On a quiet stretch of South 22nd Street and across town on O Street, two church buildings sit side by side with the rhythms of one Catholic parish. Assumption-Guadalupe Catholic Church brings together Our Lady of Guadalupe Church at 2302 O Street and Assumption Church at 5838 S. 22nd Street into a single bilingual community that serves both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking Catholics in south Omaha. Part of the Our Lady of the Saints family of parishes within the Archdiocese of Omaha, the parish offers eight weekend Masses, two daily Masses, the sacraments in both languages, and a wide circle of devotional and ministry groups rooted in the Hispanic Catholic tradition.
Two buildings, one parish family
Parishioners move easily between the two church buildings. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on O Street is the home of most of the daily Masses and the English 8:00 AM Sunday Mass. Assumption Church on South 22nd Street is the home of the Saturday 5:00 PM English Mass, the Sunday 10:30 AM English Mass, and the Sunday 1:00 PM Spanish Mass. Both buildings host the Spanish Masses that fill out the weekend schedule. The parish office sits between them at 4930 S 23rd Street, where staff answer phones, file sacramental records, and coordinate the Faith Formation office on the second floor.
The parish describes itself in its mission statement as "born of Assumption, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and St. Agnes Parishes," the product of a long merger of south Omaha's historic Catholic communities. That history shows up in the parish's two patron churches and in the steady flow of bilingual ministries that grew out of those combined neighborhoods.
Mass and confession schedules for a bilingual Sunday
Weekend Masses begin Saturday evening and run through a packed Sunday. On Saturday, Assumption Church hosts the vigil Mass in English at 5:00 PM, followed by a 7:00 PM Spanish Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe. On Sunday morning, Masses go: 8:00 AM in English at Our Lady of Guadalupe, 10:00 AM in Spanish at Our Lady of Guadalupe, 10:30 AM in English at Assumption, 12:00 PM in Spanish at Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1:00 PM in Spanish at Assumption, and 7:00 PM in Spanish at Our Lady of Guadalupe.
During the week, two daily Masses are offered Monday through Friday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church: 12:10 PM in English and 6:00 PM in Spanish. Confessions are heard Tuesday through Friday from 5:00 to 5:50 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe, with additional Saturday confessions from 4:00 to 4:50 PM at Assumption Church and 6:00 to 6:50 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe. Holy Day Masses follow a separate schedule posted under the Parish Information tab, with services offered in both languages at the two church buildings and at neighboring parishes in the Our Lady of the Saints family.
The priests, deacon, and staff who keep the parish running
The parish is served by three priests and a deacon. Father William Bond is the pastor, with Father Mauricio Tovar and Father Brett Jamrog serving as associate pastors. Deacon Ramon Contreras assists at the parish and supports the Spanish-speaking community. The parish staff includes Zita Herrera at the reception desk, Carmen Navarrete handling the bulletin and parish records, Bill Berry as business manager, Eloisa Robles as custodian, and Joe Lara handling maintenance.
Faith Formation has its own dedicated team, with Marcela Cervantes as director and Nancy Rodriguez Perez as office assistant. They run the Faith Formation Office on the second floor of the parish office, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (closed for lunch from noon to 1:00 PM and closed on Thursdays).
Sacraments in English and Spanish
The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are all available at Assumption-Guadalupe, and every page on the parish's sacramental section is mirrored in Spanish. The parish walks parishioners through Baptism, Penance (Confession), Confirmation, the Eucharist, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick, with separate Spanish-language pages for Bautismo, Penitencia, Confirmación, Eucaristía, Matrimonio, Orden Sagrado, and Unción de los Enfermos. The sacramental pages draw on USCCB teaching, including the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, and the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Francis.
Baptism is described as the rite of initiation that makes the baptized "members of one another," rejecting sin and professing commitment to the Church's beliefs, values, and vision. Penance involves examination of conscience, the social dimensions of sin, and the call to repair the harm caused by sin. Confirmation is presented as a strengthening by the Holy Spirit for witness and mission, with the bishop as a sign of connection to the universal Church. The Eucharist is central to the Sunday celebration, called "a little Easter" and described in light of John Paul II's apostolic letter Dies Domini as a day of rest and renewal.
Matrimony is taught as a sacrament that reflects the love of Christ for the Church and the communion of the Trinity, with the family as the "domestic church." Holy Orders frames ordained ministry as service: priests and deacons as representatives of Christ, proclaimers of the Word, pastors, presiders of the Eucharist, builders of community, missionaries, servants, advocates for the poor, witnesses, and evangelizers of social realities. The Anointing of the Sick is presented as both a healing of body and spirit and a sign that the sick themselves are sent as laborers into the Lord's vineyard.
Faith Formation for children and adults
The Faith Formation program for children runs during the regular school year, September through April, preparing children ages 7 through 16 to receive the Sacraments of Baptism (if needed), Confession, First Communion, and Confirmation. Classes are offered in English and Spanish. Families interested in registering a child can reach the Faith Formation office directly at 402-738-8240.
For adults, the parish runs the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), the formal process for adults who are unbaptized, baptized in another Christian tradition, baptized Catholic but missing Eucharist or Confirmation, or simply curious about the Catholic faith. The fall OCIA program begins each September with a five-week Kerygma series held on Sunday afternoons at 4:00 PM in the Assumption Church cafeteria, then moves to Saturday mornings at 10:00 AM in the St. Mary's basement. Inquirers and those completing their sacraments at Easter are warmly welcomed. The parish office (402-731-2196 or office@assumptionguadalupechurch.org) is the main contact for registration and information.
Kerygma: the message at the heart of evangelization
The word kerygma comes from the Greek for "to proclaim" and "herald." The parish presents the kerygma as "the message of salvation of the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ," drawing on the USCCB's Living as Missionary Disciples and Pope Francis's Evangelii Gaudium. In its simplest form: "Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you; and now he is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free you." The parish offers Kerygma sessions in both English and Spanish each fall, treating the proclamation of Christ's life, death, and Resurrection as the core of evangelization and the foundation for missionary discipleship.
Adoration, First Friday, and the devotional rhythms of the parish
Weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held every Thursday from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, giving the parish a regular midweek hour of prayer in the middle of the day. The First Friday devotion extends this with a 40-hour devotion to the Blessed Sacrament that begins at 9:00 AM on the Wednesday before First Friday and continues through Friday evening at Our Lady of Guadalupe. The parish also maintains a Night Adoration ministry for those drawn to a longer quiet hour with the Eucharist.
Our Lady of Guadalupe holds a special place in the devotional life of the parish. The annual Our Lady of Guadalupe novena leads into the December 12 feast day, and the parish gathers for 44 Rosaries to the Virgin of Guadalupe in the days surrounding her feast. A Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe for Protection is available in both English and Spanish for download. Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated each year with two events: a Spanish gathering at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and an English gathering at Christ the King Church.
Ministry groups rooted in Marian devotion and Hispanic Catholic life
The parish offers a range of ministries that reflect its Hispanic Catholic identity and its long history with Marian and charismatic movements. Each group has its own charism, and parishioners are encouraged to find the group that matches their spiritual needs.
The Guadalupanas Sodality centers devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and supports the parish's patroness celebrations. The Assumption-Guadalupe Altar Society cares for the sanctuary, linens, and liturgical needs of the parish. The Legion of Mary operates in English, with La Legión de María running in Spanish for Spanish-speaking parishioners; both branches follow the Legion's traditional pattern of prayer, apostolic work, and visiting the homebound.
Renovación Carismática Católica offers a Spanish-language Charismatic community within the parish, centered on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, prayer, and small-group fellowship. Cursillos de Cristianidad, also in Spanish, runs the three-day Cursillo movement that introduces adults to a deeper Christian life and a community of follow-up small groups. Movimiento Familiar Cristiano Católico (the Catholic Christian Family Movement) supports couples and families with spirituality, formation, and action in the parish and beyond.
Parish Fiesta, Posadas, and the year on the calendar
The parish calendar follows the rhythm of the liturgical year and the cultural celebrations of its bilingual community. The annual Parish Fiesta brings the community together for an evening carnival and weekend of food, games, rides, music, and Mass. The weekend begins on Friday evening and wraps up Sunday evening around 8:30 PM with the raffle drawing, which carries a $10,000 grand prize. The parish Fiesta is also a moment for stewardship, with parishioners invited to donate supplies (to-go containers, paper towels, aluminum pans, napkins, foam plates, clear cups, plastic utensils) that can be dropped off at the parish office or in the back of either church.
Throughout the year, the parish marks major feasts and traditions. Good Friday brings the Living Stations of the Cross. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated as a parish event. September 15 is observed each year, and December 12 is the centerpiece of the Our Lady of Guadalupe novena. During Advent, the parish gathers for the Posadas, the traditional nine-day novena leading up to Christmas that retraces Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem.
Online giving, Scrip, and stewardship
The parish accepts donations online through ParishSoft ConnectNow Giving, with options for one-time gifts or recurring contributions. The giving service is one of the platforms trusted by the Archdiocese of Omaha for parish contributions and faith formation registration, and the parish emphasizes the security of the transactions and the convenience of setting up automatic weekly or monthly donations.
Beyond online giving, the parish runs a Scrip gift card program coordinated by Kathy Liechti. Parishioners purchase gift cards for groceries, gas, dining, and retail from over 300 brands through the Scrip coordinator at a discount; the parish keeps the difference as an instant rebate. Cards can be purchased at the parish office during the week or in the back of Assumption Church after the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass. The program is also a Christmas shopping staple, with order deadlines each November and December timed to deliver cards before Black Friday and the holidays.
The parish is also working to reduce expenses through volunteer snow removal, asking parishioners willing to be on call for parking lot and sidewalk clearing after winter storms to call the parish office. Snow can fall on any day, including holidays, and the effort is part of the parish's broader move toward self-reliance under the review of the Archdiocese.
The Nebraska Catholic Day of Giving
Once a year, Assumption-Guadalupe joins the rest of the Catholic dioceses of Nebraska for the statewide Catholic Day of Giving. The day recognizes the role of local Catholic parishes in proclaiming the Gospel in their neighborhoods and across the wider Internet. Donations on the day are routed through the iGiveCatholic.org page set up for the parish and help fund the parish's ongoing ministry and evangelization.
Reflections, bulletin, and ongoing faith formation
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin that now includes both Assumption-Guadalupe and the other parishes of the Our Lady of the Saints family, since the formerly separate bulletins merged. Bulletins are archived through the parish's bulletin provider and remain the main source of up-to-date parish announcements. Reflections on the Sunday readings are shared through a partnership with the St. Paul Center, with weekly reflections and additional Scripture studies available online.
Prayer requests can be submitted through the parish, and the parish staff passes them on for the prayers of the community. The parish also keeps an active links page that points parishioners to the Archdiocese of Omaha, the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Voice newspaper, Holy Family Shrine, the Chapel of the Holy Innocents, Spirit Catholic Radio, and Nebraskans Embracing Life.
Visiting Assumption-Guadalupe
The parish office at 4930 S 23rd Street is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with a lunch break from noon to 1:00 PM, and is closed on Thursdays and on national holidays and holy days of obligation. The parish office phone (402-731-2196) and email (office@AssumptionGuadalupeChurch.org) are the best ways to reach the staff. The Faith Formation Office can be reached directly at 402-738-8240 for questions about programs for children and OCIA.
Two church buildings make it easy to find a Mass that fits a working schedule or a particular language. Anyone new to the parish is warmly invited to come as they are, join in the Eucharist, and let the parish know how they can be welcomed and connected into the life of this bilingual Catholic community.