About St. Anthony of Padua · Beckemeyer, Illinois
St. Anthony of Padua is a small Roman Catholic parish in Beckemeyer, Illinois, founded in 1905 by German immigrant coal miners and their families. Today it is part of a three-parish partnership with St. Augustine of Breese and St. Dominic of Breese within the Diocese of Belleville. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 9:30 a.m., with weekday Masses on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 a.m., and the parish shares youth faith formation, Catholic school support (All Saints Academy and Mater Dei High School), and sacramental preparation with its partner parishes.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. Charles W. Tuttle (Fr. Chuck Tuttle)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Padua offers the warmth of a tightly-knit Clinton County parish with regular Sunday and weekday Mass, OCIA/RCIA for adults entering the Church, and a coordinated youth faith formation program shared with neighboring parishes. Parishioners support Catholic education through tuition assistance to All Saints Academy (Breese) and Mater Dei High School, give generously to monthly charities like Cosgrove's Kitchen in East St. Louis, and gather for the parish's annual June picnic — a heritage tradition going back more than a century in this coal-country community.
Mass times at St. Anthony of Padua
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment
- Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at St. Augustine Church (partner parish)
- Seasonal penance services during Advent and Lent (dates announced)
Parish History & Heritage
St. Anthony of Padua parish was founded in October 1905 to serve the Catholic families of Beckemeyer, a coal-mining town originally called Buxton. The first pastor, Rev. Joseph J. Hoellmann, arrived on October 2, 1905, and built the original two-story brick combination church-and-school that same year; the upper church seated 224 parishioners. The school opened January 2, 1906, run by the Sisters of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ from Fort Wayne, Indiana. The present Spanish Mission-style church was begun in 1927, delayed by the Great Depression and the 1928 closing of the local coal mine, and dedicated in November 1938, with a matching rectory added in 1950. A parish hall dates to 1909 and a new parish center with gym, cafeteria, and classrooms was completed in 1978.
- Parish founded: October 1905
- Church dedicated: December 19, 1905
- School opened: January 2, 1906
- First pastor: Rev. Joseph J. Hoellmann
- Spanish Mission church dedicated: November 1938
- Matching rectory built: 1950
- New parish center completed: 1978
- Parish school closed: 1994 (building demolished 1997)
Mass & Worship Schedule
Sunday and weekday Masses are celebrated at St. Anthony's, while the Beckemeyer–Breese parish partnership provides additional Mass times at St. Augustine (Breese) and St. Dominic (Breese). On Sundays, Mass is offered at 8:00 a.m. (St. Augustine), 9:30 a.m. (St. Anthony), and 11:00 a.m. (St. Dominic); on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. (St. Augustine) and 5:30 p.m. (St. Dominic). Holy Day schedules vary and are announced in the bulletin.
- Sunday – 9:30 a.m. (St. Anthony, Beckemeyer)
- Tuesday – 7:30 a.m. (St. Anthony)
- Thursday – 7:30 a.m. (St. Anthony)
- Holy Day – varies (see bulletin)
- Saturday – 4:00 p.m. St. Augustine, 5:30 p.m. St. Dominic
- Sunday – 8:00 a.m. St. Augustine, 11:00 a.m. St. Dominic
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Rev. Charles W. Tuttle ('Fr. Chuck'), who also serves St. Augustine and St. Dominic as part of the Breese–Beckemeyer partnership. He is assisted by Deacon Jay Fowler, Pastoral Associate/DRE Phyllis Berndsen, youth faith formation coordinator Dan Robben, office manager Carol Hilmes, business manager Karri Kampwerth, and maintenance lead Richard Korte.
- Pastor – Rev. Charles W. Tuttle (Fr. Chuck) – 618-526-2566
- Permanent Deacon – Deacon Jay Fowler – 618-973-3162
- Pastoral Associate/DRE – Phyllis Berndsen – 618-791-0069
- Coordinator of Religious Education (Breese/Beckemeyer Youth Faith Formation) – Dan Robben – 618-604-3792
- Office Manager – Carol Hilmes – 618-227-8236 / 618-526-4362
- Business Manager (St. Anthony) – Karri Kampwerth
- Maintenance – Richard Korte – 618-402-5964
Sacraments
St. Anthony's celebrates all the usual Catholic sacraments for parishioners and their families. Baptism is celebrated after the weekend liturgies by appointment and requires a baptismal preparation class; the date should be set at least two months in advance. Couples contact the parish office at least six months before a wedding. Anointing of the Sick is offered annually and on request by calling the parish office or 618-791-0069.
- Baptism — by appointment, class required, schedule ≥ 2 months ahead
- Confirmation / First Eucharist — through parish faith formation
- Reconciliation — see Confession section
- Marriage — 6 months' notice to parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — offered annually; call office
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Religious education is coordinated across the parish partnership. Coordinator Dan Robben (618-604-3792) oversees Breese/Beckemeyer youth faith formation classes, with a team of youth ministry moderators supporting the teens. Adults preparing for entrance into the Catholic Church participate in OCIA (the restored RCIA), with inquiry calls routed to either parish office.
- OCIA / RCIA for adults — contact the parish office
- Youth Faith Formation Classes — Dan Robben, 618-604-3792
- Youth Ministry moderators: Erin Etheridge, Paris Hempen, Angie Pollmann, Rhonda Pulver, Diane Klostermann, Cheryl Loepker
Catholic Schools
St. Anthony's does not operate its own parish school (the original closed in 1994), but parishioners support and receive financial-aid access to two diocesan schools: All Saints Academy in Breese for grades K–8, and Mater Dei Catholic High School.
- All Saints Academy — 295 N. Clinton, Breese — 618-526-4323 — www.asasaints.com
- Mater Dei High School — 900 N. Mater Dei Dr., Breese — 618-526-7216 — www.materdeiknights.org
- Tuition assistance applications available annually from the parish
Outreach & Charity
The parish observes a 'Charity of the Month' program; for example, in January the collection supports Cosgrove's Soup Kitchen in East St. Louis, a 30-plus-year-old ministry serving children, the elderly, the homeless, the disabled, and the working poor. Donations may be placed in a marked envelope in the collection basket; checks are made payable directly to the named charity.
- Monthly Charity of the Month
- Cosgrove's Kitchen (East St. Louis) — supported January 2024
- Tuition assistance to All Saints Academy and Mater Dei High School
- Partnership with St. Vincent de Paul-style outreach referenced via diocesan resources
Parish Partnership
St. Anthony is formally partnered with St. Augustine of Breese and St. Dominic of Breese in a three-parish collaboration that shares a pastor, faith formation staff, and weekend worship scheduling. This allows the Breese–Beckemeyer community to offer daily and weekend Masses across the three churches while keeping administration efficient.
- St. Augustine Catholic Church, Breese — partner parish
- St. Dominic, Breese — partner parish
- Shared pastor: Rev. Charles W. Tuttle
- Combined weekly worship schedule across three churches
Parish Picnic & Community Life
The parish church has always been a gathering place for social as well as spiritual life. St. Anthony's hosts its annual parish picnic every June, featuring home cooking and family activities — a tradition that stretches back more than a century. The on-site parish center (built 1978) with its gym, cafeteria, classrooms, restrooms, and shower rooms supports gatherings, fundraisers, and youth events year-round.
- Annual parish picnic in June
- Parish center with gym, cafeteria, classrooms (built 1978)
- Parish cemetery located ~½ mile southwest of the church (est. 1906)
Visit, Register & Contact
The parish encourages everyone age 18 and older to register as an adult parishioner at the parish office. Office hours in Beckemeyer are Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to noon; partner-parish offices in Breese are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and Thursday 3:00–5:00 p.m. Bulletin submissions are due Tuesdays by 10:00 a.m.
- Address: 451 W. Third Street, Beckemeyer, IL 62219
- Mailing: P.O. Box 305, Beckemeyer, IL 62219
- Phone: 618-227-8236
- Fax: 618-227-8630
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stanthonybeckemeyer.org
- Beckemeyer office hours: Tue & Thu 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph J. Hoellmann1905–
Founding pastor of St. Anthony's; appointed October 2, 1905, and personally built the original brick combination church-and-school in 1905.
- Rev. Charles W. Tuttle
Current pastor of the Breese-Beckemeyer-Dominic partnership; based at St. Augustine, Breese (618-526-2566).