St. Wenceslaus Church, Milligan, NE

Address: 703 Main Street, Milligan, NE 68406

Website: https://www.lincolndiocese.org/directory/parishes/750-st-wenceslaus-milligan

Overview
The modern structure of St. Wenceslaus Church in Milligan, dedicated in 1980, is a continuation of a long Catholic tradition in the area that started with the building of one of the first Czech Catholic Churches in Nebraska between 1874 and 1876. The current brick building stands prominently at the end of Main Street near the public school and park and houses an historic wood altar. The peaceful small church reflects the piety and ancestry of the parish with many lovely statues and an oil painting of St. Wenceslaus over 100 years old. The church is open most weekdays for private prayer and Masses are held on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m.

Special things to see in the Church
> Two images of the patron St. Wenceslaus: an oil painting and a statue
> Original white wood altar with painting at the center and fleurs-de-lis on top
> Four original statues in the sanctuary: Sacred Heart, Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. Theresa of Lisieux
> German-style stained glass windows in the nave with medallions of Catholic symbols
> Czech language inscriptions of donors beneath the stained glass windows and on side altars

Interesting Fact About the Church
The current church was built in 1978-79 funded primarily by the donation of a local couple commemorated on a plaque just outside of the front door; however, the history of Catholicism in the town dates back to 1874-76 to a small chapel just northwest of town known as The Pioneer Chapel.
> The bell from the original church hangs in a free-standing bell tower near the front of the church. The bell gathered dust in a local’s garage for years until it was resurrected in 1984.