About Sacred Heart · Villa Grove, Illinois
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the rural community of Villa Grove, Illinois, part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Established as a parish in 1949 and now serving roughly 75 families (about 150 parishioners), it is pastorally clustered with Forty Martyrs Parish in Tuscola, St. John the Baptist in Arcola, and St. Michael in Hume. The current parish church is a contemporary Indiana-limestone and buff-brick building dedicated in 1963, and the parish is led by Father Michael Trummer, with Deacon William Jeffrey Beals and a small staff of lay collaborators.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Michael T. Trummer
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a small, close-knit parish where parishioners know each other by name — about 75 families worship together under one pastor with Deacon William Jeffrey Beals. Worship is offered daily (Tuesday–Friday mornings) and at a Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, with Saturday confession and Eucharistic Adoration on Saturday afternoons, and a full RCIA program welcomes new Catholics. The parish offers real ways to serve — as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, a Youth Adult Minister, a member of the Pastoral or Finance Council, or as an office volunteer — making it easy for any newcomer to plug into the life of the parish family.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM (and by appointment)
Adoration times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Parish History
Sacred Heart traces its roots to June 1, 1906, when Father William Quatman — already pastor of Tuscola — was appointed to also serve Villa Grove and directed the construction of a frame church named for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The parish's first resident pastor, Father Raymond Franzen, was appointed in 1949 when Bishop O'Connor formally established Sacred Heart as a parish, and the parish built its stone parish hall in 1956. The present church was dedicated May 26, 1963. The parish history page walks through the succession of priests from Father Quatman through Father Paul Skelton's 28-year tenure (1987–2015), Father Angel Sierra (2015), Father Aloysius Ndeanaefo (2016), and the current pastor, Father Michael T. Trummer (installed August 19, 2024).
- 1906 — frame church built under Father William Quatman
- 1949 — established as a parish; Father Raymond Franzen first resident pastor
- 1956 — stone parish hall built
- 1963 (May 26) — present church dedicated by Bishop O'Connor
- 2016 — rectory and church renovated under Father Aloysius Ndeanaefo
- 2024 (Aug 19) — Father Michael Trummer installed as pastor
Architecture & Church Building
The parish's own history describes the current church as a 'contemporary work of architecture with an Indiana Limestone exterior and an interior finished with buff brick and arched black beams, showing against the wood ceiling.' It was built adjoining the existing 1956 stone parish hall and dedicated by Bishop Williams A. O'Connor on May 26, 1963, replacing the original 1906 frame church that had served for 56 years.
- Indiana-limestone exterior
- Buff-brick interior with arched black beams
- Wood ceiling
- Joined to the 1956 stone parish hall
- Dedicated May 26, 1963
Parish Staff
Sacred Heart is served by a small parish team. The pastor is Father Michael T. Trummer (who resides at Forty Martyrs, Tuscola). The parish deacon is William Jeffrey Beals. Michael Stauder serves as Director of Religious Education (DRE), and Amy Walch is the parish secretary and bookkeeper. The same staff coordinates ministry for the linked parishes.
- Rev. Michael T. Trummer — Pastor
- Deacon William Jeffrey Beals
- Michael Stauder — DRE
- Amy Walch — Secretary, Bookkeeper
Parish Ministries
The parish's ministries page invites parishioners to share their time and talents. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist the priest at Mass and bring Communion to the sick and homebound; the RCIA team guides adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church; Youth Adult Ministers (YAMs) bring together young adults for fellowship and service; and Office Volunteers help in the parish office a few hours a week. The Pastoral and Finance Councils share responsibility for the parish's spiritual and temporal life.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Youth Adult Ministers (YAMs)
- Office Volunteers
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Pastoral Council
The Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council, chaired by Father Michael Trummer, brings together parishioners representing the parish's standing committees: Community Life, Stewardship, Education, Liturgy, Fellowship, and Maintenance.
- Father Michael Trummer — Priest
- Mary Burgett — Chair, Community Life Committee
- Laura Wilhem-Barr
- Kim Lytle — Secretary, Community Life & Stewardship
- Mike Stauder — Education & Liturgy
- Ruth Stauder — Education & Stewardship
- Michael Holmes — Maintenance & Stewardship
- Cory Kappes — Fellowship & Maintenance
- Amy Walch — Fellowship & Maintenance
- Dennis Mitsdarfer — Fellowship & Maintenance
- Eric Weyrich — Liturgy & Maintenance
- Chris Conner — Community Life & Liturgy
Finance Council
The Sacred Heart Parish Finance Council works with the pastor on the temporal affairs of the parish.
- Father Michael Trummer — Priest
- Deanna Blackford
- Jeff Holmes
- Roger Schweighart
Parish Cluster & Diocese
Sacred Heart is part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and is currently pastorally clustered with three other parishes under Father Michael T. Trummer: St. John the Baptist in Arcola, Forty Martyrs in Tuscola, and St. Michael in Hume. This four-parish grouping shares clergy and programming across east-central Illinois.
- Diocese: Springfield in Illinois
- Cluster parishes: St. John the Baptist (Arcola), Forty Martyrs (Tuscola), St. Michael (Hume)
- Pastor resides at Forty Martyrs, Tuscola
Sacraments & Faith Formation
The parish prepares Catholics for the sacraments through its Religious Education program (under DRE Michael Stauder) and welcomes new adults into the Church through RCIA. Confession is offered Saturday afternoons and by appointment, and Communion is brought to the sick and homebound by Extraordinary Ministers. Couples preparing for marriage, families preparing for Baptism, and those seeking Anointing of the Sick are asked to contact the parish office at (217) 832-8352.
- Baptism — by arrangement
- First Eucharist / Confirmation — through Religious Education
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- RCIA — year-round inquiry
- Anointing of the Sick — on request
- Confession — Sat 3:15–3:45 PM and by appointment
Visit, Contact & Census
Visitors and parishioners are invited to register with the parish by completing a parish Census Form (a two-page PDF) that can be downloaded from the parish website and emailed to [email protected] or printed and mailed/dropped off at the parish office. The mailing address listed on the form is 206 N. Pine Street, Villa Grove, IL 61956, while the church itself stands at 208 N. Pine Street.
- Parish office phone: (217) 832-8352
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Census form: 2-page PDF on sacredheartcc.com
- Mailing address: 206 N. Pine Street, Villa Grove, IL 61956
- Church address: 208 N. Pine Street, Villa Grove, IL 61956
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father William Quatman1906–
Appointed pastor of Tuscola and Villa Grove on June 1, 1906; built the original frame Sacred Heart church.
- Father August Hohl
Succeeded Father Quatman; celebrated Mass at Sacred Heart until 1949.
- Father Joseph Jordan
Served Sacred Heart in the pre-parish era.
- Father James Casey
Served Sacred Heart in the pre-parish era.
- Father Raymond Franzen1949–1959
First resident pastor when Bishop O'Connor established the parish; built the stone parish hall in 1956.
- Father Thomas Davenport1959–1969
Celebrated the last Mass in the frame church (April 23, 1962); oversaw construction of the present 1963 church.
- Father Joseph Kromenaker1969
Also served St. Michael's, Hume and St. Thomas Aquinas, Brocton.
- Father G.R. McCaughey1971
Appointed Administrator of the parish.
- Father Walter M. Weerts1973
Named pastor by Bishop O'Connor; first in the post-McCaughey succession.
- Father James O'Shea
Served the clustered parishes after Father Weerts.
- Father Michael Kuse
- Father Joseph Diezel
- Father Michael Jenkins
- Father Charles Mulcrone
- Father Paul SkeltonFebruary 1987–2015
Longest-tenured pastor; served 28 years until retirement in 2015.
- Father Angel Sierra2015
Also served as pastor of Tuscola and Arcola.
- Father Aloysius NdeanaefoJuly 1, 2016
Nigerian-born American priest ordained for the Diocese of Springfield; assigned to Sacred Heart, Villa Grove and St. Michael's, Hume.
- Rev. Michael T. TrummerAugust 19, 2024–present
Installed as pastor of St. John the Baptist (Arcola), Sacred Heart (Villa Grove), and Forty Martyrs (Tuscola); resides at Forty Martyrs, Tuscola.