St. Mary Magdalene Church, Omaha

St. Mary Magdalene Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish founded in 1868, when German-speaking Catholics organized a congregation separate from the predominantly Irish St. Philomena’s Cathedral. The first church stood elsewhere downtown, while the present building was completed in 1903.

The parish remains part of the Archdiocese of Omaha and continues to serve residents, workers, and visitors through a frequent schedule of Masses and confessions. The present church is a Gothic Revival design associated with architect Charles Cleves. One of its most unusual features resulted from a major engineering project rather than the original design. When Dodge Street was lowered by about 20 feet in 1920, the church was left standing above the new street level. Instead of lowering the building, workers constructed a new lower level beneath it, effectively extending the church downward. The former ground floor became an upper level or balcony. This unusual process has led to descriptions of the church as having been constructed “from the top down.” St. Mary Magdalene remains an active parish centered on Catholic worship rather than functioning primarily as a historic attraction. Its schedule includes several Masses on most days as well as regular confession opportunities.

The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its architecture and connection with the large-scale street-grading projects that reshaped the surrounding area during the early 20th century. Visitors may attend public liturgies or view the interior respectfully while observing the needs of worshippers and ongoing religious services.