About Ss. Simon and Jude · Gillespie, Illinois
Ss. Simon and Jude Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Gillespie, Illinois, in Macoupin County, served today as part of the Macoupin Catholic tri-parish community along with Ss. Mary and Joseph in Carlinville and St. Joseph in Benld. The parish is part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and is pastored by Fr. Joe Koyickal, S.A.C. With roughly 250 parishioners in 142 families, the faith community gathers for Mass on Saturday evening, Sunday morning, and Tuesday mornings, witnesses the Eucharist exposed in a weekly Saturday Holy Hour, and supports ongoing faith formation for children and youth through its PSR and youth group programs.
- Established
- 1879 (mission established; first Mass January 1, 1880)
- Patron
- Apostle Saints Simon and Jude
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph (Joe) Koyickal, S.A.C.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
Ss. Simon and Jude is a close-knit, multi-generational Catholic family in the heart of Macoupin County that worships, learns, and serves together. The parish offers Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass, a Tuesday weekday Mass (with First Fridays), a Saturday Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration, and Saturday confessions. Families are formed in faith through PSR classes for grades K–5, a youth group for grades 6–12, and an OCIA program for adults seeking full initiation into the Church. Members also serve one another through the parish's Altar Society, Parish Council, Finance Committee, and the shared Knights of Columbus Council 2076 — all in the spirit of the parish's mission 'to worship as a family, to nurture and grow our faith, and to be a welcoming, evangelizing and serving community.'
Mass times at Ss. Simon and Jude
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Saturday Holy Hour: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Mission Statement & Identity
The parish describes its identity with this mission: 'We the faith community of Ss. Simon & Jude are called to worship as a family to nurture and grow our faith and to be a welcoming, evangelizing and serving community.' As part of the Macoupin Catholic tri-parish community, Ss. Simon and Jude joins with St. Joseph in Benld and Ss. Mary and Joseph in Carlinville to share pastoral ministry, faith formation resources, and the weekly bulletin.
- Worship as a family
- Nurture and grow our faith
- Welcoming, evangelizing, and serving community
History of the Parish
The story of Ss. Simon and Jude begins in 1879, when the Bishop of the Diocese of Alton authorized a mission church for the Catholics of Gillespie. The first Mass in the new frame church was offered on January 1, 1880, to 29 families; the church was dedicated in November 1883. For its first 25 years the community was a mission served by visiting priests, until Father John Crosson became the first resident priest in 1905 and launched the building program that produced the school (1913–14), the convent (1925), and the present brick church (construction begun 1929, first Mass March 16, 1930). Holy Cross Cemetery property was purchased in 1910, and a mission church in Benld was begun in 1915. In 2004, the parish welcomed the members of the former Holy Cross Parish of Wilsonville.
- 1879 — Mission church authorized by the Bishop of the Diocese of Alton
- January 1, 1880 — First Mass celebrated, 29 families
- November 1883 — Church dedicated to Saints Simon and Jude
- 1905 — Father John Crosson becomes first resident priest
- 1910 — Holy Cross Cemetery property purchased
- 1913–1914 — Parish school built
- 1915 — Mission church in Benld begun
- 1925 — Convent completed
- March 16, 1930 — First Mass in the present brick church (seats ~500)
- 2004 — Holy Cross Parish of Wilsonville merged in
Parish Staff & Pastoral Leadership
Ss. Simon and Jude is served by Rev. Joseph (Joe) Koyickal, S.A.C., of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines), as Pastor. Day-to-day parish life is supported by a small staff including a Parish Secretary / DRE, an Administrative Assistant, a Bookkeeper, and a Liturgical Music Coordinator. The pastor also serves as the shepherd of the Macoupin Catholic tri-parish community that links St. Joseph in Benld and Ss. Mary and Joseph in Carlinville.
- Rev. Joseph Koyickal, S.A.C. — Pastor ([email protected])
- Donette Clark — Parish Secretary / Director of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Amy Killam — Administrative Assistant
- Rosemary Messner — Liturgical Music Coordinator
Faith Formation: PSR, Youth Group & OCIA
Faith formation for children, teens, and adults is coordinated by the Director of Religious Education and meets at the parish's Ss. Simon & Jude School building. PSR classes are offered for children in grades K–5, a parish youth group gathers grades 6–12 in the upper-level youth room, and an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program is offered for anyone wishing to become Catholic or to complete their initiation sacraments.
- PSR — grades K–5, Sundays 9:30–10:45 AM at Ss. Simon & Jude School
- Youth Group — grades 6–12, Sundays 9:30–10:45 AM in the upper-level youth room
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, for inquirers and catechumens
- DRE contact: Donette Clark — [email protected]
Parish Committees & Groups
Parishioners serve the faith family through several standing committees and groups. The Parish Council assists the pastor in planning, organizing, and reviewing evangelization, worship, religious education, and service activities. The Finance Council helps steward the parish's temporal goods. The long-standing Altar Society maintains the altar, supports funeral dinners, and lifts up local outreach such as donations to Catholic Charities and a Lenten soup lunch. The parish also shares Knights of Columbus Council 2076 with neighboring St. Joseph Parish in Benld.
- Parish Council — assists the pastor in parish planning and review
- Finance Committee — assists the pastor in fiscal stewardship
- Altar Society — altar care, funeral dinners, parish events; meetings 2nd Tuesday
- Knights of Columbus Council 2076 — meets monthly at St. Joseph, Benld; [email protected]
Altar Society
The Altar Society helps to maintain the altar and assists with liturgical planning, provides funeral-dinner support for families, and supports many church and community events. Through its 'Flowers for Mother's Day' ministry it raises donations for Catholic Charities, it collects supplies for local first responders, and it hosts a soup lunch during Lent. All ladies of the parish are members and are invited to attend; meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month, following the weekday Mass.
- Mary Newman — President
- Kim Bertino — Secretary
- Theresa Duncan — Treasurer
Parish Council
The Parish Council is there to assist the pastor in his leadership role of planning, organizing, initiating, promoting, coordinating, and reviewing the evangelization, worship, religious education/formation, and service activities within the parish. Its members represent the breadth of the parish family and meet regularly to discern needs and priorities.
- Members include: Harry Cavanaugh, Denise Wirth, Theresa Duncan, Roger Niehaus, Artie Vallerius, Mary Newman, Brenda Lubrant, Harold Newman, Weye Schmidt, Kristin Jarden, Doug Goings, John Marciukaitis
Knights of Columbus Council 2076
Men from both Ss. Simon & Jude parish and St. Joseph parish in Benld are encouraged to join the Knights of Columbus Council 2076. Meetings are held once a month at St. Joseph. Inquiries about membership can be sent to [email protected].
- Shared council with St. Joseph, Benld
- Monthly meetings at St. Joseph
- Membership inquiries: [email protected]
Macoupin Catholic Tri-Parish Community
Ss. Simon and Jude is one of three Macoupin County parishes served together by Fr. Joe Koyickal, S.A.C., and shared staff. The tri-parish website at macoupincatholicchurch.com welcomes visitors and points to resources for Sunday experience, family faith, the parish bulletin, and a shared Facebook page. The Macoupin Catholic partnership helps sustain rural Catholic life in Gillespie, Benld, and Carlinville.
- St. Joseph — Benld, Illinois
- Ss. Mary & Joseph — Carlinville, Illinois
- Ss. Simon & Jude — Gillespie, Illinois
- Shared tri-parish site: macoupincatholicchurch.com
- Shared Facebook: Macoupin Catholic Church
Cemetery: Holy Cross
The parish maintains Holy Cross Cemetery, whose property was originally purchased by Ss. Simon and Jude in 1910. Located in Cahokia Township in the Gillespie area, the cemetery is part of the parish's long-standing ministry to its families, including those of the former Holy Cross Parish in Wilsonville, which merged into Ss. Simon and Jude in 2004.
- Cemetery property purchased 1910
- Original (Old) and New sections in Cahokia Township, Gillespie
- Welcomed burials from Holy Cross Parish, Wilsonville, in 2004
Visiting & Contact Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at 304 N Macoupin Street, Gillespie, IL 62033, by phone at 217-839-3456, or by email at [email protected]. Office hours are limited to Tuesday mornings from 9:00 AM to Noon, and confession is available by appointment in addition to the regular Saturday schedule. The parish also shares information and announcements through the Macoupin Catholic tri-parish Facebook page.
- Address: 304 N Macoupin St, Gillespie, IL 62033
- Phone: 217-839-3456
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tuesdays, 9:00 AM – Noon
- Website: https://www.sssimonjudegillespie.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Crosson1905–
First resident priest of the parish; organized the first Altar Society and the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary; planned the brick church, school, and convent.