St. Andrew's History

Father Emmanuel Hartig, O.S.B. made the first recorded visit to Tecumseh on July 22, 1861.

In the autumn of 1868, lot 1 in block 18 was purchased and a frame church constructed at the cost of $700. The 15 families who were members of the Catholic church at that time completed most of the work. This had the distinction of being the first church built in Johnson County.

We were part of the Vicariate of Nebraska from 1854, then part of the newly created Diocese of Omaha in 1885 (which included all of the state of Nebraska and Territory of Wyoming).

St. Andrew was a mission visited by priests from Nebraska City once a month until 1877 when Father Patrick McCarthy, newly-ordained priest on August 16, 1877 from Pittsburgh, was given all of Johnson County as his parish. Bishop O’Connor came to Tecumseh on August 24, 1879 to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to 50 people.

He noted that the current church building 30 x 18 feet was too small. Father McNally, the 2nd pastor, from Rochester, NY began plans for the 2nd church.

The 2nd church at a cost of $10,000, was blessed by Bishop O’Connor September 30, 1883. The present church was built under the direction of Father Thomas Barden at a cost of $70,000. Dedicated in 1926 and completed in 1927

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