Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Bellwood, Nebraska, Founded by Luxembourgers, Celebrates 150 Years
On Saturday, September 14, 2024, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Bellwood, Nebraska, about one hour north of Lincoln, celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding by Luxembourg immigrants in 1874. Bishop Conley of Lincoln presided at a Mass of Thanksgiving which was followed by a picnic-style dinner and reception, an historic display and music.
The location of Presentation Parish, which is in the Town of Savannah, Butler County, in what is known as the Platte River Valley, has been referred to by various names over its history: Luxemburg, Luxembourg Settlement, the Valley, Marietta (a nickname for its parochial school) and Bellwood.
The first Luxembourg settlers, P. N. and Mary Barbara Meysenburg, arrived in the region in July 1869 from Cascade, Iowa, near Dubuque. The following year, they were joined by other members of the Meysenburg family as well as other Luxembourg immigrants, many of whom had also first settled in Cascade, Iowa.
The first Mass for the growing Luxembourg community was celebrated in the P.N. and Mary Barbara Meysenburg home on April 16, 1874. Fundraising for a church building began in 1877 and the first frame church was dedicated in 1878. This church proved too small and was replaced with a new church dedicated in January 1891. Sadly, less than three weeks after its dedication, the church burned to the ground. The cause of the fire was never determined. The parish received a $4,000 insurance payment and the third (current) church was dedicated on August 15, 1891.
Over the years, Presentation Parish operated a parish grade school (1898-1970) and its own Marietta High School (1925-1961). Its Marietta High School (Marietta meaning little Mary) held the distinction of being the smallest accredited high school in the United States from 1928-1945.
In 1909, the parish community installed a statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg (Consolatrix Afflictorum) in the church as a reminder of the parish’s Luxembourg heritage. The statue was donated by parishioners John Morbach and Nicholas Smith. It was blessed by the local bishop and carried in procession into Presentation Church by four young girls from the parish. The statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg has been a treasured part of the parish’s heritage and spiritual life for 115 years.
During the 150th anniversary celebration, a sterling silver rosary from Luxembourg was presented as a gift to the parish and the statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg by Kevin Wester, Attaché for Cultural Affairs, on behalf of the Honorary Consul of Luxembourg in Wisconsin, Mike Ansay. Kevin had purchased the rosary in May 2024 during the annual Oktav of Our Lady of Luxembourg in Luxembourg City. The rosary features a medallion of the original statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg housed at the cathedral and it was blessed by His Eminence Jean-Claude Cardinal Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg.
Following the 150th anniversary celebration, the special rosary was hung on the arm of the statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg. This was a most fitting tribute to the ancestral and spiritual ties that Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish shares with the country of Luxembourg. It is also worth noting that while Presentation Parish celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2024, the original statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg in Luxembourg City and the devotion to her, celebrated its 400th Jubilee also in 2024. While these realities are 250 years apart, the spiritual link between these two statues continues to inspire believers both in Luxembourg and in this rural region of Nebraska.
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