About SS. John and Catherine · Mount Carroll, Illinois
SS. John and Catherine is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the rural community of Mount Carroll, in northwest Illinois. Founded in 1917, with its current church built in 1924, it is one of two parishes (the other being St. John the Baptist in nearby Savanna) currently shepherded by a single pastor in the Diocese of Rockford's Freeport Deanery. With roughly 95 registered families and a sanctuary seating 190–200, it offers Mass in English three days a week (Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday) together with a Saturday confession window before the vigil Mass.
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- St. John and St. Catherine (of Alexandria, tradition holds)
- Rector
- Rev. James R. Keenan (appointed Pastor effective June 22, 2026)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockford (Freeport Deanery)
Why belong here
SS. John and Catherine offers a classic small-town Catholic experience: a historic 1924 church, a tight-knit congregation of about 95 families, and a faithful Sunday and weekday Mass schedule (Sunday 10:30 a.m., Saturday vigil 4:00 p.m., Tuesday 5:00 p.m.) paired with a half-hour Saturday confession window. Because it shares pastoral leadership with St. John the Baptist in Savanna, parishioners benefit from regular sacramental access and the broader life of two parishes. Visitors can expect a warm, English-language welcome in the heart of Mount Carroll.
Mass times at SS. John and Catherine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 p.m. (at SS. John and Catherine, Mt. Carroll)
- Sunday 7:45–8:15 a.m. (at St. John the Baptist, Savanna)
Adoration times
- 1st Saturday 3:00–4:00 p.m. (at SS. John and Catherine, Mt. Carroll)
- 1st Friday 8:30–9:30 a.m. (at St. John the Baptist, Savanna)
About SS. John and Catherine Parish
SS. John and Catherine is a small Roman-Latin rite Catholic parish in Mount Carroll, Illinois, in the Freeport Deanery of the Diocese of Rockford. The parish was canonically founded in 1917 and the present church at 314 South Main Street was built in 1924; the parish today numbers roughly 95 registered families with seating for about 190–200 worshippers. It is currently twinned with St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savanna under shared pastoral leadership.
Parish History
Mount Carroll's Catholic faithful were gathered into a new parish in 1917, and seven years later — in 1924 — the parish church on South Main Street was constructed. Through the decades the parish has remained a small but durable faith community in northwest Illinois. In the mid-2020s it has been administered together with St. John the Baptist, Savanna, first under Rev. Julius B. Clavero as Parochial Administrator and, from June 22, 2026, under Rev. James R. Keenan as Pastor, per the Diocese of Rockford's Official Appointments list.
- Founded: 1917
- Church built: 1924
- Registered families: 95
- Church capacity: 190–200
Staff & Pastoral Leadership
The parish is currently served within the Diocese of Rockford Freeport Deanery under Rev. James R. Keenan as Pastor (effective June 22, 2026), succeeding Rev. Julius B. Clavero, who concluded his service in the diocese on June 21, 2026.
- Rev. James R. Keenan — Pastor (effective June 22, 2026)
- Rev. Julius B. Clavero — Parochial Administrator (through June 21, 2026)
- Rev. Moises Apost — listed on third-party parish profile pages
Cluster Partnership with St. John the Baptist, Savanna
SS. John and Catherine is partnered with St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savanna, Illinois, sharing a single pastor and combined sacramental coverage. The Savanna church broadcasts its Saturday 5:30 p.m. Mass live on 100.3 FM WCCI (wcciradio.com).
- St. John the Baptist, Savanna — Sat 5:30 p.m., Sun 8:30 a.m., Wed–Fri 8:30 a.m.
- Broadcast live on 100.3 FM WCCI / wcciradio.com (Saturday vigil from Savanna)
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or mail. The church is located on South Main Street in Mount Carroll; the mailing address is a P.O. Box.
- Address: 314 South Main Street, Mount Carroll, IL 61053 (church)
- Mailing: P.O. Box 193, Mount Carroll, IL 61053
- Phone / Fax: (815) 244-1835
- Email: [email protected]
- Directions (Discover Mass): from Hwy. 64, turn north onto Hwy. 78 to Dairy Queen; turn west onto Benton one block, then north onto Main St.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Moises Apost
Listed as pastor on third-party parish profile pages.
- Rev. Julius B. Claverothrough June 21, 2026
Served as Parochial Administrator of St. John the Baptist, Savanna, and SS. John and Catherine, Mount Carroll, concluding service in the Diocese of Rockford on June 21, 2026.
- Rev. James R. Keenaneffective June 22, 2026
Appointed Pastor of St. John the Baptist, Savanna, and SS. John and Catherine, Mount Carroll, effective June 22, 2026, per Diocese of Rockford Official Appointments.