About Shrine of St. Mary of the Fields · Hooppole, Illinois
Shrine of St. Mary of the Fields is a Diocesan Shrine of Mary located in rural Yorktown Township, Henry County, Illinois, near the small village of Hooppole. Built in 1883 by German-descent pioneers as a mission church of St. Anthony's in Atkinson, it grew through the Depression and World War II to about 80 families and was solemnly dedicated by Bishop Spalding of Peoria on October 31, 1883. In 1990 it was re-consecrated as a shrine — now recognized by both the Diocese of Peoria and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as a national Shrine of Mary — and welcomes pilgrims to adore the Blessed Sacrament, walk the unique outdoor Rolle Bolle Rosary, venerate the Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima, and pray at the Tomb of the Unborn.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title Mary of the Fields)
- Rector
- Rev. Stephen Engelbrecht
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Fields is the kind of place a Catholic goes when the soul needs quiet: a 140-year-old frame church set deep in the grain fields of northwestern Illinois, recognized by both the Diocese of Peoria and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as a national Shrine of Mary. Visitors come to adore the Blessed Sacrament in perpetual exposition, walk the one-of-a-kind 106-by-65-foot Rolle Bolle Rosary shaped like the Immaculate Heart, pray at the Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima and Mary's Garden, and remember the unborn at the Tomb of the Unborn — and every first Sunday from May to October the Shrine gathers pilgrims outdoors for a Marian Holy Hour, Mass, and Benediction under a different title of Our Lady each month.
Mass times at Shrine of St. Mary of the Fields
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment with the priest (309-935-6911)
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is part of every monthly Holy Hour (see Mass Times); the Blessed Sacrament is reserved and the Eucharistic presence of Jesus is described by the Shrine as 'always available for worship and adoration'
History of St. Mary of the Fields
St. Mary's parish was born of German-descent pioneers who settled the wild prairie and sand-hill country of northwestern Illinois in the 1870s and 1880s. Before they had a church of their own, the families — including John Sittler, John Grose, Michael Egert, John Clementz, Morris Fritsch, George Seyller, and George Clementz — endured 14-to-17-mile journeys in storm, hail, rain, and heat to attend Mass in Geneseo, and later served as a mission of St. Anthony's in Atkinson from 1878. In 1883 they built their own frame church on adjoining land of John Buechel and William Countryman in Yorktown Township, three miles west of Hooppole, at a total cost of $1,069.20. The new church was solemnly consecrated by Bishop Spalding of Peoria on October 31, 1883.
- 1878 – Parish served as a mission of St. Anthony's, Atkinson under Rev. H. Tholen
- 1883 – Frame church built on land adjoining John Buechel and William Countryman; cost $1,069.20
- October 31, 1883 – Solemn consecration by Bishop Spalding of Peoria
- World War II era – Parish grew to about 80 families under Rev. Lyford Kern
- 1970s – Near closure; obstacles 'gracefully sidestepped'
- March 15, 1990 – Shrine blessed; original bronze bell memorialized inside
- 2000 – Recognized as a Diocesan Shrine of Mary by the Diocese of Peoria
- After 2000 – Recognized as a national Shrine of Mary by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Diocese of Peoria restructuring – Care of Shrine entrusted to merged parish of St. Anthony–Atkinson / Sacred Heart–Annawan / St. Patrick–Sheffield
Attractions at the Shrine
The Shrine is more than a church — it is a campus of outdoor devotional attractions spread across the rural grounds. Visitors move from the historic 1883 sanctuary out into Mary's Garden, where flowers are named for titles of the Blessed Virgin, and around a network of memorials and grottos built up since 1990.
- Rolle Bolle Rosary — 106 ft × 65 ft walkway shaped like the Immaculate Heart of Mary; blessed August 16, 1992; uses Belgian rolle bolles and bowling balls in place of rosary beads
- Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima — represents the 1917 apparitions in Fatima, Portugal; blessed June 10, 2001
- Mary's Garden — flowers and plants named after Marian titles, surrounding the Fatima Grotto
- Memorial for the Unborn (Tomb of the Unborn) — donated by a Knight of Columbus; combats the 'culture of death' in prayerful remembrance of unborn children and their mothers
- Original 1883 church interior — six-foot statue of Mary offering her Child, fourteen hand-painted terra-cotta Stations of the Cross, Gothic-style altar with the Infant Jesus of Prague, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Fatima, and St. Anthony statuary, plus the original bronze bell inside the main entrance
Devotions & Marian Titles
Catholic tradition holds that 'all generations shall call me blessed' (Luke 1:48), and the Shrine lives out that call by venerating Mary under a different title at each monthly Holy Hour from May to October — Fatima, Knock, the Immaculate Conception, Guadalupe, Vailankanni, and La Vang. The Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima is the visual centerpiece of this Marian devotion, and Mary's Garden extends it outdoors through flowers named for Mary's various titles.
- Our Lady of Fatima
- Our Lady of Knock
- Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
- Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Our Lady of Vailankanni
- Our Lady of La Vang
- Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague
- Veneration of St. Anthony
Rolle Bolle Rosary
The Shrine's signature outdoor devotional feature fuses a beloved local sport with the Catholic Rosary. Traditionally Belgian immigrants brought rolle bolle (a bowling-like game using wooden balls rolled at a stake) to the Hooppole and Annawan area, and the parish used that cultural heritage to lay out a one-of-a-kind Rosary walkway in which rolle bolles and bowling balls stand in for rosary beads along the prayer pathway.
Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima
Blessed on June 10, 2001, the Grotto represents the mystical events of 1917 in Fatima, Portugal, where Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children (Jacinta, Francisco, and Lúcia) over several months, culminating in the Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917 — witnessed by an estimated 70,000 people and reported across a 600-square-mile area. The Shrine's display links the 2000 release of the 'Third Secret' and Pope John Paul II's 1981 assassination attempt, noting that the bullet is reported to have been placed in the crown of the Our Lady of Fatima statue in Fatima, Portugal.
Memorial for the Unborn (Tomb of the Unborn)
Donated by a member of the Knights of Columbus, this simple monument was created in response to the Shrine's estimate of up to 4,000 abortions per day in the United States. It invites pilgrims to pray for all victims of abortion — the unborn children and their mothers — and to combat what the Shrine calls the 'culture of death.'
Mary's Garden
Mary's Garden surrounds the Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima and is planted with a variety of flowers and plants that carry the names of different titles of the Blessed Virgin. The garden is a quiet, walking complement to the indoor devotions of the Shrine and connects the floral symbolism of 'all generations shall call me blessed' to the physical grounds.
Sacraments & Pastoral Care
Reconciliation is offered by appointment with Fr. Engelbrecht, and Mass is celebrated at the monthly outdoor Holy Hour (May–October) and otherwise by appointment. Because of the Diocese of Peoria's restructuring, sacramental records, baptisms, marriages, and other sacramental requests are handled through the merged parish of St. Anthony–Atkinson / Sacred Heart–Annawan / St. Patrick–Sheffield, which now also cares for the Shrine.
- Reconciliation: by appointment with Fr. Engelbrecht
- Mass: 1st Sunday of May–October at 2 PM (outdoor Holy Hour & Mass); other times by appointment
- Sacramental coordination via the merged parish of St. Anthony / Sacred Heart / St. Patrick
- Pastoral care and anointing: contact the Shrine at 309-935-6911
Staff & Contact
The Shrine is staffed by its current pastor, Rev. Stephen Engelbrecht (in office since 2014), who also serves as pastor of the merged parish that cares for the Shrine. A volunteer gift-shop coordinator, Yvonne Leemans, assists visitors. Inquiries, retreat bookings, and appointments can be made by phone.
- Pastor: Rev. Stephen Engelbrecht (2014–present)
- Phone (Shrine): (309) 935-6911
- Gift Shop: Yvonne Leemans, (309) 764-9855
- Address: 24772 St. Mary's Rd., Prophetstown, IL 61277
Map & Directions
The Shrine is about 45 minutes from the Quad Cities by car, on the Illinois prairie in Henry County. Because the site is rural, public transit is not available; driving directions are provided from both I-88 East and I-80 East via IL-92, IL-78, Main Hooppole Street, Countryman Road, and St. Mary's Road. Blue signs lead visitors the last few miles along a narrow, shady country road.
- From the Quad Cities via I-88 E: take Exit 6 for IL-92 E, then right onto E 2400th St (shrine sign), then onto St. Mary's Rd — Shrine is on the left
- From the Quad Cities via I-80 E: take Exit 33 for IL-78 N, then Main St., Co Rd 20, Countryman Rd, and St. Mary's Rd — Shrine is on the right
- Free parking on site
- No public transit; rural setting
Visiting, Retreats & Gift Shop
The Shrine welcomes individual pilgrims, families, and groups year-round and can schedule retreats and visits by phone. The flagship public gathering is the monthly outdoor Holy Hour & Mass (May–October), and a small gift shop run by volunteer Yvonne Leemans offers devotional items to visitors.
- Schedule a retreat or group visit: 309-935-6911
- Gift Shop: Yvonne Leemans, 309-764-9855
- Monthly outdoor Holy Hour & Mass, 1st Sunday, May–October, 2 PM
- Self-guided pilgrimage to the original 1883 church, Rolle Bolle Rosary, Fatima Grotto, Mary's Garden, and Tomb of the Unborn
Ministries & Community Life
The Shrine's ministry centers on Marian devotion, Eucharistic adoration, and pilgrimage rather than the typical parish program slate. The Knights of Columbus have been visibly involved, including through the donation of the Tomb of the Unborn. Volunteer gift-shop staffing, hospitality for pilgrims from around the world, and the operation of the outdoor devotional attractions are all part of the Shrine's community life, alongside the monthly gatherings under different Marian titles.
- Knights of Columbus — donor of the Tomb of the Unborn
- Gift Shop volunteers (Yvonne Leemans)
- Pilgrim hospitality
- Monthly Marian-titled Holy Hours
- Outdoor devotional care (Rolle Bolle Rosary, Fatima Grotto, Mary's Garden, Tomb of the Unborn)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. H. Tholen (mission priest from St. Anthony's, Atkinson)1878–1894
Directed the building of St. Mary's and served as its first priest from Atkinson.
- Rev. Ch. Frenken (mission priest from St. Anthony's)1894–1897
- Rev. Edward Trobusch1898–1900
First resident priest of St. Mary's.
- Rev. J. Bruecks1900–1903
- Rev. Th. A. Walters1903–1904
- Rev. J. Kleinsong1904–1908
- Rev. F. J. Schaaf1908–1910
- Rev. Blashke1911–1912
- Rev. Bernard Skulik1912–1913
- Rev. Eugene Huegel, O.S.B.1913–Nov 1913
- Rev. H. J. Hahn1914–1917
- Rev. P. Holvoet1917–1919
- Rev. H. J. Hahn1919–1923
Died February 1, 1982.
- Rev. D. F. Buckley1923–1930
- Rev. W. E. Grace1930–1933
- Rev. L. F. Zandecki1933–1937
- Rev. H. Sckopowski1937–1943
- Rev. Lyford Kern1943–1966
Longest-tenured pastor; served through WWII when parish peaked near 80 families.
- Rev. Martin Fallon1967–1977
Steered the parish through the 1970s crisis that nearly closed its doors.
- Fr. Gerard A. Verhoye
Pre-restoration era priest.
- Fr. Francis Engels
- Fr. John Paul Cox
- Fr. Timothy James Sauppé
- Fr. Jerry Logan2008–2010
- Fr. Sebastian Tumusiime2010–2012
- Fr. Mark Miller2012–2014
- Rev. Stephen Engelbrecht2014–present
Current pastor; under his tenure the Diocese of Peoria restructured and the merged parish of St. Anthony / Sacred Heart / St. Patrick took on care of the Shrine.