In its early days, Catholic Extension Society built thousands of churches in the American heartland. When new settlements of Catholic families were in need of a church, Catholic Extension Society helped erect a place of worship for these resilient, far-flung communities of people working the land as farmers and ranchers.
One of these churches was St. Mary’s in Mullen, Nebraska, built in 1926.
St. Mary’s is still home to a faith-filled community today. Catholic Extension Society rebuilt the current brick church in 1964.
Although times have changed, families here maintain their humble, hardscrabble way of life. Cattle ranching is the primary industry.
The church and its two far-off missions make up the Sandhills Catholic Community, located in the Sandhills region of western Nebraska in the Diocese of Grand Island.
The two missions include St. Thomas of Canterbury in Thedford (first photo below) and and All Saints Church in Hyannis (second photo below).
These two missions are about an hour’s drive from each other.
Click and scroll on the map to see the location of the three churches in the Sandhills Catholic Community.
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Catholic Extension Society is supporting repair projects at all three churches to ensure these sacred spaces are safe and beautiful for generations to come.
A shepherd of ranchers
The Sandhills Catholic Community encompasses 5,000 square miles and serves about 150 families. Most parishioners, such as those who attend St. Thomas of Canterbury in Thedford, drive 50 miles or more from their cattle ranches to attend Mass.
Father Matthew Nash, who grew up in Nebraska, leads the community. He requested to shepherd the people of this region.
“The ranchers care about being good stewards of what they’ve been gifted. They make sure the cattle are cared for and raised on land that is good for them. They work hard at it,” he said.
Each weekend he drives on long stretches of highway to celebrate Mass at each church.
“All three parishes work cohesively together and do their best to support one another,” he said. “They know that it’s sink or swim for all of us up here.”
A respect for and active participation in the Christian faith is commonplace in this area. Father Nash said that looking out for each other and living the beatitudes are part of people’s DNA. The faithful welcome and trust one another to the point that the church doors are kept unlocked.
“You can ask anyone for help, regardless of their background, and they’ll do it,” Father Nash said. All the Christian denominations work together toward common goals, and they take turns hosting different community events, such as baccalaureate services for the graduating public high school class.
In the photo below, Leanne French (left), Carol Wright (center) and Kris Forsen (right) are parishioners at St. Mary’s. They shared what makes this faith-filled area a wonderful place to live.
Carol Wright is the office administrator and a lifelong parishioner at St. Mary’s Church. She was baptized and married here.
Wright said that everyone in the Sandhills area believes deeply in God, and you can see His works everywhere. “We call it God’s country,” she said.
Caring for one’s neighbor is just a part of everyday life. “It’s not just the religion, it’s the fellowship. I feel we’re very blessed,” she added.
Leanne French is a lector at the parish. She moved to Mullen, her husband’s hometown, in 2001. She said that when she lived in Seattle, she didn’t know her priest. When she arrived in this small ranching community, she was welcomed with open arms. She values the safety and family-oriented atmosphere. “Your children can pretty much run loose, and everyone takes care of them,” she said.
Kris Forsen is a high school secretary and instructs children in the parish’s religious education program. “Our community as a whole is geared around children,” she said.
Forty miles west and nestled up in the hills is All Saints Church in Hyannis. Maria Thompson has attended this church for 60 years.
The faith community was there for her when her husband passed away a few years ago. Parishioners brought her food, comfort and all the support they could. When a third-grade girl saw Thompson sitting alone in her pew during Mass, she got up and sat by her. The young girl continues to sit with Thompson today.
Welcoming new life
It is not always easy to make ends meet, but parishioners are generous to help those struggling within and outside of the Sandhills region. For example, they have established a fund to support community members who have cancer, and they even give to parishes in Haiti to drill for water.
Although parishioners have devoted their own time, skills and money to maintain the churches, several bigger projects have stacked up that require greater attention. This includes repairing cracked sidewalks and replacing ceiling tiles, painting and more.
All Saints Church, below, needs to replace its decaying floors.
The repairs are about looking to the future, welcoming new life and engaging the children.
“It’s very welcoming when a church is clean,” Father Nash said. “There’s just something inviting about that. Beauty attracts.” He said some new families were initially drawn into the parish through the beauty of the churches.
The Sandhills Catholic Community is grateful for Catholic Extension Society’s recognition of the importance and value of the faithful who work hard in the heartland of America.
“The Book of Acts speaks of us being all one Church collectively and all one body. It’s beautiful, especially with Catholic Extension Society, to see the one body look after each of its individual members—that if the hands are struggling, the feet and the legs come to the aid,” Father Nash said.
They regularly have Mass intentions for Catholic Extension Society supporters, he said, “to lift up all those who are so generous to the Father in our prayer.”
Catholic Extension Society is a non-profit organization that builds up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities in the poorest regions of America. Our support of the faith community in this story is made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. Please consider supporting our mission!
