About Holy Cross · Champaign, Illinois
The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a Roman Catholic parish in Champaign, Illinois, part of the Diocese of Peoria. Established in 1912 and housed in a striking church begun in 1920 and completed in 1924, Holy Cross serves roughly 970 families in the Champaign-Urbana area under the long-running motto 'Always Home, Always Family.' The parish is led by Msgr. Brian K. Brownsey and Fr. Joseph Baker, and operates alongside Holy Cross Catholic School (K-8), a daily food pantry through St. Vincent de Paul, a sister-parish relationship with St. Isaac Jogues in Rapid City, South Dakota, and a robust formation program for children and adults.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- The Holy Cross (Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
- Rector
- Msgr. Brian K. Brownsey
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria (Bishop Louis Tylka)
Why belong here
Holy Cross is a warm, family-sized parish of roughly 970 households in downtown Champaign, offering four Sunday Masses, daily Mass, Friday Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction, a robust OCIA process for adults, monthly Family Faith Formation for K-8 children, and a Children's Liturgy of the Word for ages 3 through 1st grade. Faith formation here is paired with an active elementary school (K-8) and concrete outreach: a daily St. Vincent de Paul food pantry and a long-standing sister-parish relationship with St. Isaac Jogues in Rapid City, South Dakota, that serves a largely Native American community. If you're looking for a Catholic home in Champaign-Urbana where you can pray, serve, and raise a family, Holy Cross lives up to its tagline—'Always Home, Always Family.'
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: 6:30 am – 6:45 am
- Friday: 7:45 am – 8:00 am
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Fridays after the 8:15 am Mass, with Benediction at 2:30 pm
About Holy Cross
The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a Catholic parish in Champaign, Illinois, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria. The parish centers its life on the celebration of the Mass and the sacraments, while offering ministries, outreach programs, and formation opportunities for parishioners of all ages. The parish mission states: 'to provide a home for all who wish to join our spiritual family and share our Catholic beliefs and values…to make His name known and loved, and to live our lives according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, under the leadership of the Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria.' The parish is guided locally by its pastor and staff, and connected to the broader Church through Bishop Louis Tylka and the Diocese of Peoria.
- Motto: 'Always Home, Always Family'
- Approximately 970 registered families
- Part of the Diocese of Peoria (Bishop Louis Tylka)
Church History
Holy Cross was established as a parish in 1912. Construction of the present Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross began in 1920 and was completed in 1924. The interior was extensively renovated in 1983—an eight-month project during which Masses were held in the Holy Cross School gym. The renovation was directed by parishioner Harry Breen, a University of Illinois art professor, who worked pro bono and reused as much of the original material as possible: Italian marble was fashioned into a new altar, ambo, and priest's chair from the old communion rail, and the German stained glass windows were reinforced. The deep-blue arched ceiling with gold stars represents heaven; the floor and pews suggest the earth; and the wall colors evoke Illinois prairie fields at harvest.
- Parish established: 1912
- Church construction: 1920–1924
- Major interior renovation: 1983 (8 months)
- Renovation designer: Harry Breen, UIUC professor of art and design
- Crucifix sculptor: Peter Fagan
Architecture & Sacred Art
The sanctuary holds a unique bronze crucifix designed for Holy Cross by Peter Fagan, based on the Shroud of Turin image of Christ, hung beneath the original 1924 baldacchino that was retained after Vatican II. To the west stands the statue of 'Mary Help of Christians,' carved in China and commissioned by the Salesian priests who served the parish for four years (installed July 13, 2016). To the east, the Baptistry features a Harry Breen mural of the Illinois prairie with its native sunflower (symbolizing the faithful Christian following Christ) and a peacock on a truncated tree—ancient Christian symbols of immortality and the crucifixion.
- Italian marble (altar, ambo, priest's chair)
- German stained glass windows
- Baldacchino retained from the 1924 design
- Peter Fagan bronze crucifix (Shroud of Turin model)
Parish Leadership & Staff
Holy Cross is currently served by Msgr. Brian K. Brownsey as pastor and Fr. Joseph Baker as parochial vicar, with two deacons and a dedicated lay staff and trustee board.
- Pastor: Msgr. Brian K. Brownsey
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Joseph Baker
- Deacon Michael Smith
- Deacon Ed Mohrbacher
- Trustees: John Kelley, Bill Graham
- Parish Secretary: Donna McFarland
- Business Director: Stephanie Rank
- Director of Religious Education: Elizabeth Kelley
- Director of Development: John Powers
- Director of Music: Charlie Lowary
- Maintenance: Jonathan Young
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Cross offers formation opportunities for every age, from preschool through adulthood. Family Formation provides religious education and sacramental preparation for children in grades K-8, meeting once a month and supporting parents as the primary educators of the faith—especially welcoming to families whose children attend public schools or are homeschooled. During the 10:00 am Mass, the Children's Liturgy of the Word dismisses children ages 3 through 1st grade to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word at their level. Adults seeking to enter or learn more about the Catholic Church are welcomed through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), which meets Wednesday evenings September through May.
- Family Formation (K-8, monthly)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (ages 3–Grade 1, during 10:00 am Mass)
- OCIA (adults, Wednesdays September–May)
Spiritual Apostolates & Devotions
Beyond the standard parish offerings, Holy Cross hosts several spiritual apostolates that deepen prayer life for adults. The Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy is a guided study program through the Marians of the Immaculate Conception that supports the works of mercy and promotes Divine Mercy as a way of life, using the Bible, Catechism, St. Faustina's Diary, and the EADM Manual. The Seven Sisters Apostolate commits one Holy Hour per day, seven days a week, in prayer for a specific priest or bishop—an apostolate open to all women of the parish.
- Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy (EADM)
- Seven Sisters Apostolate (one Holy Hour per day for a specific priest)
- Wednesday Devotion: 5:30–6:00 pm
- Friday Adoration with 2:30 pm Benediction
Holy Cross Catholic School
Holy Cross Catholic School has served the Champaign-Urbana community for over a century, providing faith-centered education that integrates Catholic values with academic excellence from preschool through 8th grade. Students participate in daily prayer and religious instruction and benefit from a well-rounded curriculum that prepares them for continued academic success, with many graduates continuing on to St. Thomas More High School. The school works with Champaign Unit 4 schools to supply additional teaching resources and provides financial assistance for at-need students.
- Grades served: Preschool through 8
- Principal: Chris Ellis ([email protected])
- School office phone: (217) 356-9521
- School email: [email protected]
- Superintendent: Donna Taylor
- Athletics nickname: Crusaders
- Extracurriculars: Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, service opportunities
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a pillar of parish life at Holy Cross. The parish supports a daily food pantry through St. Vincent de Paul and maintains a long-standing sister-parish relationship with St. Isaac Jogues in Rapid City, South Dakota—a mission parish serving approximately 180 families, many of them Native American. Fundraising at Holy Cross helps fund the mission, school supplies for children, and other community needs. A Pro-Life Committee keeps the parish engaged in life issues, and various volunteer and health ministries offer parishioners concrete ways to serve.
- St. Vincent de Paul daily food pantry
- Sister parish: St. Isaac Jogues, Rapid City, South Dakota
- Pro-Life Committee
- Volunteer ministries (including Nurses / health ministries)
- Girl Scouts / Boy Scouts
Getting Involved
Parishioners and newcomers are invited to explore the ministries at Holy Cross through the parish website. The volunteer page highlights opportunities to serve in health ministries and other roles, while the Faith Formation and OCIA pages invite participation as catechists, leaders, and prayer partners.
- Contact the parish office at (217) 352-8748 or [email protected]
- Parish Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Walter McGinn
Instrumental in raising funds that led to the school/convent expansion and the eventual formation of St. Matthew's Parish as an offshoot.
- Msgr. Bernard Render
Pastor at the time of the 1983 interior renovation, directed by Harry Breen; earlier began celebrating Mass for Mahomet Catholics in August 1975, leading to Our Lady of the Lake parish.
- Msgr. Brian K. Brownsey
Current pastor; listed on the Diocese of Peoria page and parish staff roster.