A Growing Parish

By the late 1880's, the growing Catholic population made a larger church necessary. Bishop James O'Connor send Father Wunibald Wolf to Grand Island with orders to build a new church. Construction began in 1888, Bishop O'Connor laid the cornerstone August 15 and the fully finished building was dedicated July 7, 1889 by the Vicar General, Father R. Schaffel, representing the Bishop.

The new church was build of brick and stone, was 44 by 119 feet, had two towers 104 feet high and cost about $20,000. This building would serve the parish until the construction of the present cathedral.

Father Wolf led this parish for thirty years until he retired in 1914 and Father A.W. Heimes took charge. The community was never more deeply touched than upon July 5, 1918, when Father Wolf passed away. The tribute to Father Wolf, with the record of his service to his people and this county was published in the paper.

A beautiful church is splendid evidence of faith, but that faith must be kept alive and progressive. A Catholic school was founded and on September 9, 1893, 120 children began instruction under the leadership of four Sisters of St. Joseph. By 1918, so many students attended St. Mary's School that the old school's capacity was exceeded and a new school was built in 1920.

On March 8, 1912, western Nebraska was made the Diocese of Kearney with the Most Rev. James A. Duffy as its first Bishop. However, on April 17, 1917, Pope Benedict XV added four additional counties to the diocese: Wheeler, Greeley, Howard and the part of Hall County north of the Platte River. Grand Island became the see city and the Bishop's residence was transferred in July of that year. With the headquarters of the diocese governing so much territory located here, Grand Island became an important center in Catholic affairs in Nebraska.