Sac City - St. Mary

SAC CITY - There was no Catholic church in Sac City during the first decades of the town's history. The few Catholic families met in their homes to pray the rosary. During the 1880's, Mass was held occasionally in the Sac City Court House. These were celebrated by Father McCaffrey of Fonda and Father Pishew of Wall Lake.

In October of 1892, eight families donated $300 and construction began on a 36-foot by 42-foot frame building. The first Mass was celebrated on Dec. 11, 1892, by Father McCaffrey. This church had six pews on each side. A pump organ was at the right side of the altar and a heating stove at the left.

St. Mary's was a mission of the Early Parish until 1906. From 1906 to 1925, the church was served by the Rockwell City priests. In October of 1925, Bishop Heelan made St. Mary's a parish with Father Dan Tewell as the first resident pastor.

Father O. A. Dentlinger came in 1928 and during his pastorate the church acquired five acres of land on south 12th St. with plans to move and enlarge the church. There were 17 families on the church roll.

The farmers dug the new basement using horses, slip scrapers and walking plows. The church was moved eight blocks to the new location by horses and winch. This process took about two weeks and required celebrating Sunday mass on the street with the church blocked up about five feet. The move was completed and about 50 feed added to its length.

In October of 1929, Bishop Heelan dedicated the new church. At the dedication 700 meals were served, priced at 35 cents per meal.

In 1936, Father Phillip Dailey (1936-1942) took over the parish followed by Father George O'Brine (1942-1943) and Father R. E. Nemmers (1943-1946).

Father Louis Lynch (1946-1948) and Father J. E. Tolan (1946-1963) also worked at St. Mary's.

With the growth, construction on a new church and parish center began in the spring of 1959. Built on the cruxiform plan in the shape of a fish, the church has a capacity of 475.

The 45-foot by 70-foot parish center can accommodate 300 people for banquets and various activities. Cost of construction was $245,000.

The first religious vocation from a family of St. Mary's came when Sister Michelle Mohr professed her perpetual vows as a Marian Sister of the Diocese of Lincoln, June 27, 1999.

There have been numerous parish priests since 1948: Father Leroy Frank (1963-1973), Father Robert Kirschbaum (1973-1975), Father R. W. Reinhart (1975-1986), Father Dan Lynch (1986-1994), Father Mark Harrington (1994-2000), and Father Larry McCarty, who is the current priest of St. Mary's.