About Our Lady of Guadalupe · Silvis, Illinois
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Roman Catholic parish in Silvis, Illinois, part of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. Tracing its roots to a chapel constructed in 1927 from two boxcars in the Rock Island Railroad Yards, the parish has served the Quad Cities' Hispanic and broader Catholic community for nearly a century. In 2025, Our Lady of Guadalupe merged with St. Patrick Parish in Colona to form Divine Mercy Parish, while retaining the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church name and location at 800 17th Street, Silvis. The parish is well known in the Quad Cities for its Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, open 24 hours a day, and is led by Fr. Peter Zorjan, who has served as pastor since 2015.
- Established
- 1929
- Patron
- Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Rector
- Rev. Peter Zorjan
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
Our Lady of Guadalupe offers a quiet, devotion-rich Catholic life in the Quad Cities. Mass is celebrated several days a week in a parish whose history is rooted in Silvis's railroad and Hispanic community, and it remains home to a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel open around the clock for prayer. The parish is also a founding worship site of the newly formed Divine Mercy Parish (April 2025), uniting it with St. Patrick in Colona under Fr. Peter Zorjan and offering confession before every Mass, weekly Adoration, OCIA, religious education, and a Traditional Latin Mass on the first Saturday of every month.
Mass times at Our Lady of Guadalupe
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Saturday: 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.
- Saturday: 3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. (some schedules list 3:45 – 4:20 p.m.)
- Sunday: 7:00 a.m. – 7:20 a.m.
- Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.
- Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Extended Adoration in church: every Wednesday 8:45 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
History of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe traces its origins to 1927, when its first chapel was constructed from two boxcars in the Rock Island Railroad Yards in Silvis. By 1929 a frame church had been built on Fourth Street, and Bishop John Franz granted full parish status on October 10, 1962. The parish moved to its current 10-acre site at 17th Street and 8th Avenue in 1964; the present-day church (seating 560) was dedicated in 1969, the Parish Center was dedicated in 1977 on the eve of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and in 2018 the parish marked the church's 50th anniversary with Bishop Daniel Jenky. In 2025 Our Lady of Guadalupe merged with St. Patrick in Colona to form Divine Mercy Parish.
- 1927 — Chapel built from two boxcars in Rock Island Railroad Yards
- 1929 — Frame church built on Fourth Street, Silvis
- 1962 — Bishop John Franz grants full parish status
- 1964 — Diocese purchases 10-acre site at 17th Street & 8th Avenue
- 1969 — First Mass in new church on Mother's Day, May 11
- 1977 — Parish Center dedicated December 11, the day before the feast
- 2018 — 50th anniversary of the church celebrated with Bishop Jenky
- 2025 — Merged with St. Patrick (Colona) to form Divine Mercy Parish
Devotions and Prayer
Catholic devotions are woven into parish life at Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Rosary is prayed in the church before daily and weekend Masses by various ministries and parishioners, and on Fridays at 3:00 p.m. the parish gathers to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet — a three-decade rosary for world peace, an end to abortion, and the intentions for the health and welfare of the Holy Father. Stations of the Cross are prayed on Fridays during Lent at 5:30 p.m.
- Rosary before daily and weekend Masses
- Friday 3:00 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays in Lent at 5:30 p.m.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Divine Mercy Parish (including the Our Lady of Guadalupe site) is rooted in the understanding that parents are the primary teachers of the faith. Children attending Seton or Jordan Catholic schools receive sacramental preparation during their normal religion class time. Children in home, private, or public schools are prepared through the parish CCD (Children's Religious Education Program), offered Sunday mornings from 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. at the St. Patrick Campus in Colona.
- CCD at St. Patrick Campus, Colona — Sundays 9:00 – 10:15 a.m. (school year)
- Confirmation preparation — two-year program beginning 7th grade
- First Holy Communion preparation
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) — begins September 3, 2025
- OCIA meetings — Wednesday evenings, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., St. Patrick's Hall
- Bible Study — coming fall
- GriefShare — Tuesdays 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Our Lady of Guadalupe Hall
Sacraments
Father Peter Zorjan and the parish deacons celebrate the sacraments. Newborns through age 7 may be baptized without prior catechesis, with a baptism-preparation class required for first-time parents. Older children (7–14) receive catechesis before baptism, and adults enter the Church through OCIA, culminating at the Easter Vigil. First Communion typically takes place in mid- to late April, and Confirmation is received after two consecutive years of religious instruction, completion of service hours, and attendance at the Confirmation Retreat.
- Baptism — newborns through age 7; older-child catechesis and adult OCIA available
- First Holy Communion — mid- to late April
- Confirmation — 8th grade or older; two years of formation, service hours, retreat
- Reconciliation — see confession schedule
- Marriage — preparation arranged through the parish office
Parish Staff
Divine Mercy Parish (with Our Lady of Guadalupe Church) is served by a small staff led by Fr. Peter Zorjan, who was named pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Patrick in 2015. The parish office is staffed by Administrative Assistant Katrina Corgan and Secretary Pam Ludin, with Beri Dennhardt recognized on retirement for years of service.
- Fr. Peter Zorjan — Pastor (since 2015)
- Deacon Alfred W. Angelo, Jr. — Senior Status
- Deacon Aaron Hoste
- Fr. William Gardner — celebrant of the First Saturday Traditional Latin Mass
- Katrina Corgan — Administrative Assistant
- Pam Ludin — Secretary
- Beri Dennhardt — retired (recognized for service)
Divine Mercy Parish — Joining with St. Patrick, Colona
On April 26, 2025, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Silvis and St. Patrick Parish in Colona were united to form Divine Mercy Parish. Both worship sites remain open under their historic names: Our Lady of Guadalupe Church at 800 17th Street, Silvis, and St. Patrick Church at 201 1st Street, Colona. Fr. Peter Zorjan leads the unified parish, and the Diocese of Peoria continues to list both campuses under the same parish record.
- Parish Established: April 26, 2025
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Church — 800 17th Street, Silvis, IL 61282
- St. Patrick Church — 201 1st Street, Colona, IL 61241
- Pastor: Fr. Peter Zorjan
Visiting Our Lady of Guadalupe
The parish office at 800 17th Street, Silvis is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., and is closed on holidays. Visitors are welcome at any Mass, for confession, or to stop in at the Perpetual Adoration Chapel at any hour. Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to follow the parish Facebook page for updates and bulletins.
- Parish Office: 800 17th Street, Silvis IL 61282
- Phone: (309) 792-3867
- Office Hours: Monday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (closed holidays)
- Follow the parish on Facebook (linked from the Quad Cities Catholic directory)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Steven Birduntil 2015
Succeeded by Fr. Peter Zorjan in 2015 at Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Patrick parishes.