William Woeger, Festival’s late founder, is honored at the 40th annual Flower Festival

William Woeger, Festival's late founder, is honored at the 40th annual Flower Festival

OMAHA, Nebraska — Brother William Woeger had a vision to bring the beauty of spring into the cathedral. To honor him after his death in December, the church installed a display highlighting his impact on the community.

  • “His creativity and his talent and his desire to bring beauty to the people that did so much for our community here at Saint Cecilia’s and for the greater community.”
  • This year, the theme is ‘Let There be Light’ with over 25 different displays showcasing different kinds of Holy Light.
  • If you couldn’t make it this year, the Flower Festival will be back next year at the same time, the last full weekend in January.

It’s not every day in the middle of winter that you get to smell flowers this fresh. The 40th annual Flower Festival at St. Cecilia Cathedral is a time for neighbors to gather and celebrate a taste of spring, as well as to honor the festival’s founder, the late Brother William Woeger.

Brother William Woeger had a vision in 1984 to bring springtime beauty into the cathedral.

He wanted to lift people’s spirits during a typically gloomy time of year.

“His creativity and his talent and his desire to bring beauty to the people that did so much for our community here at Saint Cecilia’s and for the greater community,” the pastor, Father Jeremy Hans, said.

His goal was to make art accessible to all neighbors, which is why the cathedral arts project was born. For 35 years, he oversaw the program that brought people from all walks of life together to celebrate the arts.

“He did have a tremendous part of this, and we hope to carry on his legacy and continue bringing that beauty to, to all people,” according to Father Hans.

This year’s theme is ‘Let there be Light’.

“Light is the first great gift; everything begins with light. “If there wasn’t light, there would be anything,” said James Pierson, executive director of the Flower Festival.

There are more than 25 displays throughout the cathedral. Each represents a distinct type of Holy Light.

“So we have the sun and the moon, lightning, resurrection light, light of knowledge, and light of peace. “We have all kinds of light,” Pierson explained.

This year, in honor of the late Brother William, who died in December, the church added a display highlighting his impact on the church and others in and around Omaha.

“We get so many people here at the cathedral that that from all over the city from outside the city that we don’t usually get and it’s so wonderful to have this event to give people, you know, this little pick me up in the middle of winter,” says Father Hans.

If you were unable to attend this year’s Flower Festival, it will return next year on the last full weekend in January.

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