History

Our Namesake:

Saints Cyril and Methodius were brothers born in 826 and 827 of Greek nobility. Both were known as Apostles of the Slavs and of the Southern Slavs. Cyril known as Constatin, was a philosopher who developed the Cyrilic alphabet for the Slavonic language. Both studied and taught philosophy at the University of Constantinople. In 861, the emperor sent them to convert Moravians in their native tongue. Bishop Methodius evangelized in Moravia, Bohemia, Pannonia and Poland. Methodius became Archbishop of Velehred, Czechoslovakia, but was imprisoned in 870 because he used Slavonic language in liturgy. Before his death in 885 in Moravia, he translated the Bible into Slavonic languages and pioneered the use of the local and vernacular languages in liturgical settings. Cyril died in 869 in Rome and may have been a Bishop, but may have died before his consecration.

Our Founding History:

The Clarkson parish was established in 1901 as a mission to St. John’s in Howells The first priests celebrated Mass in the public grade school until a simple frame church was built in 1902. When the rectory was built in 1917, Clarkson became an independent parish. The first pastor was Father Charles Z. Petlach in 1921 until ill health forced him to retire in 1946 in which Father Clement C. Kubesh took over until he retired in June of 1971. In the first 50 years of the parish it grew from 38 families to 225 families and during this time there were 1,203 baptisms and 292 marriages.

The concept of a parochial school in Clarkson began in the 1950s with Father Clement C. Kubesh, who was pastor at that time. He often said, “A parish is only as good as the education of its youth.” The cornerstone was laid in 1960, and classes began in 1961. The school was named “Bishop Neumann” in honor of John Neumann, an uncle of Father Kubesh’s maternal grandfather. He was appointed Bishop of Philadelphia in 1852 and was the founder of Catholic education in his diocese. When Bishop Neumann was canonized in 1983, the Clarkson school was renamed St. John Neumann.

After Father Kubesh retired in 1971 the new pastor was Father Lucian Astuto, who also had a dream for the Clarkson Parish, a new church. The current 70 year old church was too small for the growing congregation, the heating system was inadequate for the building and the only place to use the restroom was in the little white outhouse behind the church. The parishioners and Fr. Astuto asked themselves: Do we remodel the current building or replace it? The latter was obvious, although the older members did not want to lose their beloved church which felt like they were losing an old friend, they realized it needed to be done. Fr. Astuto formed a building committee which consisted of Henry Bahns, Florian Bayer, William Holoubek Jr., Martin Kluthe, Gerald Kratochvil, Leonard Prokopec, Richard Rupprecht, Joe R. Sedlacek, Alvin Steffensmeier, Joseph Vesely, George Gall and Edward Svik. The building committee studied options and made recommendations to Fr. Astuto who made the final decisions. After nearly four years of hard work, the new Ss Cyril and Methodius Church was completed. An open house was held on September 5, 1976, and a solemn series of events began at 7:30pm on September 8th. Fr. Astuto presided of the transfer of the flags, bells and chalices, which were taken in procession to the new church. Attending were three other priests, Father Vaclav Kovar of St John's in Howells, Father Edward Hunkeler of St. Mary's in Leigh and Father William Whelan of Ss Peter and Paul in Howells. As Dean of the rural southeast deanery, Father William Whelan performed a six-step consecration of the altar and offered the homily. He used holy water to trace each of the five engraved crosses on top of the altar table, and he placed the relics of St. John the Baptist from the former church's altar into a small sepulcher within the altar top. He used holy oils, incense and burned cross-shaped candles at the five cross-points in a purification ceremony. During the offertory, parishioners brought items that they personally had given to be used in the sanctuary: altar candles, a processional ceremonial cross, chalice, key to the new organ, matching candelabra and the gold key to the tabernacle. Fr. Astuto explained that September 8th was used for the consecration ceremony because that is the date that the Church celebrates the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Dedication and Mass of Thanksgiving was held on November 14, 1976 with Archbishop Daniel E. Sheehan presiding, concelebrating were 25 priests of the archdiocese. After the dedication Mass, Archbishop Sheehan spoke to nearly 450 people who attended the banquet at, then, Bishop Neumann School's social hall. Generous donations and Pledges resulted in the mortgage-burning ceremony on June 14, 1978, Fr. Astuto's mission of building a new church was accomplished. In June of 1981 he was transferred to another Parish in Omaha and replaced by Father Walter Nabity who had yet more dreams for our humble parish.

In 1981 Father Walter Nabity came to Clarkson with the dream of parishioner involvement in the church. He formed the first Eucharistic Ministers for the church as well as the start of the Knights of Columbus and Legion of Mary for our parish. As well as seeing the parishioners' goal of having the rectory and a social hall attached to the church. Fr. Nabity selected a building committee which consisted of Randy Arnold, Jarett Doernemann, Anton Gall, Bob Prokopec, Richard Rupprecht, Tom Schulze, Randy Vavrina and Ron Vavrina. The addition was to be connected to the church, the garage and parish center would be on the ground level. Two offices and the rectory would be at the same level as the church. The addition was completed and blessed in 1993.

In 1994 Fr. Nabity was transferred to Hooper and the new pastor was Father Ronald Battiato who in his short three years here added onto the parishioner activity started by Fr. Nabity and upgraded the school's curriculum and other improvements. During this time items from the former convent, which was located where the current staff parking at the school, were auctioned and the house was removed to make room for parking. The annual "Candlelight and Roses" dinner was started in 1996. In 1997 Fr. Battiato was moved to Randolph and Father Floyd Wessling became the pastor who oversaw the finance committee in taking a bigger role in the finances of the church. During his time here Fr. Wessling had the Bell Tower built, which was a dream of Father Nabity's, as well as having the parking lot to the south of church and the driveway on the west end of school resurfaced. He also successfully encouraged parishioners to participate in Christians Encounter Christ retreat weekends which, even though they were for all Christians not just Catholics, were beneficial to the growing faith of our parishioners. Fr. Wessling was here until 2007 when injuries following a car accident forced him into retirement.

In 2007 Fr. Wessling was followed by Father Timothy Forget, who brought a new wave of parishioner involvement in the church as well as the start of several bible studies a year and the start of the RCIA program for current Catholics to learn more about their faith and to bring new people into the Church. As well as starting the weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays. Fr Tim was here until 2013 when he moved to Columbus and Father Rodney Kneifl took over as our current pastor, and with him he brought a continuation of the evangelization that Fr. Tim had started. As well as bringing his healing ministry to us in Healing Masses every month.

The Original Church which was where the current parking is today

The Current Church which is just across the street from where the old church used to be