RT. REV. MONSIGNOR MATHEW W. NEMEC, V.F.
Matthew Nemec, first Czech Catholic priest born and ordained in Nebraska, was born to Frank Nemec and Mary Budin Nemec in Omaha, Nebraska February 12, 1875. His parents had come to Omaha in 1871 from Pohore, Bohemia. The Nemec family was one of the first families of St. Wenceslaus Parish, Omaha. When Matthew was ten years old, his father died.
In spite of being hospitalized twice for pneumonia and flu during his seminary years, on February 4, 1899, he was ordained a priest in the Chapel of St. Mary's Convent at the request of the Sisters of Mercy who had taught him when he attended St. Wenceslaus School. He offered his First Solemn High Mass on February 12, his 24th birthday, and was sent to a German Parish in Petersburg, Nebraska. Later he served the parish in Geranium and built a priest's residence there. In the meantime he resided with the Adalbert Hoshek family, suffering many hardships traveling on foot or on horseback. He took care of the Polish Mission at Bolesczyn, building a new Church replacing the one destroyed by a tornado. In 1906 he was sent to St. Wenceslaus at Dodge; in 1907 he took charge of the Church in Fairfield and the Czech Mission in Loucky. In 1909 he was placed in charge of Abie where he survived an attack of typhoid fever. In 1916 he was transferred to St. Wenceslaus, Wahoo. A new church was begun in 1920. In 1923, it was dedicated by Bishop Duffey of Grand Island, a former seminary classmate of Father Nemec.
On February 12, 1924, Father Nemec celebrated his 25th Anniversary of Ordination. Grateful parishioners presented him with a car costing around $1400.
In 1929, the millenium year of the martyrdom of St. Wenceslaus, Father Nemec, with donations from his parishioners, visited Prague, Czechoslovakia. He had his picture taken at the Memorial Cross which had been erected by the first families before leaving for America.
In 1932, Bishop Louis B. Kucera made Wahoo the Deanery Center and Father Nemec was appointed a Vicar Forensic.
On March 1, 1937, at the request of Bishop Kucera, Pope Pius XI elevated Father Nemec to the rank of Domestic Prelate with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor.
During his pastorate at St. Wenceslaus in 1940, the interior of the Church was redecorated, a new organ purchased, and new heating plants installed in the Church and School. On November 2, 1954, construction of a new rectory was begun. It was blessed on June 26, 1955 by Bishop Kucera.
On August 17, 1956, 81-year old Msgr. Nemec, pastor for 40 years, relinquished administrative duties to Rev. Edward Kolar and stepped into a less active role as Pastor Emeritus. In 1959, he moved to St. John's Rectory in Weston residing with Father Otto Ekhaml until 1964. He was moved to the West Point Nursing Home. He died February 23, 1966 and was buried in St. Francis Cemetery in Wahoo on February 28, 1966.
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