About Immaculate Conception · Ohio, Illinois
Immaculate Conception is a small Roman Catholic parish in the rural village of Ohio, Illinois (Bureau County), within the Diocese of Peoria. Founded in 1875, the parish serves Catholics in Ohio and the surrounding small towns and farmlands of north-central Illinois, and since 2011 has been served by the same pastor as the linked parish of St. John the Evangelist in nearby Walnut. It gathers the faithful for weekend and weekday Mass in a traditional rural-parish setting just off Route 26, two blocks north of Route 92.
- Established
- 1875
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas W. Shaw
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a longstanding small-town Catholic parish where families know one another and Mass is celebrated in an intimate, traditional setting. Weekend and weekday Masses, regular Saturday confessions, and the supportive link with neighboring St. John the Evangelist in Walnut mean the parish is a dependable spiritual home for rural Bureau County Catholics. It offers a simple, faithful, no-frills parish life rooted in the Diocese of Peoria for anyone looking for a quiet community of prayer.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM (before 4:00 PM Mass)
- 30 minutes before all weekday Masses
About Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic parish serving the village of Ohio, Illinois, in Bureau County, and the surrounding rural communities of north-central Illinois. It belongs to the Diocese of Peoria and was founded in 1875. The parish shares its pastor with the linked parish of St. John the Evangelist in nearby Walnut, IL.
Parish History
Immaculate Conception was established in 1875 as a parish of what was then the Diocese of Peoria (created as its own diocese in 1875). Over the decades it has ministered to farming families throughout Bureau County. Diocesan assignment records show the past three pastorates covering both Ohio and Walnut parishes in tandem.
- Rev. Binh K. (Thaddeus) Tran – served Immaculate Conception (Ohio) and St. John (Walnut) from 1996 until his leave of absence in 2005.
- Rev. Daniel J. Wilder – pastored Ohio and Walnut from 2005 until going on medical leave in 2011.
- Rev. Thomas W. Shaw – pastor since 2011, also serving St. John the Evangelist, Walnut.
Pastoral Leadership
The parish is currently pastored by Father Thomas W. Shaw. Father Shaw was born in Brooklyn, New York (November 24, 1949), was ordained May 26, 2001, and was incardinated in the Diocese of Peoria. He served at St. Patrick (Elkhart), St. Thomas Aquinas (Mt. Pulaski), and as chaplain at the Logan and Lincoln Correctional Centers before taking his present assignment.
- Current pastor: Rev. Thomas W. Shaw
- Diocese: Diocese of Peoria
- Joint assignment: St. John the Evangelist, Walnut, IL
Diocese and Worship Rite
Immaculate Conception is a parish of the Roman-Latin Rite within the Diocese of Peoria. The Diocese of Peoria was erected on February 12, 1875 and covers much of central and north-central Illinois.
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Diocese: Peoria
- Eucharistic celebrations: in English
Visiting Immaculate Conception
The parish is located in the small village of Ohio, IL, in Bureau County. The church sits on Main Street (Route 26), two blocks north of Route 92, making it easy to find for travelers passing through this part of north-central Illinois.
- Address: 101 N. Main St., Ohio, IL 61349
- Parish phone: (815) 379-2602
- Parish fax: (815) 379-2302
- On Main Street (Route 26), 2 blocks north of Route 92
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas W. Shaw2011–present
Also pastor of St. John the Evangelist, Walnut. Born Brooklyn, NY; ordained May 26, 2001.
- Rev. Daniel J. Wilder2005–2011
Also served St. John, Walnut. Subsequently took medical leave per Diocese of Peoria records.
- Rev. Binh K. (Thaddeus) Tran1996–2005
Also pastor of St. John, Walnut. Took leave of absence in 2005.