About SS. Peter and Paul · Rockford, Illinois
SS. Peter and Paul is a Roman Catholic parish in Rockford, Illinois, part of the Diocese of Rockford. Originally founded in 1911 as a Lithuanian national parish to serve the growing colony of Lithuanian Catholics in southwest Rockford, the present church building was erected in 1929. In 1985 the parish was designated the home of the diocesan Office of Black Catholic Ministry, and in 1992 Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill named it the 'hogar' (home parish) for all Spanish-speaking Catholics of the Rockford area. Today it is a vibrant bilingual community — with Sunday Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish, a flourishing Hispanic ministry life, and roughly 500 registered families.
- Established
- 1911
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (Apostles)
- Rector
- Rev. Adalberto Sanchez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockford
Why belong here
SS. Peter and Paul is a bilingual parish where English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics gather under one roof for Sunday Mass — including a noon Mass in Spanish — daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, Saturday Vigil, Saturday confession, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, and Nocturnal Adoration. The parish runs an unusually broad lay ministry network: Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Emmaus Men's and Women's groups, a Prayer Group, Marriage Encounter, a Hispanic Ballet Folklórico dance troupe, a homebound-Eucharist ministry, a parish choir, and the full range of liturgical roles (lectors, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, sacristans, ushers, music ministry). It also keeps beloved cultural traditions alive — the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Las Posadas and a Mother's Day celebration — making it a true spiritual home for Rockford's Latino Catholic community as well as longtime parishioners.
Mass times at SS. Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:30 p.m.
- By appointment (call 815-962-7171)
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:30–9:00 a.m. (after the 8:00 a.m. Mass)
- Nocturnal Adoration (Adoración Nocturna) — schedule available through the parish office
History of SS. Peter and Paul Parish
The parish was founded in 1911 as the Lithuanian national parish of southwest Rockford, growing out of a special Sunday Mass Bishop Peter J. Muldoon arranged at St. James Pro-Cathedral. Father John Malinauskas, a Lithuanian priest, became its first pastor, and a frame church at South West Street and Lincoln Avenue was dedicated on July 2, 1911. Under the Marian Fathers in 1929 the present church and school were built (the school staffed by the Sisters of St. Casimir of Chicago). After several pastorates — including a notable period under Father Joseph J. Reikas (1947–1966) who retired the parish debt and renovated the church for the Second Vatican Council — the parish was designated in 1985 as the home of the diocesan Office of Black Catholic Ministry and in 1992 as the 'hogar' for all Spanish-speaking Catholics of the Rockford area. Subsequent pastors Timothy R. Piasecki and Ricardo F. Hernandez carried out further interior renovations.
- 1911 — Parish founded; first frame church dedicated July 2, 1911
- 1911–1912 — Father John Malinauskas, first pastor
- 1928–1934 — Father V. Kulikauskas, M.I.C.; present church and school built 1929
- 1947–1966 — Father Joseph J. Reikas; 1965 Vatican II renovation
- 1966–1972 — Father Bruno E. Daukas
- 1985 — Office of Black Catholic Ministry established here by Bishop O'Neill
- 1992 — Designated 'hogar' (home parish) for Spanish-speaking Catholics
- 1997–2005 — Father Timothy R. Piasecki; interior renovation, central altar, Blessed Sacrament chapel
- 2006 — Father Ricardo F. Hernandez renovations: new altar, confessional, baptismal font, murals
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Rev. Adalberto Sanchez as pastor (per the Diocese of Rockford parish directory). For parish business, appointments, and to join any ministry, visitors are directed to the parish office at 815-962-7171.
- Pastor: Rev. Adalberto Sanchez
- Parish office: 815-962-7171
- Address: 617 Lincoln Ave, Rockford, IL 61102
- Email (diocesan listing): [email protected]
Parish Ministries & Groups
SS. Peter and Paul has an unusually broad parish life — more than a dozen active lay groups and ministries. The Hispanic cultural life is anchored by the Ballet Folklórico dance troupe and the annual Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Las Posadas and Mother's Day celebration. Marian and devotional life is expressed through the Legion of Mary and the Prayer Group; community and formation through the Emmaus Men's and Women's groups, Marriage Encounter, and the Knights of Columbus; and service to shut-ins through the Eucharistic Homebound Ministry.
- Knights of Columbus (Caballeros de Colón) — Catholic fraternal service and charitable outreach
- Legion of Mary (Legión de María) — Marian devotion and apostolic works
- Prayer Group (Grupo de Oración)
- Emmaus Men's Group (Grupo de Hombres Emaús)
- Emmaus Women's Group (Grupo de Mujeres Emaús)
- Marriage Encounter (Encuentro Matrimonial)
- Nocturnal Adoration (Adoración Nocturna)
- Ballet Folklórico / Dance Group — Hispanic cultural dance (contact: Liz Hernandez, 779-537-9919)
- Choir (Coro) — sings at Mass, retreats, funerals, weddings and quinceañeras
- Eucharistic Homebound Ministry — brings communion to the sick and homebound
- Church Cleaning ministry (Limpieza de la Iglesia)
Liturgical Ministries
The parish invites parishioners to serve in the full range of liturgical roles. Volunteers are welcomed as lectors, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, sacristans, ushers, and members of the music ministry and choir. For more information contact the parish office at 815-962-7171.
- Lectors (Lectores) — proclaim the Word of God
- Altar Servers (Acólitos)
- Eucharistic Ministers (Ministerio Eucarístico) — distribute Holy Communion
- Sacristans (Sacristanes) — prepare the liturgy
- Ushers (Ujieres) — welcome and assist the assembly
- Music Ministry / Choir — supports weekend Masses
Annual Celebrations & Cultural Life
As the 'hogar' for Spanish-speaking Catholics of the Rockford area, the parish keeps important Hispanic devotional and cultural traditions each year. The signature celebrations are the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Las Posadas, and a Mother's Day celebration, all of which draw the wider community together around faith, food and music.
- Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Las Posadas
- Mother's Day celebration
- Ballet Folklórico performances
- Quinceañera ministry
Parish Building & Campus
The 1929 church and school are located at the corner of South West Street and Lincoln Avenue — the original 1911 parish site. The church has a capacity of 270–520, and in the two-floor arrangement typical of Lithuanian-American churches the main worship hall sits on the second floor, with the parish hall, convent, and priest's living quarters on the first. Subsequent decades of renovations brought stained-glass windows, air-conditioning, central-altar reordering, hardwood flooring, a Blessed Sacrament chapel, a new altar, confessional, baptismal font and murals. A 1949 plaque inside the entrance hall lists parishioners who contributed to the church organ under Father Reikas.
- Built 1929 under Father V. Kulikauskas, M.I.C.
- Two-floor plan: worship hall upstairs; parish hall/convent/priest's quarters downstairs
- Church capacity: 270–520
- Major renovations: 1965 (Vatican II), 1997–2005 (central altar, Blessed Sacrament chapel, hardwood floor), 2006 (altar, confessional, baptismal font, murals)
Practical Info & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are welcomed to call the parish office during business hours for appointments, sacramental prep, or to join any ministry.
- Address: 617 Lincoln Ave, Rockford, IL 61102
- Phone: (815) 962-7171
- Fax: (815) 962-5184
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.sspeterandpaul-rockford.org
- Diocese: Diocese of Rockford (Rockford Deanery)
- Registered families: approx. 500
- Church capacity: 270–520
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Malinauskas1911–1912
First pastor; Lithuanian priest appointed by Bishop Muldoon to minister to Rockford's Lithuanian Catholics. Oversaw purchase of property at South West Street and Lincoln Avenue, construction of the frame church dedicated July 2, 1911, and purchase of the rectory on April 20, 1912.
- Father Vincent Žilinskas1912–1928
Second pastor (dates given in parish history).
- Father V. Kulikauskas, M.I.C.1928–1934
Marian Father from Hinsdale, Illinois. Built the present church and school in 1929; school opened under the Sisters of St. Casimir of Chicago.
- Father M. Svarlis1934–1937
Pastored the parish until the Augustinian Fathers took over for a period.
- Father Joseph J. Reikas1947–1966
Returned the parish to diocesan care; worked to retire parish debt. In 1965 he fully renovated the church to Second Vatican Council standards — new stained-glass windows, air-conditioning, carpet, sanctuary — and paid off the renovation debt before his transfer.
- Father Bruno E. Daukas1966–1972
Appointed by Bishop Loras T. Lane. Completed renovations of the parish hall, convent and attached priest's quarters, and paid off the debt before his February 1972 transfer.
- Father Timothy R. Piasecki1997–2005
Led interior renovation — altar moved to a more central position, a Blessed Sacrament chapel created, new hardwood floor installed.
- Father Ricardo F. Hernandezthrough approx. 2006 and later
Under his administration the parish reached about 500 registered families; interior renovations in fall 2006 added a new altar, confessional, baptismal font and murals.
- Rev. Adalberto Sanchezcurrent
Current pastor per the Diocese of Rockford parish listing.