The Spanish Mission style church in the heart of Omaha’s “Little Italy” neighborhood is the third home for this worshipping community. The parish history begins with St. Mary’s Church, the first Catholic Church built in Omaha in 1856.
Located on the east side of 8th Street between Harney and Howard, the structure was too small from the beginning and plans began almost immediately to build a bigger church. In 1857, with the appointment of a Bishop to oversee the region, plans began in earnest to build the first Cathedral for Omaha, St. Philomena’s, to replace St. Mary’s.
