Sacred Heart Parish and Monsignor Ostdick

Monsignor Ostdick

Monsignor Ostdick was the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish while the DePorres Club was active. Due to its proximity to North Omaha, Monsignor Ostdick had to determine whether or not he would allow Black individuals to attend the parish and school. Denny Holland first spoke with Ostdick in November of 1946. When Holland stated, “then Father you will not accept Negros in your parish,” Msgr. Osdick responded, “I rather you not state it that way. They have a parish, but not here” (Markoe Archives B3 F23). Ostdick claimed his hostility was because he did not want to offend Fr. Moreland, pastor of St. Benedict’s. The conversation between Denny Holland and Msgr. Ostdick continued in 1957 when Denny sent Ostdick some literature on racial justice. In his response, Msgr. Ostdick claimed that he had always supported civil rights, saying, “I have been fired on many times from both sides and have received no comfort and encouragement from anyone no matter how hard I sacrificed myself and tried to please all” (Markoe Archives B4 F20). Although statements from Msgr. Ostdick showed that he became more sympathetic to the Civil Rights movement over time, he was unwilling to admit he was at one point part of the problem.

St. Benedict's Vs Sacred Heart

St. Benedict the Moor and Sacred Heart Parishes have had an intertwined history since the mid-1900s. Historically, St. Benedict's had been an Black parish, whereas Sacred Heart was predominantly white. As North Omaha became more segregated due to redlining, Black families began attending Sacred Heart and attempting to enroll their children at the parish school. This caused white parishioners to move out of the parish area, movement similar to that in many other cities across the nation (McGreevy, 1998). The DePorres Club attempted to bridge the gap between the two parishes, but after interviewing Sacred Heart leadership in 1946, the Club received pushback about attempts to integrate the communities (Markoe Archives B3 F23). Seventy-five years later, the parishes are both members of the Historic 24th Street Family of Parishes and share a pastor (The Historic 24th Street Family of Parishes). 

For more information of the history of St. Benedict the Moor and Sacred Heart Parishes visit  Historic 24th Street Parishes

McGreevy, John T. Parish Boundaries. University of Chicago Press, 8 May 1998.