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In May of 1976, Bishop Glennon P. Flavin announced the establishment of
the new parish community of St. Joseph. The Reverend Thomas L. Holoman was
appointed the first pastor. Father Holoman, hardworking and energetic, was
ready to lead. Through the generous help of our parishioners, a house
located on Trendwood Drive was purchased and converted into our first parish
rectory.
The first Mass was celebrated on June
6, 1976, in the gymnasium at Pius X High
School. This was only a temporary
solution until plans were finalized with
the Lincoln Public Schools. Beginning
July 1976, East Public High School was
used to celebrate Mass on Saturday and
Sunday.
Masses continued at East High School
until the addition was completed at Pius
X High School. Once the new Pius X
Learning-Performing Arts Center was
completed in November 1977, Mass was
celebrated there until the completion of
our first church at the current
location.
Although our parish was without a
facility for almost three years, Father
Holoman would celebrate daily Mass in
the homes of our devoted parishioners.
As many as seventy people gathered for
these Eucharistic celebrations. Father
Holoman took it upon himself to make a
personal visit to each family of the
parish encouraging the stewardship
program as a means of acquiring the
funds necessary to construct a church.
At the same time, Father Holoman was
determined to build a strong spiritual
community. He instituted bible studies,
a liturgy planning committee, the parish
picnic, Holiday Fair, an organ and
guitar choir, the Godparent Program and
other activities long before the church
building was completed. The parishioners
sponsored a home program for CCD classes
and a Sunday school program for
preschoolers. These early organizations
have evolved over the years as the needs
of the parish have expanded and changed.
St. Joseph has a noble tradition of
service that is the backbone of our
faith.
Within three years, the parish had
purchased almost 12 acres of land on
Trendwood Drive to construct a school
and church. On the Feast of St. Joseph
1978, the patron feast of the parish,
Father Holoman and members of the parish
celebrated the ground-breaking
ceremonies for the new facilities.
Included in this building project was a
church with a seating capacity of 600, a
meeting hall, an educational wing with
nine classrooms, a library and
administrative offices.
In 1979, the dedication of the new
school and church were held and the
school officially opened in August 1979,
with 63 students in kindergarten through
fourth grade. Three Immaculate Heart of
Mary Sisters from Immaculata,
Pennsylvania, an Order that specializes
in education, were the first
administrators and teachers. A grade was
added each year thereafter for the next
four years. Due to the increase in the
number of students each year, ten more
classrooms were subsequently added,
along with a hardwood floor gymnasium.
Additional classrooms were added later
along with a music/band room.
In 1991, Father Holoman was honored
with the title of Monsignor. He
continued to serve the needs of the
parish until June 1995, when Bishop
Bruskewitz appointed Monsignor Myron
Pleskac to become pastor of St. Joseph
Church.
As the parish continued to grow, the
need for a larger church became
apparent. The building committee decided
in 1998, that a new church should be
constructed. The first Mass in the new
church was celebrated on Christmas Eve
2000 and the building was dedicated on
January 21, 2001. The original church
was renovated to become a social hall,
school library, kitchen, music room,
computer room and school offices.
In 2003 Father Liam Barr was
appointed pastor of St. Joseph Church.
In 2007, Father Barr was honored with
the title of Monsignor. Monsignor Barr’s
mission has been to promote stewardship
as a way of life, thus fulfilling the
parish mission statement: “To Live as
Disciples of Jesus.” Father Patrick
Barvick, who was ordained in 2010, has
recently been appointed assistant
pastor.
Presently, the school is staffed by a
diocesan community of sisters, School
Sisters of Christ the King, along with
more than 30 full and part time
teachers, plus a large staff of
supportive personnel to serve the needs
of over 580 students. We are blessed to
have approximately 1500 families in the
parish today.
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