrayal and suffering you have experienced in the church.”[30]

In 2020, Lucas and the archdiocese were sued for $2.1 million by Andrew Syring, an archdiocesan priest. He stated that he had suffered defamation of character by being removed from public ministry and placed on a list of priests accused of sexual abuse. Syring said he was accused of sexual abuse in 2013, but was cleared by an archdiocesan investigation and returned to ministry. In 2018, Lucas removed Syring again from ministry, saying that his record was clean, but that the standards had changed.[37]

Bishops edit

Apostolic Vicars of Nebraska edit

  1. James Myles O'Gorman (1859–1874)
  2. James O'Connor (1876–1890)

Bishops of Omaha edit

  1. James O'Connor (1876–1890)
  2. Richard Scannell (1891–1916)
  3. Jeremiah James Harty (1916–1927), Archbishop (personal title)
  4. Joseph Francis Rummel (1928–1935), appointed Archbishop of New Orleans
  5. James Hugh Ryan (1935–1947) became Archbishop of Omaha in 1945

Archbishops of Omaha edit

  1. James Hugh Ryan (1935–1947)
  2. Gerald Thomas Bergan (1947–1969)
  3. Daniel E. Sheehan (1969–1993)
  4. Elden Francis Curtiss (1993–2009)
  5. George Joseph Lucas (since 2009)

Auxiliary bishops edit

Other diocesan priests who became bishops edit

  1. Blase Joseph Cupich, appointed Bishop of Rapid City in 1998; future Cardinal
  2. William Joseph Dendinger, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 2004
  3. Joseph Gerard Hanefeldt, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 2015
  4. Edward Joseph Hunkeler, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 1945
  5. Patrick Aloysius Alphonsus McGovern, appointed Bishop of Cheyenne in 1912
  6. John Linus Paschang, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 1951

Parishes edit

Omaha parishes of the Archdiocese of Omaha[38]
Parish and date established Address Notes
Assumption (1894) 5434 S 22nd St. Czech heritage
Blessed Sacrament (1919) 3020 Curtis Ave.
Christ the King (1953) 654 S 86th St.
Holy Cross (1922) 4803 William St.
Holy Family (1876) 1715 Izard St.
Holy Ghost (1918) 5219 S 53rd St.
Holy Name (1917) 2901 Fontenelle Blvd.
Immaculate Conception (1897) 2708 S 24th St. Polish heritage, celebrates Tridentine masses
Mary Our Queen (1963) 3535 S 119th St.
Mother of Perpetual Help (1975) 5215 Seward St. Church of the deaf
Our Lady of Fatima 709 S 28th St.
Our Lady of Guadalupe (1919) 2310 O St. Spanish heritage
Our Lady of Lourdes (1917) 2110 S 32nd Ave.
Sacred Heart (1890) 2218 Binney St.
Sacred Heart (1881) 200 S 5th St, Norfolk, NE Norfolk, Spanish and English heritages
St. Adalbert (1916) 2617 S 31st St. Czech and Korean heritages
St. Agnes (1889) 2215 Q St. Irish and Spanish heritages
St. Anthony (1907) 5401 S 33rd St. Lithuanian heritage
St. Benedict of Moor (1919) 2423 Grant St. African American heritage
St. Bernard (1905) 3601 N 65th St.
St. Bernadette 7600 So. 42 Street Bellevue
St. Bridget (1887) 4112 S 26th St. Irish heritage
St. Cecilia (1888) 715 N 40th St.
St. Charles Borromeo (2005) 7790 South 192nd St. Gretna
St. Columbkille (1878) 200 East 6th Street Papillion
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1981) 5419 N 114th St.
St. Frances Cabrini (1868) 1334 S 9th St.
St. Francis Assisi 4521 S 32nd St. Polish and Spanish heritages
St. Gerald (1962) 9602 Q St Lakeview Chapel - 7859 Lakeview St, Ralston
St. James (1963) 9025 Larimore Ave.
St. Joan of Arc (1955) 3122 S 74th St.
St. John (1897) 2500 California St. Creighton University – Omaha
St. John Paul II Newman Center 1221 S. 71st St. University of Nebraska – Omaha
St. John Vianney (1974) 5801 Oak Hills Dr.
St. Joseph (1887) 1723 S 17th St.
St. Leo the Great (1978) 1920 N 102nd St.
St. Margaret Mary (1919) 6116 Dodge St.
St. Mary (1902) 3529 Q St.
St. Mary 2302 Crawford Street Bellevue
St. Mary Magdalene (1868) 109 S 19th St.
St. Matthew 12210 So. 36 Street Bellevue
St. Bernadette 7600 So. 42 St. Bellevue
St. Patrick (1868) 204th & Maple St. Elkhorn
St. Patrick (1883) 1404 Castelar St.
St. Peter 709 S 28th St.
St. Philip Neri (1904) 8200 N 30th St.
St. Pius X (1954) 6905 Blondo St.
St. Richard (1963) 4320 Fort St.
St. Robert Bellarmine (1966) 11802 Pacific St.
St. Rose of Lima (1919) 4102 S 13th St.
St. Stanislaus (1919) 4002 J St. Polish heritage
St. Stephen the Martyr (1989) 16701 S St.
St. Therese of the Child Jesus (1918) 2423 Grant St.
St. Thomas More (1958) 4804 Grover St.
St. Vincent de Paul (1991) 14330 Eagle Run Dr.
St. Wenceslaus (1877) 15353 Pacific St. Czech heritage
Sts. Peter and Paul (1917) 5912 S 36th St. Lithuanian, Croatian, Slovenian, and Hungarian heritages [39]

Omaha Catholic schools edit

Summary edit

The Omaha Catholic Schools is a school district in the Archdiocese of Omaha. Over 20,000 students attend Omaha Catholic Schools each year. All schools are accredited or approved by the state of Nebraska. The school district is composed of:

  • 54 elementary schools
  • One private 4th-8th grade school
  • Four corporation high schools
  • Three K-12th grade schools
  • One special needs K-12th grade school
  • Ten private high schools

High schools edit

Catholic secondary schools in the Omaha area
School name Type City Address Date of founding
All Saints Catholic School K-8 Omaha 1335 S. 10th St.
Archbishop Bergan High School 6-12 Fremont 1950
Cedar Catholic High School Rural Hartington
Central Catholic High School Rural West Point
Creighton Preparatory School All boys Omaha 7400 Western Ave. 1878
Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School Private Bellevue 1968
Duchesne Academy All girls Omaha 3601 Burt St. 1881
Holy Family High School K-12 Lindsay
Marian High School All girls Omaha 7400 Military Ave. 1955
Mercy High School All girls Omaha
Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey and High School All boys Omaha 1953
Norfolk Catholic High School Rural Norfolk 1926
Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School Rural Elgin 1967
Roncalli Catholic High School Private Omaha 6401 Sorensen Parkway 1974
St. Francis High School K-12 Humphrey
St. Mary's High School K-12 O'Neill 1900
St. Peter Claver Cristo Rey Catholic High School Corporation Omaha 2007
Scotus Central Catholic High School Rural Columbus 1889
V. J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School Private Omaha 3131 S. 156th Street 1993

Suffragan sees edit

 
Ecclesiastical Province of Omaha

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Infographic". Archdiocese of Omaha. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  2. ^ "About the Archdiocese of Omaha". Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Omaha (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  4. ^ . Archdiocese of Omaha. Archived from the original on 2014-02-20. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
  5. ^ a b c . Archdiocese of Omaha. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
  6. ^ "Archdiocese of Omaha". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2013-06-04.[self-published source]
  7. ^ "Mission & History - Creighton Prep". www.creightonprep.org. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
  8. ^   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Mercedes, Sister. "Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 13 August 2019
  9. ^ a b "Bishop Richard Scannell". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha.
  10. ^ a b "Omaha". Catholic Encyclopedia.
  11. ^ Western Medical Review, Volume 7. Western Medical Review Co. 15 September 1902. p. 265. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  12. ^ "History of St. Catherine's Hospital". McCook Gazette. 2022-12-16. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  13. ^ Kuester, Michelle (2014-12-01). "Omaha's Boys Town has an illustrious history". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  14. ^ "Our History". College of Saint Mary. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  15. ^ "The Archdiocese of Omaha". Archdiocese of Omaha. Retrieved 2018-08-06.
  16. ^ . TIME Magazine. 1933-11-06. Archived from the original on November 22, 2010.
  17. ^ "Archbishop James Hugh Ryan [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  18. ^ "Metropolitan Archdiocese of Omaha". GCatholic.org. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
  19. ^ "Msgr. Ryan Named Omaha Archbishop". The New York Times. August 10, 1945. p. 32.
  20. ^ "Archbishop James Hugh Ryan [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  21. ^ "Archbishop Gerald Thomas Bergan [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  22. ^ "Gerald T. Bergan, an Archbishop; Former Leader of Omaha Archdiocese Dies at 80". The New York Times. July 2, 1972.
  23. ^ . Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011.
  24. ^ a b c d . Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25.
  25. ^ Omaha World-Herald Newspaper 1987- 1993
  26. ^ "Omaha archbishop shuts down Intercessors of the Lamb". Catholic News Agency. October 15, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  27. ^ Fournier, Keith (October 20, 2010). "Update: Former Intercessors of the Lamb: Vast Majority Support Bishop's Action". Catholic Online. Omaha, NE.
  28. ^ Goldstein, Scott (May 14, 2012). "Update: Ex-priest Convicted of Trying to Hire Hit Man to Kill Abuse Accuser". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  29. ^ Ayala, Elaine (August 23, 2018). "Archdiocese opens up about damning clergy sexual abuse report, link to San Antonio priest". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  30. ^ a b c d "Omaha archdiocese: 38 clergy accused of sex abuse since '78". AP NEWS. Nov 30, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  31. ^ O'HANLON, KEVIN (2001-07-13). "Ex-Coleridge Priest To Leave Prison". Yankton Press & Dakotan. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  32. ^ Morton, Joseph (June 15, 2002). "Jury Awards $800,000 for Abuse The Omaha Archdiocese Owes an Ex-Altar Boy $750,000 and His Mother $50,000". Omaha World Herald. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  33. ^ Buttry, Stephen (April 8, 2002). "Sex Abuse Costs Priest his Posts Archbishop Curtiss Removes the Rev. Thomas Sellentin from two Nebraska Parishes After he Admits Abusing Boys". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  34. ^ Brentwood, Ann (2003-03-06). "3 brothers sue Omaha archdiocese over claims against priest". Poynter. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  35. ^ Schwencke, Ken; Simani, Ellis (2020-01-28). "Thomas Sellentin, Archdiocese of Omaha - Credibly Accused". ProPublica. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  36. ^ "Archdiocese removes priest from St. Wenceslaus". KMTV 3 News Now. October 25, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  37. ^ "Omaha Priest Files $2.1 Million Defamation Suit Against Archdiocese". Catholic Telegraph. September 9, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  38. ^ Official Catholic Directory Anno Domini 2006. National Register Publishing, 2006
  39. ^ "Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church - St Marys Catholic Church - Omaha, Nebraska". Sts. Peter and Paul Church. Retrieved Apr 5, 2021.

External links edit

  • Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha official site

roman, catholic, archdiocese, omaha, archdiocese, omaha, latin, archidioecesis, omahensis, latin, church, ecclesiastical, territory, diocese, catholic, church, northeastern, nebraska, united, states, current, archbishop, george, joseph, lucas, installed, omaha. The Archdiocese of Omaha Latin Archidioecesis Omahensis is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in northeastern Nebraska in the United States Its current archbishop George Joseph Lucas was installed in Omaha on July 22 2009 Archdiocese of OmahaArchidioecesis OmahensisSt Cecilia CathedralCoat of Arms of the Archdiocese of OmahaLocationCountryUnited StatesTerritory23 counties in eastern NebraskaEcclesiastical provinceOmahaStatisticsArea14 051 sq mi 36 390 km2 Population Total Catholics as of 2021 1 017 223235 975 23 2 Parishes123InformationDenominationCatholic ChurchSui iuris churchLatin ChurchRiteRoman RiteEstablishedJanuary 6 1857 167 years ago CathedralSt Cecilia CathedralPatron saintSaint CeciliaCurrent leadershipPopeFrancisArchbishopGeorge Joseph LucasBishops emeritusElden Francis CurtissMapWebsitearchomaha orgArchbishop of OmahaArchbishopriccatholicIncumbent George Joseph LucasLocationEcclesiastical provinceArchdiocese of OmahaInformationFirst holderJames Myles O GormanEstablished1859DioceseDiocese of OmahaCathedralSt Cecilia CathedralWebsitearchomaha orgAs of 2017 Archdiocese of Omaha served over 230 000 Catholics in approximately 120 parishes and missions 1 Its mother church is St Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha Contents 1 Territory 2 History 2 1 1850 to 1888 2 2 1888 to 1900 2 3 1900 to 1945 2 4 1945 to 1993 2 5 1993 to present 2 6 Sexual abuse scandal 3 Bishops 3 1 Apostolic Vicars of Nebraska 3 2 Bishops of Omaha 3 3 Archbishops of Omaha 3 4 Auxiliary bishops 3 5 Other diocesan priests who became bishops 4 Parishes 5 Omaha Catholic schools 5 1 Summary 5 2 High schools 6 Suffragan sees 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksTerritory editThe Archdiocese of Omaha includes 23 counties in northeast Nebraska Boyd Holt Merrick Nance Boone Antelope Knox Pierce Madison Platte Colfax Stanton Wayne Cedar Dixon Dakota Thurston Cuming Dodge Burt Washington Douglas and Sarpy 2 History edit1850 to 1888 edit In the mid 19th century the Omaha area was part of the Nebraska Territory a vast jurisdiction that covered five states in the Northern Plains and the Rocky Mountains For the Catholic church the Nebraska Territory fell under the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains 3 In 1857 Pope Pius IX established a smaller jurisdiction the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska He named James Myles O Gorman as the apostolic vicar in 1859 4 5 When O Gorman arrived in Omaha he had three priests to assist him he ordained another priest later that year 5 The construction of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1867 brought more Catholic immigrants into Nebraska Many Irish immigrants working on the railroad in Nebraska were suffering injuries and illnesses This prompted O Gorman to plan a Catholic hospital in Omaha Having a location for the hospital he tasked the Sisters of Mercy to raise funds for it The new hospital opened in 1870 O Gorman also worked with the Sisters of Mercy to open Mt St Mary s Academy the first Catholic girls school in Omaha By the time O Gorman died in 1874 the vicariate had 19 priests serving 12 000 Catholics in 20 parishes and 56 missions 5 The second apostolic vicar of Nebraska was James O Connor appointed by Pius IX 3 In 1883 Pope Leo XIII erected the Apostolic Vicariate of Montana taking sections of Montana from the Vicariate of Nebraska 3 1888 to 1900 edit Leo XIII suppressed the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska in 1888 and replaced it with the Diocese of Omaha covering all of Nebraska and Wyoming 6 O Connor became the first bishop of Omaha During his tenure as bishop O Connor introduced the Franciscan Fathers the Poor Clares the Religious of the Sacred Heart the Benedictines and the Sisters of Providence to the diocese In 1879 he founded Creighton School later to become Creighton College in Omaha 7 In 1887 Leo XIII erected the Dioceses of Cheyenne and Lincoln taking their territory from the Diocese of Omaha At this point the diocese only included eastern Nebraska 3 With the assistance of Katharine Drexel O Connor founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Native Americans and African Americans in 1889 8 O Connor died in 1890 The next bishop of Omaha was Bishop Richard Scannell from the Diocese of Concordia in Kansas named by Leo XIII in 1891 3 Under his governance the cornerstone of St Cecilia Cathedral was laid in 1907 9 He also oversaw the diocese s expansion to 95 parishes serving more than 80 000 Catholics 9 Parochial schools and diocesan priests more than doubled in number and increases were also made among religious 10 Scannell erected the Creighton Memorial St Joseph s Hospital in Omaha in 1892 and a home of the Good Shepherd 11 12 He also introduced the following religious orders to the diocese Third Order Regular of St Francis Sisters of St Joseph Presentation Sisters Sisters of the Resurrection Sisters of St Benedict Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament Good Shepherd Sisters Dominicans Felicians Ursulines Franciscan 10 In 1912 Pope Pius X erected the Diocese of Kearney taking its territory from the Diocese of Omaha 3 1900 to 1945 edit In 1912 Pope Pius X erected the Diocese of Kearney taking its territory from the Diocese of Omaha 3 Four years later Pope Benedict XV added several more counties from Omaha to Kearney Scannell died in 1916 Archbishop Jeremiah James Harty from the Archdiocese of Manilla in the Philippines was named bishop of Omaha by Benedict XV in 1916 1 Though appointed a bishop Harty retained the personal title of archbishop In 1917 Harty expressed skepticism of Edward J Flanagan and his establishment of Boys Town a home for troubled boys in Nebraska However Harty later endorsed the goals of Boys Town 13 The Sisters of Mercy opened the College of Saint Mary in Omaha in 1923 14 Harty died in 1927 To replace Harty Pope Pius XI appointed Joseph Rummel from the Archdiocese of New York in 1928 15 Rummel became archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1935 Pius XI appointed James Hugh Ryan rector of Catholic University in Washington D C and titular bishop of Modra as the next bishop of Omaha in 1933 16 17 1945 to 1993 edit Pope Pius XII elevated the Diocese of Omaha to the Archdiocese of Omaha on August 4 1945 3 18 The pope named Ryan as the first archbishop of Omaha Ryan died in 1947 19 20 The second archbishop of Omaha was Bishop Gerald Thomas Bergan of the Diocese of Des Moines appointed by Pius XII in 1948 21 During his administration more than 80 million was spent for new Catholic schools churches and hospitals in the archdiocese 22 This caused him to become known as the building bishop 23 After Bergan retired in 1969 Pope Paul VI selected Auxiliary Bishop Daniel E Sheehan of Omaha as the next archbishop 24 Sheehan s campaign for educational excellence raised more than 26 million to improve Catholic education in the Omaha Metropolitan Area 24 In response to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council Sheehan established the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council APC in the early 1970s 24 He gathered representatives from the ranks of the clergy religious communities and laity to form pastoral council that would share in the local church s decision making process Due to APC action emphasis was placed on improving family life youth and young adult ministry evangelization social and rural life issues and Hispanic ministry Sheehan led capital campaigns to raise millions of dollars for archdiocesan improvements including a 4 5 million refurbishment of the St James Center 24 His final campaign had a goal of 25 million to pay for the building of Skutt Catholic High School in Omaha and other capital needs in the archdiocese 25 Sheehan retired in 1993 1993 to present edit Pope John Paul II in 1993 appointed Bishop Elden Francis Curtiss of the Diocese of Helena as the next archbishop of Omaha Curtiss retired in 2009 That same year Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop George Joseph Lucas of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois as the fifth archbishop of Omaha 3 In October 2010 Lucas suppressed Intercessors of the Lamb a hermit religious community removing it from any association with the Catholic Church Intercessors was founded in 1980 near Omaha by Nadine Mae Brown a member of the Sisters of the Cross In early 2010 Brown had requested that Lucas elevate Intercessors to the status of a religious institute As part of the approval process Lucas sent James Conn a canon lawyer on a canonical visitation to the community In his report to Lucas Conn noted many serious discrepancies and issues in the Intercessors current operation Lucas denied the application to become a religious institute was denied and sent the community a list of mandatory reforms to continue as a Catholic organization Brown resigned from the community and the Intercessors leadership refused to enact the reforms Lucas then stripped the Intercessors from the church The community dissolved soon thereafter 26 27 As of 2023 Lucas is the archbishop of Omaha Sexual abuse scandal edit During the 1980s and 1990s John Fiala amassed accusations of inappropriate behavior toward boys in the Archdiocese of Omaha However when Fiala tried to transfer to the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 1995 officials in Omaha gave him a clean bill of health The archdiocese in 2010 settled a lawsuit brought against it by a Texas boy who had been sexually abused there in 2008 by Fiala After the alleged assault the boy had told his story to a school counselor Fiala was then removed from ministry When the boy filed his lawsuit in 2010 Fiala tried to hire a hitman in Texas to murder him Fiala revealed his plans to an undercover policeman posing as a hitman Fiala was convicted in Texas of attempted murder in 2010 and sentenced to 40 years in prison 28 In 2014 he was convicted of sexually abusing the boy and was sentenced to 30 years in prison 29 In 1997 a housekeeper found pictures and a video of nude boys in the possessions of Daniel Herek at his rectory in Omaha She notified the archdiocese Herek was convicted in 1998 of sexually assaulting and videotaping a 14 year old boy and was sentenced to 20 months to five years in prison He was laicized by the Vatican 30 31 In 2002 a jury awarded 800 000 from the archdiocese to a boy who had been abused by Herek 32 During the lawsuit Bishop Sheehan denied that he transferred Herek to different parishes due to complaints about sexual abuse In 2002 Archbishop Curtiss removed Thomas Sellentin an archdiocesan priest from public ministry after Sellentin admitted sexually abusing boys over a 30 year period Curtiss had received numerous complaints from parents and parishes over the previous years 33 In 2003 three brothers Richard Thomas and Steven Schommer sued the archdiocese stating they had all been abused by Sellentin 34 Sellentin was laicized by the Vatican in 2019 35 At the end of the 2010s Lucas signed norms stronger than the 2002 Essential Norms so called Zero Tolerance norms related to sexual abuse of parishioners In October 2018 Lucas removed Francis Nigli pastor of St Wenceslas Parish in Omaha from public ministry A 21 year old man had accused Nigli of kissing and groping him on church grounds In 2013 Nigli had been sent away for mental health treatment after making advances to an 18 year old man 36 Nigli was permanently banned from ministry by the Vatican in 2021 In November 2018 the archdiocese released the names of 38 priests and other clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct an action requested by the state s top prosecutor 30 Though the earliest incident of abuse on record was alleged to have happened in 1956 the archdiocese acknowledged that it did not record reports of sexual abuse until 1978 30 In a written statement Bishop Lucas wrote We acknowledge this report with sorrow and know that it will cause a great deal of pain He continued We re deeply saddened so many innocent minors and young adults were harmed by the church s ministers To victims and their families I am sorry for the pain betrayal and suffering you have experienced in the church 30 In 2020 Lucas and the archdiocese were sued for 2 1 million by Andrew Syring an archdiocesan priest He stated that he had suffered defamation of character by being removed from public ministry and placed on a list of priests accused of sexual abuse Syring said he was accused of sexual abuse in 2013 but was cleared by an archdiocesan investigation and returned to ministry In 2018 Lucas removed Syring again from ministry saying that his record was clean but that the standards had changed 37 Bishops editApostolic Vicars of Nebraska edit James Myles O Gorman 1859 1874 James O Connor 1876 1890 Bishops of Omaha edit James O Connor 1876 1890 Richard Scannell 1891 1916 Jeremiah James Harty 1916 1927 Archbishop personal title Joseph Francis Rummel 1928 1935 appointed Archbishop of New Orleans James Hugh Ryan 1935 1947 became Archbishop of Omaha in 1945Archbishops of Omaha edit James Hugh Ryan 1935 1947 Gerald Thomas Bergan 1947 1969 Daniel E Sheehan 1969 1993 Elden Francis Curtiss 1993 2009 George Joseph Lucas since 2009 Auxiliary bishops edit Daniel E Sheehan 1964 1969 appointed Archbishop here Anthony Michael Milone 1981 1987 appointed Bishop of Great Falls BillingsOther diocesan priests who became bishops edit Blase Joseph Cupich appointed Bishop of Rapid City in 1998 future Cardinal William Joseph Dendinger appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 2004 Joseph Gerard Hanefeldt appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 2015 Edward Joseph Hunkeler appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 1945 Patrick Aloysius Alphonsus McGovern appointed Bishop of Cheyenne in 1912 John Linus Paschang appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 1951Parishes editOmaha parishes of the Archdiocese of Omaha 38 Parish and date established Address NotesAssumption 1894 5434 S 22nd St Czech heritageBlessed Sacrament 1919 3020 Curtis Ave Christ the King 1953 654 S 86th St Holy Cross 1922 4803 William St Holy Family 1876 1715 Izard St Holy Ghost 1918 5219 S 53rd St Holy Name 1917 2901 Fontenelle Blvd Immaculate Conception 1897 2708 S 24th St Polish heritage celebrates Tridentine massesMary Our Queen 1963 3535 S 119th St Mother of Perpetual Help 1975 5215 Seward St Church of the deafOur Lady of Fatima 709 S 28th St Our Lady of Guadalupe 1919 2310 O St Spanish heritageOur Lady of Lourdes 1917 2110 S 32nd Ave Sacred Heart 1890 2218 Binney St Sacred Heart 1881 200 S 5th St Norfolk NE Norfolk Spanish and English heritagesSt Adalbert 1916 2617 S 31st St Czech and Korean heritagesSt Agnes 1889 2215 Q St Irish and Spanish heritagesSt Anthony 1907 5401 S 33rd St Lithuanian heritageSt Benedict of Moor 1919 2423 Grant St African American heritageSt Bernard 1905 3601 N 65th St St Bernadette 7600 So 42 Street BellevueSt Bridget 1887 4112 S 26th St Irish heritageSt Cecilia 1888 715 N 40th St St Charles Borromeo 2005 7790 South 192nd St GretnaSt Columbkille 1878 200 East 6th Street PapillionSt Elizabeth Ann Seton 1981 5419 N 114th St St Frances Cabrini 1868 1334 S 9th St St Francis Assisi 4521 S 32nd St Polish and Spanish heritagesSt Gerald 1962 9602 Q St Lakeview Chapel 7859 Lakeview St RalstonSt James 1963 9025 Larimore Ave St Joan of Arc 1955 3122 S 74th St St John 1897 2500 California St Creighton University OmahaSt John Paul II Newman Center 1221 S 71st St University of Nebraska OmahaSt John Vianney 1974 5801 Oak Hills Dr St Joseph 1887 1723 S 17th St St Leo the Great 1978 1920 N 102nd St St Margaret Mary 1919 6116 Dodge St St Mary 1902 3529 Q St St Mary 2302 Crawford Street BellevueSt Mary Magdalene 1868 109 S 19th St St Matthew 12210 So 36 Street BellevueSt Bernadette 7600 So 42 St BellevueSt Patrick 1868 204th amp Maple St ElkhornSt Patrick 1883 1404 Castelar St St Peter 709 S 28th St St Philip Neri 1904 8200 N 30th St St Pius X 1954 6905 Blondo St St Richard 1963 4320 Fort St St Robert Bellarmine 1966 11802 Pacific St St Rose of Lima 1919 4102 S 13th St St Stanislaus 1919 4002 J St Polish heritageSt Stephen the Martyr 1989 16701 S St St Therese of the Child Jesus 1918 2423 Grant St St Thomas More 1958 4804 Grover St St Vincent de Paul 1991 14330 Eagle Run Dr St Wenceslaus 1877 15353 Pacific St Czech heritageSts Peter and Paul 1917 5912 S 36th St Lithuanian Croatian Slovenian and Hungarian heritages 39 Omaha Catholic schools editSummary edit The Omaha Catholic Schools is a school district in the Archdiocese of Omaha Over 20 000 students attend Omaha Catholic Schools each year All schools are accredited or approved by the state of Nebraska The school district is composed of 54 elementary schools One private 4th 8th grade school Four corporation high schools Three K 12th grade schools One special needs K 12th grade school Ten private high schoolsHigh schools edit Catholic secondary schools in the Omaha areaSchool name Type City Address Date of foundingAll Saints Catholic School K 8 Omaha 1335 S 10th St Archbishop Bergan High School 6 12 Fremont 1950Cedar Catholic High School Rural HartingtonCentral Catholic High School Rural West PointCreighton Preparatory School All boys Omaha 7400 Western Ave 1878Daniel J Gross Catholic High School Private Bellevue 1968Duchesne Academy All girls Omaha 3601 Burt St 1881Holy Family High School K 12 LindsayMarian High School All girls Omaha 7400 Military Ave 1955Mercy High School All girls OmahaMount Michael Benedictine Abbey and High School All boys Omaha 1953Norfolk Catholic High School Rural Norfolk 1926Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School Rural Elgin 1967Roncalli Catholic High School Private Omaha 6401 Sorensen Parkway 1974St Francis High School K 12 HumphreySt Mary s High School K 12 O Neill 1900St Peter Claver Cristo Rey Catholic High School Corporation Omaha 2007Scotus Central Catholic High School Rural Columbus 1889V J and Angela Skutt Catholic High School Private Omaha 3131 S 156th Street 1993Suffragan sees edit nbsp Ecclesiastical Province of OmahaDiocese of Grand Island Diocese of LincolnSee also edit nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Diocese of Omaha nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha nbsp Catholicism portalCatholic Church by country Catholic Church in the United States Ecclesiastical Province of Omaha Education in Omaha Nebraska Global organisation of the Catholic Church List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States List of churches in Omaha Nebraska List of Roman Catholic archdioceses by country and continent List of Roman Catholic dioceses alphabetical including archdioceses List of Roman Catholic dioceses structured view including archdioceses Notre Dame Academy and Convent Sexual abuse scandal in Omaha archdioceseReferences edit Infographic Archdiocese of Omaha Retrieved 9 December 2017 About the Archdiocese of Omaha Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Retrieved September 24 2023 a b c d e f g h i Omaha Archdiocese Catholic Hierarchy www catholic hierarchy org Retrieved 2023 09 24 Prelate History Archdiocese of Omaha Archived from the original on 2014 02 20 Retrieved 2014 02 06 a b c Prelate History Archdiocese of Omaha Archived from the original on 2015 09 23 Retrieved 2014 02 06 Archdiocese of Omaha Catholic Hierarchy Retrieved 2013 06 04 self published source Mission amp History Creighton Prep www creightonprep org Retrieved 2023 06 23 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Mercedes Sister Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 2 New York Robert Appleton Company 1907 13 August 2019 a b Bishop Richard Scannell Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha a b Omaha Catholic Encyclopedia Western Medical Review Volume 7 Western Medical Review Co 15 September 1902 p 265 Retrieved 10 February 2013 History of St Catherine s Hospital McCook Gazette 2022 12 16 Retrieved 2023 09 24 Kuester Michelle 2014 12 01 Omaha s Boys Town has an illustrious history Sioux City Journal Retrieved 2023 09 24 Our History College of Saint Mary Retrieved 2023 09 24 The Archdiocese of Omaha Archdiocese of Omaha Retrieved 2018 08 06 Ryan of Modra TIME Magazine 1933 11 06 Archived from the original on November 22 2010 Archbishop James Hugh Ryan Catholic Hierarchy www catholic hierarchy org Retrieved 2023 09 24 Metropolitan Archdiocese of Omaha GCatholic org Retrieved 2013 06 04 Msgr Ryan Named Omaha Archbishop The New York Times August 10 1945 p 32 Archbishop James Hugh Ryan Catholic Hierarchy www catholic hierarchy org Retrieved 2023 09 24 Archbishop Gerald Thomas Bergan Catholic Hierarchy www catholic hierarchy org Retrieved 2023 09 24 Gerald T Bergan an Archbishop Former Leader of Omaha Archdiocese Dies at 80 The New York Times July 2 1972 Archbishop Gerald Thomas Bergan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha Archived from the original on July 25 2011 a b c d Archbishop Daniel E Sheehan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha Archived from the original on 2011 07 25 Omaha World Herald Newspaper 1987 1993 Omaha archbishop shuts down Intercessors of the Lamb Catholic News Agency October 15 2010 Retrieved June 27 2021 Fournier Keith October 20 2010 Update Former Intercessors of the Lamb Vast Majority Support Bishop s Action Catholic Online Omaha NE Goldstein Scott May 14 2012 Update Ex priest Convicted of Trying to Hire Hit Man to Kill Abuse Accuser Dallas Morning News Retrieved 2023 09 24 Ayala Elaine August 23 2018 Archdiocese opens up about damning clergy sexual abuse report link to San Antonio priest San Antonio Express News Retrieved 2023 09 24 a b c d Omaha archdiocese 38 clergy accused of sex abuse since 78 AP NEWS Nov 30 2018 Retrieved April 5 2021 O HANLON KEVIN 2001 07 13 Ex Coleridge Priest To Leave Prison Yankton Press amp Dakotan Retrieved 2023 06 24 Morton Joseph June 15 2002 Jury Awards 800 000 for Abuse The Omaha Archdiocese Owes an Ex Altar Boy 750 000 and His Mother 50 000 Omaha World Herald Retrieved 2023 06 24 Buttry Stephen April 8 2002 Sex Abuse Costs Priest his Posts Archbishop Curtiss Removes the Rev Thomas Sellentin from two Nebraska Parishes After he Admits Abusing Boys Omaha World Herald Retrieved 2023 06 24 Brentwood Ann 2003 03 06 3 brothers sue Omaha archdiocese over claims against priest Poynter Retrieved 2023 06 24 Schwencke Ken Simani Ellis 2020 01 28 Thomas Sellentin Archdiocese of Omaha Credibly Accused ProPublica Retrieved 2023 06 24 Archdiocese removes priest from St Wenceslaus KMTV 3 News Now October 25 2018 Retrieved April 20 2022 Omaha Priest Files 2 1 Million Defamation Suit Against Archdiocese Catholic Telegraph September 9 2020 Retrieved April 20 2022 Official Catholic Directory Anno Domini 2006 National Register Publishing 2006 Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church St Marys Catholic Church Omaha Nebraska Sts Peter and Paul Church Retrieved Apr 5 2021 External links editRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha official site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha amp oldid 1214920655 History, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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