Who are we
Sacred Heart Parish is a Roman Catholic Community of Faith, a parish of the Archdiocese of Omaha, that seeks to bring the Love of Christ to all through its devotion to the Eucharist, it commitment to the Archdiocese, and its love of the Universal Church.
In June of 2005 Fr Garry Welsh was appointed pastor of the then three remaining parishes in Boyd County. His task was to consolodate the three parishes and form one parish from them. This was no easy task, which parishes should close? Where would the new parish be? After forming a new single parish council, with representatives from all three parishes Fr Garry set to work on a new vision for Boyd County.
Working with the Strategic Planning Office of the Archdiocese a plan was concived and presented to the Archbishop for approval. The plan was the creation of the parish council who worked with each other and with interested parties. The goal was to have a comprehensive plan for the future. We knew that not all would be happy, that we would not please everyone, but we held town hall meetings and open parish council meetings to discuss the future with all who wanted to have an input. After many months of meetings, discussions, ideas, and prayer it was decided that all three parishes should close and that a new parish be formed. This plan was submitted to the Archbishop and approval was granted in May of 2007, the new parish came into existance on July 1st 2007 and celebrates as it's feast day June 15th, the feast of the Sacred Heart. Our parish moto is "out of the struggle of the doing...... In to the joy of the Done...." this moto represents the struggle of the past few years as we have consolidated the parishes of Boyd County into the one parish of Sacred Heart.
The early pioneers moving to Nebraska brought with them their Faith in God. At times it was difficult to find clergy, but the endeavors of the people soon established communities, which became center of Faith.
The town of Butte continued to grow. The George Sanders family settled in the area in 1889. As the only Catholic family they journeyed to Spencer for mass, weather permitting. In 1900, five other Catholic families moved to the Butte area. One Sunday in 1900, for the first time Mass was offered in Butte by Fr W.W. Kroupa in the home of George Sanders. The January 1904 issue of the Butte Gazette states: “Fr Kroupa of Spencer held Catholic services in Butte Sunday last. He informed us that work on a Catholic church in Butte would commence just as soon as the weather would permit.” The parish of Ss Peter & Paul was begun in 1904. Fr Clement Stratman was appointed the first pastor in Butte in early 1905. He built a new rectory in 1906. In 1909 a parish school was built and the School of St Francis came from Milwaukee to operate the school. Seventy-three students enrolled for classes in 1909. The parish continued to grow and the original church became too small, so an addition was built in 1910.
In the early 1940’s, early 50’s, the church was redecorated and a new convent was built. A building fund was started in 1961 for a new church, and a building committee was formed and plans began for our new church. The cornerstone for the present church was laid in 1968 with Bishop Leo Arkfeld presiding. the new church was dedicated in 1969.
The Parish school closed in 1968 and CCD teachers were trained to take over the religious education.
The old rectory was moved and a new one built on its place in 1989-1990 as it is today. A new parish office was added to the rectory to serve the needs of the new parish Sacred Heart, the office is located at 921 Gale Street Butte NE 68722
In 1892 the bishop of Omaha sent Fr Havelburg to establish a new parish in honor of St Mary. He traveled to Lynch, Baker, Naper and Ft Randall to offer mass. Fr Cassidy and Fr Opava ministered to these parishes. A new, 2-story rectory was built in 1899. Fr Krapa came and a new church was erected in 1902 Fr Krapa also formed missions in honor of St Joseph at Baker, Assumption in Lynch, Ss Peter and Paul at Butte and Immaculate Conception, 2 miles west of Midway in Holt County. His assistants were Fr’s Gruber, Mastor, Burgis and Blair.
Fr Lordemann became pastor in 1914, Fr Johnen in 1918, Fr Krajicak in 1919, Fr Zabalza and Fr Korte in 1922. Fr Griffin was appointed in 1923, Fr Kluthe came in 1927, this was his first parish and he supervised many improvements in the rectory and church. Fr Gabauer was appointed in 1932, Fr M Condn came in 1939 and the present rectory was built. In 1951, St Joseph’s at Baker was closed. Fr Wm Foster was pastor to St Mary’s in 1952. This was his first parish. He organized the CYO, made many improvements and started a building fund for a new church. Fr Robert Steinhauser came in 1957 and he supervised construction of our new hall in 1962. Masses were offered in the hall while a new church was built and dedicated in 1966 .
Fr Lucian Austuto came in 1968 and the mortgage was burned during his stay. Fr B LaRacque was here in 1971 and Fr Leo Raus came next. He formed a parish council, an altar was erected at the cemetery for masses to be said on Memorial Day. Fr Tom Sellentine came in 1975. Fr Frank Dvorak was pastor in 1979, The Holy Family Center was built and attached to our hall for religion classes. The statues of Mary and Jesus were installed at the cemetery. Fr Robert Duffy came in 1988. Fr John Fiala was pastor during our centennial celebration in 1992. In 1993 a World Youth Day was held in Denver with Pope John Paul II. Fr Bob English served our parish from 1993 to 1994. Fr Frank Jindra served as our priest for both St Mary’s in Spencer and Assumption BVM in Lynch. Fr Tom Gall came in 2003 and clustered St Mary’s, Assumption BVM and Ss Peter & Paul, he served as pastor for all three parishes, Fr Garry Welsh became our pastor in 2005 and was the last Pastor of St Mary’s, which was closed as a parish and consolodated into Sacred Heart Parish of Boyd County.
The first church was built with lumber brought from Running Water, South Dakota in 1899-1900. It was built east of the depot and then moved to its location by the schoolhouse on rollers and by horses. It was moved because of the coming of the railroad in 1902.
The first resident priest came between 1916 and 1919. One of the ourstanding Pastors was Fr Vaclav Kroupa, who built the first, or our old church, in 1899-1900. The Boyd County Knights of Columbus is named after him. Fr Charles Kamber, who was a refuge from Yugoslavia, was our priest when the new church and rectory were built. They were dedicated on August 30, 1960 by Archbishop Gerald T Bergan of Omaha, NE. Fr James Bartek decorated the interior of the church with stained glass window in 1966.
The Parish of Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary was closed in 2007 and consolodated into the new parish of Sacred Heart.
A Message from our Pastor
Welcome to the web site of Sacred Heart Parish, I am delighted to be be the founding pastor of a parish that is built upon the faith tradition of generations who have gone before us. In the early 1800's when settlers from Ireland, Germany, & Bohemia came to this open exspance of lands that is now called Boyd county, they brought with them a strong faith and a reliance upon God. That faith continues today, the challenges are different, but our dependence upon God is the same. May we who call ourselves disciples, truly be that to each other. Fr G