About St. Andrew · Fairbury, Illinois
St. Andrew Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Peoria serving Fairbury and the surrounding rural area of Livingston County, Illinois. Worship takes place in the historic former St. John the Baptist Church building — a striking Romanesque structure of bright red Danville brick with stone trim — at the corner of Ash and Fourth Streets. Father Scott Archer, the founding pastor, leads the parish, which offers both the Ordinary Form and the Traditional Latin (Tridentine) Mass each weekend.
- Established
- 2013
- Patron
- St. Andrew (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Scott Archer
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria (Pontiac Vicariate)
Why belong here
St. Andrew is a small, faithful country parish where the same priest serves as pastor year after year — Father Scott Archer has been the pastor since the parish was founded in 2013. Worshippers can attend either the Ordinary Form Mass on Sunday morning or the Traditional Latin (Tridentine) Mass at 10:30 a.m., with weekday Masses Monday through Friday and a generous confession schedule. The parish carries on the rich legacy of four merged rural congregations, makes use of the architecturally notable 1902 Romanesque brick church in Fairbury, and has produced religious vocations across generations — including a newly ordained priest from the parish in 2025.
Mass times at St. Andrew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — 3:30 p.m.
- Monday — 7:30 a.m.
- Wednesday — 7:30 a.m.
- Thursday — 7:30 a.m.
- Friday — 7:30 a.m.
History of St. Andrew Parish
St. Andrew Parish was established on July 1, 2013, with Father Scott Archer as founding pastor, through the merger of four rural Catholic communities: SS. Peter and Paul of Chatsworth, St. Rose of Strawn, St. James of Forrest, and St. John the Baptist of Fairbury. The boundaries changed on June 13, 2018, when Chatsworth was removed, and again on September 2, 2024, when St. Rose Church in Strawn was closed. The church, rectory, and parish hall remain in Fairbury.
- Established July 1, 2013
- Founding pastor: Father Scott Archer
- Formed from merger of SS. Peter and Paul (Chatsworth), St. Rose (Strawn), St. James (Forrest), and St. John the Baptist (Fairbury)
- Chatsworth removed from parish boundaries: June 13, 2018
- St. Rose Church, Strawn closed: September 2, 2024
The Predecessor Parishes
St. Andrew's roots trace back to the very beginning of Catholic life in Livingston County. The parish carries forward the heritage of four small farming communities whose churches have, in various ways, been combined or closed over the past decade.
- St. John the Baptist, Fairbury — founded 1857; first Catholic parish in Livingston County
- St. Rose, Strawn — Strawn made a mission of Fairbury in 1882; first St. Rose Church built 1895
- St. James, Forrest — Catholic community founded 1886; first church built 1889
- SS. Peter and Paul, Chatsworth — later removed from St. Andrew Parish in 2018
St. John the Baptist in Fairbury (1857–2013)
St. John the Baptist in Fairbury was the first Catholic parish in Livingston County, established in 1857. Father John A. Fanning was its first resident pastor and built the original church on Hickory Street, dedicated June 24, 1868. In 1901, Father James Francis bought land at the corner of Ash and Fourth Streets for a larger church, and that building is the one the parish still uses today.
- Established 1857 as first Catholic parish in Livingston County
- First resident pastor: Father John A. Fanning
- Original church on Hickory Street dedicated June 24, 1868
- Land for present church purchased 1901 by Father James Francis
- Present church designed by architect Paul Moratz; dedicated November 9, 1902
St. Rose, Strawn (1882–2024)
Strawn became a mission of Fairbury in 1882, and the first St. Rose Church was built in 1895. A new church designed by Arthur Moratz — the youngest brother of Fairbury's architect Paul Moratz — was dedicated on October 15, 1940. St. Rose Church was closed on September 2, 2024.
- Strawn made a mission of Fairbury in 1882
- First St. Rose Church built 1895
- New church designed by Arthur Moratz, dedicated October 15, 1940
- St. Rose Church closed September 2, 2024
St. James, Forrest (1886–)
Forrest's Catholic community was founded in 1886. The first St. James church was built in 1889; a fire damaged the interior in 1942 and the space was remodeled. A new St. James church was dedicated in 1972. After closure, the church building was donated to the Village of Forrest.
- Forrest Catholic community founded 1886
- First St. James church built 1889
- Interior damaged by fire in 1942 and remodeled
- New St. James church dedicated 1972
- Building later donated to the Village of Forrest
Vocations from the Parish
Across the combined history of the merged communities, the parish has been blessed with an extraordinary number of religious vocations — a source of great pride for a small rural congregation.
- Sister Mary Aquinas Freehill, V.H.M.
- Mother Perpetua Marie of the Immaculate Conception, O.C.D. (Discalced Carmelite)
- Mother Marie Benedicta of the Cross, O.C.D. (Discalced Carmelite)
- Father Francis Strong — ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria on May 24, 2025
The Church Building
St. Andrew worships in the former St. John the Baptist Church, a Romanesque-style church built in 1902. Designed by architect Paul Moratz, it is constructed of bright red Danville brick with stone trimmings, and the interior features a single-vaulted ceiling and a traditional Romanesque apse. The building sits at the corner of Ash and Fourth Streets in Fairbury.
- Style: Romanesque
- Architect: Paul Moratz
- Materials: bright red Danville brick with stone trimmings
- Interior: single-vaulted ceiling, traditional Romanesque apse
- Dedicated November 9, 1902
- Location: corner of Ash and Fourth Streets, Fairbury
Clergy & Staff
St. Andrew is served by Father Scott Archer, who has been the pastor since the parish was founded in 2013. Father Archer was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on June 8, 1962, was ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 1990, and has spent his entire ministry in the Diocese of Peoria — including earlier assignments in Moline and Peoria before taking on the rural Livingston County parishes in 1993.
- Father Scott Archer — Pastor (founding pastor, 2013–present)
- Born June 8, 1962, Fort Dodge, Iowa
- Ordained May 26, 1990, Diocese of Peoria
- Prior assignments: Sacred Heart (Moline), St. Philomena (Peoria), then Administrator/Pastor of St. John (Fairbury), St. James (Forrest), St. Rose (Strawn), and SS. Peter and Paul (Chatsworth)
Diocese & Vicariate
St. Andrew Parish belongs to the Diocese of Peoria and is part of the Pontiac Vicariate. The Diocese of Peoria's official parish listing records the parish as established in 2013, with Father Scott Archer as the assigned pastor and a parish office reachable at (815) 692-2555.
- Diocese: Peoria
- Vicariate: Pontiac
- Parish listed by the Diocese of Peoria as established 2013
Visit, Contact & Practical Information
The parish church is at 110 E. Ash Street, Fairbury, IL 61739, and the parish phone is (815) 692-2555. The parish website at fairburycatholic.org carries current bulletins and announcements. The Diocese of Peoria also maintains a public page for the parish with the same contact details.
- Address: 110 E. Ash Street, Fairbury, IL 61739
- Phone: (815) 692-2555
- Website: www.fairburycatholic.org
- Diocese listing: cdop.org/parishes/st-andrew-fairbury
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Scott Archer2013–present
Founding pastor of St. Andrew Parish. Previously Administrator, then Pastor, of the predecessor parishes of St. John the Baptist (Fairbury), St. James (Forrest), St. Rose (Strawn), and SS. Peter and Paul (Chatsworth). Born June 8, 1962, Fort Dodge, Iowa; ordained May 26, 1990, for the Diocese of Peoria.