Welcome to St. Peter Church, Omaha The Parish of Saint Peter St. Peter Catholic Church is dedicated to the restoration of the sacred, the active promotion of the Gospel and fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. A home to both English- and Spanish-speaking peoples, the church building is located on the outskirts of Omaha's downtown. OUR MISSION Our mission is multifaceted: to share and to pass on our Catholic faith and traditions; to support the spiritual lives of all parishioners; to serve those in need; to give witness to God and to His Gospel; to treat with respect and gratitude the beautiful Sacraments God has given us. St. Peter parishioners come from all over Omaha and beyond because they are attracted to the parish's beautiful liturgies, uncompromising proclamation of the Gospel and friendly community. The parish provides catechesis for every age and much-needed relief to the poor and hungry; it is also a home for recent immigrants. The parishioners of St. Peter Catholic Church believe the renewal of the Church will come primarily through the worthy and obedient celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the "source and summit of the Christian life" (Lumen Gentium, §11). With sung Masses, four choirs specializing in chant, Mass parts in Latin, Masses celebrated both ad orientem and ad populum, altar boys, Eucharistic Exposition, the recitation of the Prayer to St. Michael after Masses, chanted Solemn Vespers on Sundays, and Holy Communion at the altar rail, St. Peter Catholic Church strives to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy within the centuries of rich Catholic tradition. OUR HISTORY 2021 2019 In August, the Very Rev. Scott A. Hastings completes his residency at St. Peter Parish. In June, the Rev. James R. de Anda completes his appointment as parochial vicar of St. Peter Parish and begins full-time work as a judge in the Chancery Tribunal. In July, the Very Rev. Scott A. Hastings is in residence at St. Peter Parish. 2016 On September 1, the Rev. James R. de Anda is appointed part-time parochial vicar of St. Peter Parish. 2015 On April 30, the Rev. Damien J. Cook completes his last day as pastor of St. Peter Parish. Rev. Cook begins a new assignment as pastor of Christ the King Parish in Omaha on May 1, 2015. From May 1 to August 16, the Rev. Rheo C. Ofalsa is appointed temporary Parish Administrator to lead the parish between Rev. Cook's departure and the appointment of the future pastor, the Rev. John Broheimer. From May 1 to July 26, the Rev. Oscar Perez serves as parochial vicar of St. Peter Parish. From August 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016, the Rev. Gregory P. Carl serves as parochial vicar of St. Peter Parish. On August 17, the Rev. John P. Broheimer is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. The Mass of Installation is celebrated on September 13, 2015 with the Most Rev. George J. Lucas as the principal celebrant. 2013 On June 3 the St. Peter Church building is closed for six months to repair and renew its interior. During that time Masses and other Sacraments are celebrated in the Parish Hall. 2012 The Rev. Rheo C. Ofalsa is appointed parochial vicar of St. Peter Parish on July 2. 2011 St. Peter Parish celebrates the 125th Anniversary of its institution as a parish. 2010 Begun in the fall of 2009, the new roof of St. Peter Church is finished by Baker Roofing. Tiles with the same coloring and fabricated by the original manufacturer, Ludowici Roof Tile, are used to preserve the look of the building. New roofs are also put upon the convent and parish office building and garages by Hawkins Roofing Company. On September 11, St. Peter Church hosts the Spiritual Warfare Conference at Qwest Center Omaha. Almost 8,000 people attend the event. 2009 The annual St. Peter Catholic Trivia Night is held for the first time on February 21. Featuring questions about the Catholic Faith, the event evangelizes participants while raising funds for the parish. 2008 Through the financial generosity of the parish and the service of Thomas Heenan, Noah Keller and the parish youth group and altar boys, the second floor of the Parish Hall is renovated and converted into the Upper Room Catholic Library. It is blessed and dedicated on May 3. The Rev. S. Anthony Weidner is appointed parochial vicar of St. Peter Parish on June 19. 2007 On October 7, St. Peter Church hosts the first Blue Mass in the Archdiocese of Omaha. The Blue Mass is offered in honor of those in law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders. Traditionally the Blue Mass is held near or on September 29, the Feast of the Archangels Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. 2006 St. Peter Parish begins its annual outdoor Corpus Christi Procession through the neighborhood on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, June 18. 2005 The St. Peter clergy, staff, and parishioners renovate the bingo hall into a multi-purpose venue. It is dedicated and renamed McMahon Hall in honor of former pastor the Rev. Aloysius J. McMahon on October 23. The Rev. James R. de Anda is appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Peter Parish on June 16. The Knights of Columbus erect the Pope John Paul II Council No. 13,956 at St. Peter Parish on November 11. 2004 The Rev. Damien J. Cook is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish on June 18. The Mass of Installation as Pastor is celebrated on June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. 2001 On October 14, St. Peter Church's first Mass in Spanish is celebrated. 1996 The Rev. John C. Rizzo is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1995 St. Peter Grade School closes. Enrollment had dropped to 53 students. 1993 The Rev. Aloysius J. McMahon is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1980 The original church pipe organ is repaired and the choir loft is remodeled. 1979 The Rev. Richard Ciurej is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. The Sisters of Mercy spend their last year running the parish school. 1978 The Catholic Daughters of America erect Court Our Lady of Omaha, No. 2184, on March 30, 1978. 1976 The building that is now McMahon Hall is purchased by St. Peter Parish. During the tenure of pastor Rev. Patrick Nolan, the parish buys several properties in the immediate area. 1975 The interior of the church is remodeled. A new church roof is laid. 1973 The Rev. Patrick Nolan is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1972 The Rev. Ralph O'Donnell is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1963 Electronic chimes are purchased for the bell tower. 1959 Air-conditioning is installed in the church. 1956 Plans for a new convent building are announced. 1955 Work begins on second-floor additions to the school building. 1944 Msgr. James O'Brien is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1939 The new St. Peter School building opens. It is designed by the firm of Kimball, Steele & Sandham. 1938 The old St. Peter building is used as a school for the last time; the building will be razed soon to make room for a new, larger school building. 1931 It is reported the costs of the new church have been paid in full. 1929 St. John Berchmans Academy is renamed St. Mary High School. It is the forerunner of today's Mercy High School. 1927 Msgr. James Stenson is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1926 The new St. Peter Catholic Church is dedicated on May 9. The structure's Greco-Roman facade and its five-aisled, "no-pillar" nave are unique for the time period. The beautiful stained-glass windows are imports from Bavaria; the Carrara marble used for the altar is from Italy. The old St. Peter building, a combination school-church, is now used exclusively as the school. 1924 Rev. McCarthy succeeds in setting aside about $100,000 for the new church, a considerable sum for the times. The 31st and Pacific site purchased in 1912 is no longer considered workable as a location, so it is decided the new St. Peter Church will be built next to the existing one. On August 18, a ground-breaking ceremony is held for the new church. The structure is designed by the firm of John Latenser & Sons; the general contractor is Alex Beck. 1912 The Rev. J. F. McCarthy is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. One of his goals is to build a new church to replace the "temporary" one erected in the 1880s. Rev. McCarthy and the St. Peter parishioners begin a fundraising effort that will go on for several years. 1907 The Rev. Patrick McGovern is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. (Rev. McGovern will later become the bishop of Cheyenne, Wyoming.) 1905 The construction of St. Cecilia Cathedral begins under Bishop Richard Scannell's administration. Originally intended to be located at 28th and Leavenworth, the cathedral is instead situated further west at its current North 40th Street address. 1904 The Sisters of Mercy purchase a five-story school building located where the north parking lot is now situated. The school is renamed St. John Berchmans Academy. The Sisters of Mercy run this independent school while still overseeing St. Peter School. 1903 The Rev. Peter McLaughlin is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1900 Msgr. James Aherne becomes pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1897 The Rev. John English is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1895 St. Peter School is turned over to the care of the Sisters of Mercy. 1893 The Rev. Thomas Walsh is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1891 The Rev. Thomas Conway is appointed pastor of St. Peter Parish. 1890 After an illness of only five days, Rev. P. J. Boyle died of a heart condition on April 14 at the age of thirty-two and was buried in the town of his birth. The Rev. William St. Lawrence is appointed parish administrator until January 1, 1891. 1887 The first St. Peter building — with a church on the second floor and a school on the first — is dedicated at 28th and Leavenworth. This combination church and school did service until 1926 when the construction of the present church enabled the school to utilize the upper story as well. In its first year of operation, St. Peter School has an enrollment of 172 students under the tutelage of the Religious of the Sacred Heart. 1886 The attractive area of 28th and Leavenworth is selected as the future location of Omaha's new cathedral; however, it is decided that a temporary school and church will use this site until the cathedral project is fully funded. The Rev. P. J. Boyle is transferred to St. Peter to organize the parish on June 10. St. Peter Parish is formally erected and Rev. Boyle becomes her first pastor. 1885 The Diocese of Omaha is officially founded on August 2, 1885, under Bishop James O'Connor. Name * First Name Last Name Email * Subject * Message * CLERGY Pastor: Rev. John P. Broheimer Pastor: Rev. John P. Broheimer Father John Broheimer (pronounced “Bro-high-myrrh”) was appointed as the pastor of Saint Peter Parish on August 17, 2015. A Holy Mass for the Installation of Father Broheimer as Pastor of Saint Peter Parish took place on Sunday, September 13, 2015, with Archbishop George J. Lucas as the principal celebrant. Father Broheimer was born in Alaska, and soon after he moved to Fremont, Nebraska where he attended Bergan High School and graduated in 1992. He went to UNO where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music in 1997. He served at Saint Rose Parish as its Music Director and Business Manager before beginning his studies for the priesthood for the Omaha Archdiocese as a Pre-Theology student at Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, in the fall term of 1998. Father Broheimer graduated from Kenrick with various degrees: a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts with a focus on liturgy. Father Broheimer was ordained a Priest of Jesus Christ by Archbishop Curtiss on June 7, 2003. He was first assigned to Mary Our Queen as a parochial vicar and then as parochial vicar at Saint Cecilia Cathedral. He was assigned as pastor of both Saint Francis of Assisi in Neligh, NE and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tilden, NE in 2009. Father Broheimer has a great sense of humor, loves people, and is a true gourmet chef. He has also served for many years as the chaplain to the entire Legion of Mary throughout the Archdiocese of Omaha. He is also an excellent writer and has written articles published in The Catholic Voice. Father Broheimer spent a couple of months studying Spanish before beginning his assignment as pastor of Saint Peter Parish on August 17, 2015. Deacon Omar Gutiérrez Deacon Omar Gutiérrez Deacon Omar Gutiérrez was born in Michigan, but he grew up mostly in Cleveland, Ohio. He has been wonderfully married to Miriam: their anniversary is August 28, 2004. They have five children. Deacon Gutiérrez's educational background is in theology with a BA from Franciscan University of Steubenville, the Angelicum in Rome and an MA from the University of Dallas. Deacon Gutierrez is the President and co-Founder of the Evangelium Institute and the Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith for the Archdiocese of Omaha. Because of Deacon Gutiérrez’s work in the Chancery, he remarks that, "In that vein, I suppose, many have asked me whether I considered the Diaconate. After a specific prayer experience, I spoke to Miriam about it, and she has been very trusting... I’m looking forward to having a reason to study the faith again and to discuss it with Miriam. Though difficult, we have the support of many great families here at St. Peter’s to keep us focused." Omar was accepted as a candidate for the Deacon Formation Program in the Archdiocese of Omaha in the fall of 2013. He was ordained as a Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese of Omaha on May 6, 2017. Deacon Gutierrez is the author of the very fine book The Urging of Christ's Love: The Saints and the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church, published in 2013. He has a program on Catholic Social Teaching through DiscerningHearts.com. Follow Deacon Gutierrez's thought-provoking articles on his website: Omar F. A. Gutiérrez - Culture, Life & Spirituality. Deacon John Zak Deacon John Zak Deacon John Zak and his lovely wife, Mary, are the parents to 13 children and became members of St. Peter Church in 1988. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon of the Archdiocese of Omaha on November 1, 1998. In addition to liturgical service at St. Peter Church, Deacon Zak is the director of the parish youth group and a catechist in the parish catechism program. He and his family are active in the parish. Deacon Zak also works at CHI Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA, as the team lead in respiratory therapy. He obtained a degree in respiratory therapy from the College of St. Mary in Omaha, NE, in 1978. He and his wife are also third order members of the Lay Carmelites. Deacon Gregorio Elizalde Deacon Gregorio Elizalde Deacon Gregorio Elizalde was born in Mexico, and has been married to his beautiful wife Felicia since 1998. They are the parents of two girls, Diana and Anna. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese of Omaha on May 2, 2015. He and his family have belonged to Sacred Heart Parish in Norfolk, Nebraska. In 2015 he was hired by the Archdiocese of Omaha as Manager of the Latino Ministry Office. While in Norfolk, he and his wife were in charge of Baptism preparation, RCIA in Spanish, Apologetics classes, Family Formation, quinceanera preparation, and helping with marriage preparation. Due to his new job in Omaha, the family will be moving to Omaha during the month of July, and he has been assigned to St. Peter Parish. He hopes to help the parish of St. Peter so that people can get closer to Jesus. Please pray for Deacon Elizalde and his family. Joshua P. Heywood SEMINARIANS Mr. Joshua P. Heywood Mr. Joshua Heywood is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Chaun and Regina Heywood. Seminary Address: Conception Seminary College, Highway 136 and W, Conception, MO 64433 Mr. Brian T. Hula Mr. Brian Hula is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Catherine Hula. Seminary Address: Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, 5200 Glennon Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63119 Mr. Samuel J. Mellender Mr. Samuel J. Mellender is the son of Mr. and Mrs. David and Lori Mellender. He is discerning his vocation to be a Benedictine monk at Conception Abbey in Conception, Missouri. Seminary Address: Conception Abbey, 37174 State Hwy VV, Conception, MO 64433 St. Peter Catholic Church St. Peter Office and Rectory 709 South 28th Street, Omaha NE 68105 Telephone: (402) 341-4560 | Fax: (402) 341-6483 Email: secretary@stpeterchurch.net Follow Us ©2019 | All Rights Reserved | Design by JennsonTech