About Holy Trinity · Fairview Heights, Illinois
Holy Trinity Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Fairview Heights, Illinois, formed in 2003–2004 from the merger of two long-standing Fairview Heights parishes, Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Albert the Great (and, for the school, St. Stephen of Caseyville). It belongs to the Diocese of Belleville (East St. Louis Deanery) and worships in a purpose-built sanctuary and K–8 school complex completed on Fountains Parkway in late 2007. As of 2025 more than 850 families are registered, and the parish is served by a pastor, two deacons, and a small staff of lay ministers.
- Established
- 2003
- Patron
- The Most Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
- Rector
- Reverend Carl E. Schrage
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville (East St. Louis Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Trinity is a young, growing parish — about 850 families strong — that grew directly out of the merger of two historic Fairview Heights communities and was given a brand-new church, school and community center in 2007. It pairs a full weekend Mass schedule (Saturday 4:00 pm, Sunday 7:30 am and 10:30 am) with Wednesday and Friday morning Masses, weekly Confession on Saturdays, a K–8 parish school, and an unusually wide range of ministries for a parish its size, including Faith Formation for children K–8, a preschool SEEDS program, a Children's Liturgy of the Word at the 10:30 Mass, parish-wide liturgical ministries (altar servers, lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, hospitality/greeters, sacristans, cantors and musicians), and social ministries like the Welcoming, Wellness, Golf Cart, new-member-meal and Homebound ministries. The parish's mission — "Communal Worship, Lifelong Learning, Stewardship and Service" — is lived out in the active volunteer life of the community and the joint parish-school campus.
Mass times at Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 p.m.
- Parish Reconciliation Service during Advent and Lent (dates announced)
Parish History
Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fairview Heights was established in 2003 by the Diocese of Belleville through the merger of two long-standing Fairview Heights parishes — Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Albert the Great — with a third parish (St. Stephen in Caseyville) joining the school effort. On the First Sunday of Advent, November 28, 2004, the two Fairview Heights faith communities first worshipped together as Holy Trinity. With the permanent church still unfinished, the combined parish worshipped for about two years at Pontiac Junior High School, humorously called "St. Pontiac's," setting up a removable altar, ambo and chairs in the gym each week; Christmas and the Paschal Triduum were celebrated at the Fountains Convention Center. The new Fountains Parkway campus broke ground on a cold and windy Sunday, March 19, 2006, on an old farmer's field. The parish moved from the gym into the new Parish Community Center on August 12, 2007, the same day Bishop Stanley G. Schlarman dedicated the school; more than 180 students began classes the next week and the parish held its first widely attended Summer Picnic. On December 2, 2007 Bishop Edward K. Braxton presided over the dedication of the worship space before more than 600 faithful — and in the first few months the parish averaged about six new families joining every week. Today the complex covers 84,439 square feet and houses the church sanctuary, multiple gathering spaces and the K–8 school, all surrounded by sports and agriculture fields.
- 2003 — Holy Trinity Parish established by the Diocese of Belleville
- November 28, 2004 — First Sunday of Advent: OLA and St. Albert the Great parishes first worship as Holy Trinity at Pontiac Junior High ("St. Pontiac's")
- March 19, 2006 — Groundbreaking on Fountains Parkway
- August 12, 2007 — Parish Community Center opens; school dedicated by Bishop Stanley G. Schlarman
- December 2, 2007 — Church dedicated by Bishop Edward K. Braxton before 600+ faithful
- 2025 — More than 850 registered families and roughly 300 students
Liturgical & Music Ministries
Parishioners serve the Mass itself through a full slate of liturgical ministries coordinated by the parish office. Youth in 4th grade and up are welcome to altar-serve weekday and weekend Masses, weddings and special liturgies. Sacristans prepare the sanctuary, while Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Readers (lectors), Hospitality/Greeters and Info Desk ministers serve the assembly directly. Wedding and Funeral Coordinators help families through those liturgies. On the music side, cantors and musicians support sung worship at weekend and holy day Masses.
- Altar Servers (youth 4th grade+; Deacon Art Hampton)
- Cantors/Musicians
- Sacristans (Carol Geluck)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Readers (Lectors)
- Hospitality / Greeters
- Info Desk Ministry
- Wedding Coordinator
- Funeral Coordinator
Faith Formation
Holy Trinity's Faith Formation programs are designed to partner with parents, the primary teachers of faith in the home. The parish runs Sunday-morning Youth Faith Formation (YFF) classes for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade inside Holy Trinity Catholic School, with catechist teams of volunteers. Children in grades K–3 who have not yet made their First Communion are invited to a Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLW) at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, and preschoolers ages 3–6 gather in the SEEDS room next to the parish office during that same Mass. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation is parish-centered, and the school and parish work together on formation.
- Youth Faith Formation (YFF) — Sundays 9:00–10:15 a.m., K–8, in the school (contact Fr. Carl Schrage, 618-628-8825 x405)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLW) — grades K–3, during the 10:30 a.m. Mass
- SEEDS — preschool program for ages 3–6 during the 10:30 a.m. Mass (Susan Pyle, 618-210-7454)
- Sacramental Preparation — First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation (parish-based, with family involvement)
Social & Community Ministries
Beyond the sanctuary, the parish offers several parish-life ministries that build community and extend care to members and neighbors. The Welcoming Ministry helps new families settle in through new-member meals and personal contact. A Wellness Ministry offers pastoral and practical support during times of illness or hardship, a Ministry to the Homebound brings Holy Communion and visits to those who cannot attend Mass, and a Golf Cart Ministry assists parishioners with mobility from the parking lot into church. The Info Desk and Hospitality/Greeters ministries make sure every visitor feels at home at Mass.
- Welcoming Ministry (new-member meals)
- Wellness Ministry
- Golf Cart Ministry (parking-lot assistance)
- Ministry to the Homebound
- Info Desk / Hospitality
Holy Trinity Catholic School
Holy Trinity Catholic School (HTCS) opened on the Fountains Parkway campus in the fall of 2007, consolidating the former Our Lady of the Assumption, St. Albert the Great and St. Stephen Catholic schools. It serves approximately 320 students from PreK3 through Grade 8, is recognized by the State of Illinois and accredited by the Diocese of Belleville, and all teachers and staff are state-certified and compliant with Diocesan child-protection requirements. Students attend weekly Mass on Wednesdays, plus Holy Days and special celebrations; non-Catholic students are accepted on the same tuition basis and are expected to respectfully participate in religious instruction and worship. The school day runs 8:00 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., all students wear uniforms, and admissions inquiries go to [email protected].
- PreK3 through Grade 8, ~320 students
- Located at 504 Fountains Parkway, Fairview Heights (618-628-7395; htcs.org)
- Weekly school Mass on Wednesdays; uniforms required
- Accredited by the Diocese of Belleville
- Partnered with St. Stephen Parish, Caseyville
Clergy & Staff
Holy Trinity is served by a pastor, two deacons and a small lay staff. The current pastor is Reverend Carl E. Schrage, who was ordained July 11, 2020 and is assigned to Holy Trinity by the Diocese of Belleville. He is assisted by two permanent deacons — Deacon Arthur L. Hampton and Deacon Tom Powers — and by Administrative Assistant Connie Crawford and Business Manager Yvonne Siebert.
- Rev. Carl E. Schrage — Pastor
- Deacon Arthur L. Hampton
- Deacon Tom Powers
- Connie Crawford — Administrative Assistant
- Yvonne Siebert — Business Manager (ext. 408)