Clergy

Pastor: Rev. Damien J. Cook

Having moved from Ohio to Omaha, NE, at the age of 6, Fr. Cook grew up in St. Robert Bellarmine Parish.

He graduated from Creighton University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy, theology, and Latin and later obtained Master of Arts in Theology and Master of Divinity degrees from Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD.

Fr. Cook was ordained a priest in June of 1999 for the Archdiocese of Omaha. Fr. Cook served as a parochial vicar at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha from 1999 until 2002 and at St. Patrick Church in Fremont from 2002 until 2004.

Fr. Cook was installed as pastor of St. Peter Church on the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul on June 29, 2004. Fr. Cook is also the director of the Respect Life Apostolate, the pro-life office of the Archdiocese of Omaha, since 2005. To watch brief videos about Fr. Cook's vocational journey, please click here. To learn more about the Respect Life Apostolate, please visit its website here.

Parochial Vicar: Rev. S. Anthony Weidner

Fr. Weidner grew up in St. Leo the Great Parish in Omaha and graduated from Creighton Prep High School and Loyola University of New Orleans. He earned a Master of Arts in History degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and taught school for the Dallas Independent School District in Dallas, TX, for four years.

In response to the Lord's call, Fr. Weidner entered seminary for the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1999 and attended the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, where he received Master of Arts in Theology and Master of Divinity degrees.

Fr. Weidner was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Omaha in June of 2005 and served as the parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in Norfolk from 2005 until 2008. Fr. Weidner currently serves at St. Peter Church where he has been a parochial vicar since 2008.

In Residence: Rev. Nguyen Loi

Fr. Loi serves as the pastor of Our Lady of Fatima, the Vietnamese parish in the Archdiocese of Omaha. Since 2004 he has lived in residence at the St. Peter rectory.

The members of Our Lady of Fatima parish make their home at St. Peter Church and use the church and parish facilities.

Fr. Loi was ordained a secular priest on May 14, 1968 for the Diocese of Long-Xuyen, Vietnam. During his time as a priest in Vietnam he was once incarcerated by the communist government for 4 months because he would not renounce his fidelity to the Roman Catholic Church. He escaped Vietnam by boat in 1980 and arrived in the United States in 1981. He was invited by friends to Omaha in 1981 and has ever since cared for the Vietnamese-speaking peoples of the Archdiocese of Omaha.  

Deacon John J. Zak 

Deacon John Zak and his lovely wife, Mary, are the parents to 13 children and became members of St. Peter Church in 1988. He was ordained a permanent deacon of the Archdiocese of Omaha on November 1, 1998. 

In addition to liturgical service at St. Peter Church, Deacon Zak is the director of the parish youth group and a catechist in the parish catechism program. He and his family are active in the parish.

Deacon Zak also works at Alegent Health Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA, as the team lead in respiratory therapy. He obtained a degree in respiratory therapy from the College of St. Mary in Omaha, NE, in 1978. He and his wife are also third order members of the Christ the King Lay Carmelites.