About Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary · Assumption, Illinois
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a small Roman Catholic parish located at 301 St. Peter Street in the village of Assumption, Christian County, Illinois. It belongs to the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and is currently clustered with two neighboring parishes — Immaculate Conception in Shelbyville and St. Francis de Sales in Moweaqua — under a single pastor. According to the Diocesan Pastoral Directory, the parish serves about 64 registered families (roughly 198 parishioners). The parish shares a joint website with St. Francis de Sales and worships in the Roman (Latin) Rite.
- Patron
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Pawel A. Augustyniak, J.C.L.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a tight-knit country parish where Sunday Mass is celebrated in an intimate setting each week. The parish is part of a friendly tri-parish Catholic family with Immaculate Conception in Shelbyville and St. Francis de Sales in Moweaqua, so visitors and new parishioners find a supportive network of small-town Catholics across central Illinois. With a Coordinator of Religious Education (Brian Pekovitch) and a Liturgical Music Coordinator (Jack Erisman) on staff, the parish offers faith formation and a sung liturgy; the parish also maintains St. Mary Cemetery on site, giving families a continuing Catholic presence through every stage of life.
Mass times at Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 5:30 p.m. — First Wednesday of the month
- By appointment
Parish Identity & Diocese
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. It sits in the village of Assumption, Christian County, in rural central Illinois, and is listed in the Diocesan Pastoral Directory under the care of the diocesan bishop, Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki.
- Diocese: Springfield in Illinois
- Diocesan bishop: Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki
- Rite: Roman (Latin)
- Parish directory ID: 276 (dio.org)
- GCatholic Church ID: 30245
Parish Staff
According to the official diocesan directory, the parish is led by Rev. Pawel A. Augustyniak, J.C.L., and supported by a secretary, a Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE), and a Liturgical Music Coordinator.
- Pastor: Rev. Pawel A. Augustyniak, J.C.L.
- Secretary: Chelli Branyan
- Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE): Brian Pekovitch
- Liturgical Music Coordinator: Jack Erisman
Tri-Parish Cluster: Assumption, Shelbyville, and Moweaqua
Assumption of the BVM is part of a three-parish cluster served by a single pastor. The other two parishes in the grouping are Immaculate Conception in Shelbyville and St. Francis de Sales in Moweaqua. Father Augustyniak was appointed Parochial Administrator of all three parishes in 2019 and Pastor in 2020. The Assumption parish shares its website and Mass schedule communication with St. Francis de Sales in Moweaqua.
- Immaculate Conception, Shelbyville (1431 State Highway 128, P.O. Box 233, Shelbyville, IL 62565)
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Assumption (301 St. Peter St., Assumption, IL 62510)
- St. Francis de Sales, Moweaqua (231 East Warren St., Moweaqua, IL 62550)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education is coordinated through the parish's CRE, Brian Pekovitch. The Religious Education Center and Parish Hall in Assumption can be reached at (217) 226-3205 for information about programs, registration, and class schedules.
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Brian Pekovitch
- Religious Education Center & Parish Hall phone: (217) 226-3205
Liturgical Music
Music for the parish liturgies is coordinated by Jack Erisman, the parish's Liturgical Music Coordinator.
- Liturgical Music Coordinator: Jack Erisman
St. Mary Cemetery
The parish operates St. Mary Cemetery at 301 St. Peter Street, Assumption, IL 62510. The pastor serves as cemetery manager, and the parish office phone, (217) 226-3536, is the contact for cemetery arrangements.
- Cemetery: St. Mary Cemetery
- Cemetery address: 301 St. Peter St., Assumption, IL 62510
- Cemetery Manager: Rev. Pawel Augustyniak
Visiting & Contact
Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish by phone, fax, or email. The parish office, rectory, and cemetery all share the same St. Peter Street address.
- Address: 301 St. Peter Street, Assumption, IL 62510
- Phone: (217) 226-3536
- Fax: (217) 226-3538
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stfrancisandstmary.weebly.com
- Religious Education Center & Parish Hall: (217) 226-3205
Parish History & Community Context
The village of Assumption was founded in the 1850s when French-Canadian families — many of them refugees from the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837–38 — settled along the Illinois Central Railroad and named the community 'L'Assomption' after the Louisiana parish. The Catholic congregation at 301 St. Peter Street grew alongside this small farming and rail community, and today remains a small but dedicated country parish.
- Village of Assumption founded in the 1850s by French-Canadian settlers
- Named 'L'Assomption' after the Louisiana parish
- Located in Christian County, along U.S. Route 51
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Donald L. Wolford
Listed as pastor in older parish directories and on third-party parish sites; currently shown as pastor emeritus on the weebly homepage with a welcome message.
- Rev. Pawel A. Augustyniak, J.C.L.2019–present
Born December 4, 1975; ordained May 26, 2007; incardinated in the Diocese of Radom, Poland. Parochial Vicar at St. Agnes, Springfield (2017–2019). Diocesan Tribunal Judge (2017–present). Parochial Administrator of the Assumption/Shelbyville/Moweaqua cluster 2019–2020; Pastor since 2020.