About Ss. Mary and Joseph · Carlinville, Illinois
Ss. Mary & Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Carlinville, Illinois, part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The parish serves approximately 460 parishioners across 258 families in Macoupin County and is led by Rev. Joseph 'Fr. Joe' Koyickal, S.A.C., a member of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines). The parish worships at 2010 East First South Street and is one of three Macoupin County parishes — alongside St. Joseph in Benld and Ss. Simon and Jude in Gillespie — that share a single pastoral site (macoupincatholicchurch.com). Its mission, as stated on the parish website, is to bring Christ to the world and to minister especially to the poor through the sharing of time, talent, and treasure.
- Established
- 1853
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Koyickal, S.A.C.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
Ss. Mary & Joseph welcomes all who come seeking peace and a faith family, grounded in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church. The parish offers weekend and weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, regular Reconciliation, a Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Scriptural Rosary, and a robust network of lay ministries — including a parish council, finance committee, liturgical ministries, Knights of Columbus Council 663, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a Women's Group, Funeral Dinner Committee, Hospitality Committee, Grief Ministry, and Homebound & Nursing Home Ministry. With a close-knit, 258-family community serving Carlinville and surrounding Macoupin County, it is a place where parishioners can actively share their time, talent, and treasure in service to one another and to the wider community.
Mass times at Ss. Mary and Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
- Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon (Noon)
History of the Parish
The Catholic community of Carlinville was founded by immigrant settlers in the 1850s and grew through the late 19th century. The first Catholic church in Macoupin County had its cornerstone laid on August 15, 1853, on West Second South Street. Following the destruction by storm of an Irish Catholic church under construction, German Catholics established their own parish — St. Joseph's — with the cornerstone laid on July 7, 1868, by Bishop Juncker. The two Carlinville parishes eventually merged into the present Ss. Mary & Joseph parish. The current church was formally dedicated on March 24, 1996, by Bishop Daniel L. Ryan. The parish's story is also preserved in the published volume 'A History of Ss. Mary and Joseph Church: a Record of the Catholic Community of Carlinville, Illinois 1853–1996.'
- 1853: Cornerstone laid for first Catholic church in Macoupin County (West Second South Street)
- 1868: St. Joseph's cornerstone laid July 7 by Bishop Juncker; built by German Catholics for worship in their language
- March 24, 1996: Dedication of the present Ss. Mary & Joseph church by Bishop Daniel L. Ryan
- Merger of historic St. Mary's and St. Joseph's parishes into present Ss. Mary & Joseph parish
Mass & Worship Schedule
Ss. Mary & Joseph offers weekend, weekday and Communion Service options for daily worship, with regular Eucharistic Adoration on Thursday mornings. Confessions are heard before Sunday Mass and after Thursday Mass, and by appointment.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:30 p.m.
- Sunday Mass: 9:30 a.m.
- Thursday Mass: 8:00 a.m.
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:00 a.m. Communion Service
- Eucharistic Adoration: Thursday 8:30 a.m. – Noon
- Confessions: Sunday 9:00–9:25 a.m.; Thursday 8:30–9:15 a.m.; or by appointment
Devotions & Prayer
The parish gathers for traditional Catholic devotions throughout the week, deepening the sacramental life of the community.
- Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Scriptural Rosary — Mondays at 8:30 a.m.
- Eucharistic Adoration — Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to Noon
Parish Staff
Ss. Mary & Joseph is led by a Pallottine pastor supported by a parish administrative assistant and a Director of Religious Education.
- Rev. Joseph 'Fr. Joe' Koyickal, S.A.C. — Pastor (Society of the Catholic Apostolate)
- Amy Killam — Parish Administrative Assistant / Secretary
- Jodi Rowe — Director of Religious Education (DRE)
Liturgical Ministries
A team of lay liturgical ministers supports weekend and Holy Day Masses at Ss. Mary & Joseph. Parishioners interested in serving are encouraged to reach out to the ministry leaders listed below.
- Sacristans: Kris Rosentreter
- Ushers: Ruth Coatney & Lisa Klaus
- Altar Servers: Jodi Rowe
- Eucharistic Ministers: Terri Reid & Susan Millard
- Lector: Darrin DeNeve
- Music Ministry: Mary Jo Reichmann
- Environment: Susie Reznicek
Parish Organizations & Committees
Ss. Mary & Joseph is sustained by a strong network of lay councils, committees, and service organizations that shape parish life, finances, and care of facilities.
- Parish Council — advises Fr. Joe on short- and long-term parish goals
- Finance Committee — meets quarterly to review parish finances
- Building Committee & Grounds Committee — maintain church building and grounds
- Safety Management Team — plans for weather, medical, and situational safety responses
- Hospitality Committee — welcomes newcomers and visitors
- Funeral Dinner Committee — coordinates meals for families of the deceased
Service & Outreach
Parishioners extend the Church's mission to those in need within and beyond the parish, both through organized Catholic societies and dedicated lay ministries.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — assists people in the Carlinville School District who come to the church seeking help
- Knights of Columbus Council 663 — Catholic fraternal service organization
- Homebound & Nursing Home Ministry — visits homebound parishioners and assists at nursing home Masses on the 2nd and 4th Fridays (contact Audrey Costello)
- Grief Ministry — 'Journeying Through Grief' four-book series sent during the first year after a loss (contact [email protected])
Women's Group & Fellowship
The Ss. Mary & Joseph Women's Group acts as the social arm of the parish, organizing fellowship events throughout the year.
- Sunday Social
- Card Party
- BINGO
- Spring Ladies Brunch
- Oktoberfest
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for children and families is coordinated through the parish's Director of Religious Education (DRE), who also serves as a liaison for the Altar Server ministry. The parish participates in the multi-parish PSR (Parish School of Religion) program offered through the Macoupin Catholic parishes' shared website.
- Director of Religious Education: Jodi Rowe — [email protected]
- PSR program shared across Macoupin Catholic parishes (St. Joseph Benld, Ss. Simon & Jude Gillespie, Ss. Mary & Joseph Carlinville)
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
The parish office is open several days a week and welcomes visitors. Office hours and contact details are listed below for anyone wishing to call, email, or stop by.
- Address: 2010 East First South Street, Carlinville, IL 62626
- Mailing Address: PO Box 138, Carlinville, IL 62626
- Phone: (217) 854-7151
- Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Wednesday 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Friday closed
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Secretary email: [email protected]
- DRE email: [email protected]
- Getting there: From I-55, take Route 108 west; church is on the right side of the road