About St. Anthony · Bartonville, Illinois
St. Anthony Catholic Church is a welcoming parish in Bartonville, Illinois, in the Peoria metropolitan area. Founded in 1969, when local Catholic families first gathered for Mass in the theater of the former Bartonville State Hospital, the parish now sits on a beautifully landscaped ten-acre campus at 2525 South Skyway Road and is part of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Father Jim Pankiewicz
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Anthony offers a vibrant, welcoming home for Catholics in Bartonville and the surrounding communities, with weekend and weekday Masses, Saturday confessions, monthly First Friday Adoration, and sacramental preparation for baptism, marriage, the Anointing of the Sick, and OCIA. Parishioners can grow in faith through the K–8 Faith Formation program, serve at Mass as greeters, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers, and join parish choirs led by the Director of Liturgical Music. Outreach runs deep through the Knights of Columbus St. Jude Council #4333, the Women's Club, the Bartonville Food Pantry, Giving Tree, Box of Joy, Change for Change, Women's Care Center, and St. Nicholas Charity on Wheels — making it easy for new members to find community and purpose.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
- Other times by appointment (call the parish office at 309-697-0645)
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month, following 7:30 am Mass until 5:00 pm (Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3:00 pm, Rosary at 3:30 pm, Litany of St. Joseph at 4:00 pm, Benediction at 5:00 pm)
Our Parish
St. Anthony is a vibrant and welcoming Catholic community in Bartonville, Illinois, where faith, fellowship, and service come together. The parish's mission statement reads: 'We, the people of St. Anthony Catholic Church, with the pastor, acknowledge God's Kingdom on earth as revealed by the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are called to build God's Kingdom by our example of communal worship and love of one another and by our awareness of service to all God's people.' The parish welcomes newcomers, those seeking a spiritual home, and anyone wishing to deepen their faith.
- Patron Saint: St. Anthony of Padua
- Part of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria
- Facilities include the Church, Parish Center, and Outdoor Pavilion
- Located on a ten-acre landscaped campus
Our History
The parish was founded in 1969 when a group of Catholic families in the Bartonville area began worshipping together in the theater of the former Bartonville State Hospital. From those humble beginnings, the community grew into the parish that today occupies a ten-acre landscaped campus with church, Parish Center, and pavilion. The parish continues to build on the foundations laid by its earliest members and invites current and future parishioners to share in its mission of proclaiming the faith.
- Year established: 1969
- First worship site: theater of the former Bartonville State Hospital
Our Staff
St. Anthony is served by a pastor, two deacons, a Director of Religious Education, and a Director of Liturgical Music.
- Deacon Tom Mueller – Senior Status (joined February 2024)
- Deacon Mary Ann Fahey-Darling – Director of Liturgical Music
- Karen Campbell – Director of Religious Education (since August 2017)
Faith Formation (Grades K–8)
St. Anthony's Children's Faith Formation program assists parents in fostering their children's knowledge and love of God through study of Scripture, Church doctrine, values, and history, with emphasis on Jesus' life and mission, prayer, communal worship, and life-long faith development. The program uses a spiral curriculum so that each year students revisit and go deeper into faith concepts, with First Reconciliation and First Communion prepared in 2nd grade and Confirmation celebrated every other year for 7th- and 8th-grade students after a two-year preparation. An At-Home Family Catechesis option is available for families who prefer to teach at home, using the same curriculum with DRE support.
- Grades K–8 taught with spiral curriculum
- First Reconciliation and First Communion in 2nd grade
- Confirmation for 7th and 8th grade every other year
- At-Home Family Catechesis option
- Vacation Bible School offered
- Contact: Karen Campbell, [email protected]
- Office hours: Wed 8am–12pm, Fri 8am–12pm, Sundays during class
Becoming Catholic — OCIA
St. Anthony welcomes adults interested in becoming Catholic through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA). Led by the pastor, the program follows the 'Symbolon' video series along with the 'YouCat' catechism and a workbook, with weekly instruction running September through March. Candidates are typically received into the Church at the Easter Vigil.
- OCIA – Order of Christian Initiation for Adults
- Symbolon video series and YouCat catechism
- September through March weekly instruction
- Reception at the Easter Vigil
Sacraments
St. Anthony prepares parishioners for all the major sacraments through formation, interviews with the pastor, and parish-wide celebrations. Weddings require at least six months' notice, and Baptisms are typically celebrated after a weekend Mass (or within Mass by request). The Anointing of the Sick is celebrated communally each Fall and is available by appointment year-round for those who are hospitalized, homebound, or preparing for surgery.
- Baptism – meet with pastor, choose godparents, complete intake form
- First Reconciliation & First Communion – 2nd grade
- Confirmation – 7th and 8th grade, every other year
- Anointing of the Sick – communal each Fall, or by appointment (309-697-0645)
- Marriage – arrangements at least 6 months in advance; Friday evenings by 7:00 pm and Saturdays by 1:30 pm; no weddings Memorial Day weekend
Parish Ministries
Parish ministries at St. Anthony provide many ways to live out the faith through service, music, and care for others. The parish invites new volunteers to get involved through Mass ministries, music, and community outreach.
- Music Ministry – Sunday Morning Choir, Resurrection Choir, St. Anthony Camerata Chorale
- Mass Ministries – Greeters, Lectors, Ministers of Holy Communion
- Faith Community Nursing
- Care for Creation
- Funeral Care
Community Ministries & Outreach
St. Anthony supports numerous local and diocesan outreach efforts coordinated by parish ministries and the Women's Club, including food drives, seasonal collections, and partnership programs.
- Bartonville Food Pantry – year-round support and Lenten 'Fill the Sack' drive (pantry open Mondays 1–3 pm at Bartonville Christian Church)
- Change for Change – Lenten spare-change collection directed by the Women's Club (2025 supported Bartonville Grade and Pleasant Hill Elementary; $1,082.60 raised)
- Giving Tree – annual Advent gift collection for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria
- Box of Joy – Christmas gift-box ministry facilitated by Cross Catholic Outreach
- Women's Care Center – summer collection of baby/mother items and monetary donations for the Peoria WCC
- St. Nicholas Charity on Wheels – January donation drive supporting the Catholic Charities mobile van
Knights of Columbus — St. Jude Council #4333
St. Anthony hosts the parish's Knights of Columbus council, St. Jude Council #4333, a Catholic fraternal men's organization supporting priests and parishes and helping men and their families grow closer to Christ. The council meets once a month at the parish, usually the last Monday or Thursday at 6:00 PM.
- St. Jude Council #4333
- Grand Knight: Mike Wikoff
- Financial Secretary: Jim Seppelt
- Meets last Monday or Thursday of the month at 6:00 PM
Music Ministry
The parish's music ministry, led by Director of Liturgical Music Mary Ann Fahey-Darling, includes the St. Anthony Sunday Morning Choir, the Resurrection Choir for funerals and Easter, and the St. Anthony Camerata Chorale, which sings with the Diocese of Peoria Festival Choir. All choirs welcome new members interested in making a 'joyful noise unto the Lord.'
- Sunday Morning Choir
- Resurrection Choir (funerals/Easter)
- St. Anthony Camerata Chorale (Diocese of Peoria Festival Choir)
- Director of Liturgical Music: Mary Ann Fahey-Darling