About Immaculate Conception · Monmouth, Illinois
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) parish serving Monmouth, Illinois, and the surrounding Warren County area from its home at the northeast corner of North B Street and West Broadway Avenue. Established in 1864 as the Church of the Epiphany and now a parish of the Diocese of Peoria, it is linked with the out-mission of St. Patrick in Raritan and operates Immaculate Conception School, a PK–8 elementary school, plus the St. Augustine College Ministry that reaches Monmouth College and Carl Sandburg College students. Weekend Masses in English and Spanish, daily Mass, Friday Adoration, a year-round Reconciliation schedule, the Totus Tuus summer catechetical program, and a college Newman Center give the parish a full pastoral life for families, students, and lifelong Catholics alike.
- Established
- 1864
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Fr. Ignacio Cárdenas Morán
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a rare small-town parish that genuinely offers the whole Catholic package: three Sunday Masses including a Spanish-language Mass, daily Mass with an extra noon Mass at OSF Holy Family Chapel on Thursdays, Friday Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and a full weekly Reconciliation schedule. It runs Immaculate Conception School (PK–8), the St. Augustine College Ministry for Monmouth College and Carl Sandburg College students, the Totus Tuus summer program for grades 1–12, and is linked with the historic St. Patrick mission in Raritan — making it a true hub of Catholic life for Monmouth and Warren County.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- St. Teresa Campus, Alexis: Sunday 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
- Any time by appointment (309) 734-7533
Adoration times
- Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM in the Church
Parish History
The parish traces its origins to Irish Catholic settlers who arrived around 1854–1855. Priests from Burlington, Iowa, and then from Galesburg first cared for the mission; the first resident pastor, Fr. Joseph D. Bowles, arrived in 1869 and began the parish records. The original frame Church of the Epiphany was built in 1864, and in 1883–1884 a brick church was built at West Broadway Avenue and North B Street and dedicated by Bishop John L. Spalding as Immaculate Conception Church.
- 1854–1855: First Irish Catholic settlers arrive near Monmouth
- 1857: Fr. O'Neil of Galesburg becomes first regular attending priest (1857–1863)
- 1864: Frame Church of the Epiphany built at West Boston Ave & North C St
- 1869: Fr. Joseph D. Bowles appointed first resident pastor
- 1876: St. Patrick out-mission built in Raritan
- 1883: Cornerstone laid for brick Immaculate Conception Church
- October 5, 1884: Bishop John L. Spalding dedicates the new church
- 1887: St. Mary's Cemetery purchased under Fr. Martin F. Kelly
- 1908: Two-story brick rectory built east of the church
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church — Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony — and frames sacramental life as the source and summit of Christian life in keeping with the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1210, 1324).
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist
- Penance (Reconciliation)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Matrimony
Immaculate Conception School (PK–8)
The parish operates Immaculate Conception School, a PK–8 Catholic elementary school linked to the parish and listed as the parish school on the Diocese of Peoria's directory page. The school is featured prominently on the parish homepage with a direct link for enrollment and information.
- PK–8 Catholic elementary school
- Parish-operated and linked to Immaculate Conception Parish
- Listed in Diocese of Peoria parish directory
St. Augustine College Ministry
The St. Augustine College Ministry (parish Newman Center) serves students at Monmouth College, Carl Sandburg College, and other local vocational schools. The community gathers for a Thursday Bible study on campus and meets socially at the Koinonia House at 215 N. B St., and takes part in semester retreats with the St. Joseph Newman Center in Peoria.
- Serves Monmouth College, Carl Sandburg College, and area vocational schools
- Thursday Bible study on campus
- Fellowship at the Koinonia House, 215 N. B St.
- Semester retreats with St. Joseph Newman Center in Peoria
- Contact: Fr. Timothy Hepner, [email protected]
Faith Formation & Youth Programs
The parish hosts the Totus Tuus summer catechetical program, a week-long prayer and teaching program for children in grades 1–12 based on the motto of Pope St. John Paul II, 'Totally yours.' Combined with the parish school and ongoing sacramental preparation, this forms the core of youth faith formation.
- Totus Tuus: one-week summer program for grades 1–12
- Theme cycles include the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Glorious Mysteries
- Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by a pastor, a parochial vicar, two permanent deacons, and a parish secretary. The current leadership team is listed on the parish website's Staff page.
- Pastor: Fr. Ignacio Cárdenas Morán
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Timothy Hepner
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Tom Mann
- Permanent Deacon: Deacon Joe McCleary
- Parish Secretary: Martha Pinedo
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. O'Neil1857–1863
First regular attending priest, based in Galesburg
- Fr. Powers1863–
Supervised building of the first frame church (Church of the Epiphany) in 1864
- Fr. Howarduntil Nov 1869
- Fr. Joseph D. BowlesNov 1869–1872
First resident pastor of Monmouth; began parish records
- Fr. Luby1872–Aug 1873
- Fr. James Halpin1873–1876
St. Patrick out-mission in Raritan built during his pastorate
- Fr. Thomas Francis O'Farrell1876–1878
Built the church in Alexis
- Fr. Michael M. Weldon1878–1879
- Fr. William MurphyJuly 1879–Sept 1882
- Fr. F.C. Duffy1882–1887
Cornerstone of the brick Immaculate Conception Church laid in 1883; Bishop Spalding dedicated it Oct 5, 1884
- Fr. Martin F. Kelly1887–
Parish purchased St. Mary's Cemetery during his pastorate
- Fr. P.V. Eganassistant in 1908
Two-story brick rectory built east of the church
- Father Riordan
Later pastor; reassigned within Diocese of Peoria in 2017