About Saint Patrick · Washington, Illinois
St. Patrick Catholic Church in Washington, Illinois is a united Catholic parish community within Mary, Mother of God Parish, which also includes St. Monica Church in East Peoria and St. Patrick School. The parish traces its roots to 1863 when a chapel was first established for Catholic families in the area, and today it serves more than 1,000 Catholic families from its church at 705 E. Jefferson Street in Washington. Worship is offered in English with daily Masses, multiple Sunday Masses, Saturday confessions, and ongoing faith formation for children and adults. Under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Johnathan Steffen, the parish is part of the Diocese of Peoria.
- Established
- 1863
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Fr. Johnathan Steffen, JD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Patrick's offers a vibrant, well-established Catholic community with multiple daily and Sunday Masses, regular Saturday confessions, Eucharistic Adoration, and a parish school (St. Patrick Catholic School) where students attend weekly Mass plus Adoration and Benediction. The parish embraces a unified mission under Mary, Mother of God Parish with strong traditions of service, sacramental life, and outreach — including serving as a relief hub after the 2013 Washington tornado. Whether you are a long-time Catholic, a new resident, or returning to the faith, there is a place here to grow, serve, and worship as one family in Christ.
Mass times at Saint Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 7:45–8:00 AM
- Saturday 3:30–4:15 PM
- By appointment: call (309) 444-3524
Adoration times
- Adoration at St. Patrick Church (times listed on parish calendar)
History of St. Patrick Church
St. Patrick's story begins in the mid-1800s, when Catholic families in the Washington, Illinois area gathered for Mass wherever they could, sometimes walking miles. A chapel was established in 1863, and by 1876 a small white frame church stood on Jefferson Street — the beloved 'Little White Church' that served the community for nearly a century. The church was remodeled in 1896, became a mission of East Peoria, and was eventually established as its own parish. By the 1960s the original building had been outgrown, and in 1968 the present-day church was completed across the street, featuring altar pieces crafted from walnut trees harvested on a parishioner's farm.
- 1863 — Chapel first established for area Catholic families
- 1876 — 'Little White Church' built on Jefferson Street
- 1896 — Church remodeled
- 1968 — Present-day church completed across the street
- 2013 — Parish serves as relief hub after Washington tornado
- March 25, 2025 — St. Patrick and St. Monica formally merged into Mary, Mother of God Parish
Our Parish: Mary, Mother of God Parish
Mary, Mother of God Parish is a unified Catholic parish serving the communities of St. Patrick Church (Washington), St. Monica Church (East Peoria), and St. Patrick School. Though the parish comes from different histories and buildings, it is united by a shared mission to grow in faith, serve others, and worship as one family in Christ. The parish offers vibrant liturgies, opportunities for lifelong faith formation, and ministries that reach out to both neighbors and the wider world, welcoming new arrivals and returning Catholics alike.
- St. Patrick Church — 705 E. Jefferson Street, Washington, IL
- St. Monica Church — 303 Campanile Drive, East Peoria, IL
- St. Patrick Catholic School — Washington, IL
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Johnathan Steffen, JD, with Fr. Matt Deptula serving as Parochial Vicar and Deacon Paul Neakrase assisting. A team of parish staff supports parish life, religious education, music ministry, and administration.
- Fr. Johnathan Steffen, JD — Pastor (309) 444-3524, [email protected]
- Fr. Matt Deptula — Parochial Vicar, [email protected]
- Deacon Paul Neakrase — Deacon, (309) 444-7681
- Clare Tschirn — Music Ministry
- Christine Serangeli — Parish Life Coordinator
- Linda Pratt — Director of Religious Education
- Tammy Barron — Parish Staff
- Ruth Cody — Bookkeeper
- Jennifer Lindsey — Secretary / Bulletin Editor
St. Patrick Catholic School
St. Patrick Catholic School is part of Mary, Mother of God Parish and shares in the parish's sacramental life. Students attend weekly Mass on Fridays and participate in Adoration and Benediction, integrating faith formation with daily school life as part of the parish family.
- Weekly Friday Mass for students
- Adoration and Benediction participation
- Located within Mary, Mother of God Parish community
Faith Formation and Ministries
The parish offers lifelong faith formation through its Director of Religious Education and supports Music Ministry, a Parish Life Coordinator, and adult formation opportunities. The parish calendar includes Bible Study (via Zoom), Adoration at St. Patrick, and ongoing outreach. Those interested in becoming Catholic are invited to contact the parish office for information about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
- Director of Religious Education (Linda Pratt)
- Music Ministry (Clare Tschirn)
- Parish Life Coordinator (Christine Serangeli)
- RCIA — contact the parish office
- Bible Study (Zoom) — see parish calendar
- Adoration at St. Patrick — see parish calendar
Parish Identity and Diocese
St. Patrick Church is part of the Diocese of Peoria, headquartered in Illinois. The parish is listed by the diocese as established in 1863 (with the merged Mary, Mother of God Parish entity formally established on March 25, 2025). The diocese confirms the parish's mailing and physical address at 705 E. Jefferson Street, Washington, IL 61571, with St. Patrick Catholic School as the parish school.
- Diocese of Peoria — Peoria, Illinois
- Year Established: 1863
- Mary, Mother of God Parish Established: March 25, 2025
- St. Patrick Catholic School — parish school
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at (309) 444-3524 or by email at [email protected]. The church is located at 705 E. Jefferson Street, Washington, IL 61571. The parish's primary website is https://www.mmgparish.com/ (the legacy site stpatswashington.com redirects here following the Mary, Mother of God Parish merger).
- Phone: (309) 444-3524
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 705 E. Jefferson Street, Washington, IL 61571
- Website: https://www.mmgparish.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Johnathan Steffen, JD2018–present
Initially Pastor of St. Patrick (Washington) and St. Monica (East Peoria) from October 2018; became Pastor of the merged Mary, Mother of God Parish in March 2025. Born July 27, 1972 in Fairbury, Illinois; ordained May 26, 2012.