About St. Augustine of Hippo · East Saint Louis, Illinois
St. Augustine of Hippo is a Catholic parish in East St. Louis, Illinois, in the Diocese of Belleville, established on March 6, 2006 through the merger of four remaining city parishes (St. Joseph, St. Patrick, St. Philip, and Regis). It carries forward the name of the original St. Augustine Colored Mission, the first African-American Catholic parish in southern Illinois, whose first Mass was celebrated on October 2, 1921. Worship at St. Augustine blends traditional Catholic music with spirituals and contemporary Gospel, and a 'Children's Church' is offered at the Sunday 9:30 a.m. Mass. The parish is served by the Franciscan friars at St. Benedict the Black Friary, with its parish hall named for Venerable Augustus Tolton, the first recognized African-American priest in the United States, who was himself baptized with the name Augustine.
- Established
- 2006
- Patron
- St. Augustine of Hippo
- Rector
- Rev. Carroll Mizicko, OFM
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Augustine of Hippo is a small but notably welcoming community of about 200 households, many of whom travel in from across the Metro-East to be part of a parish where Catholic liturgy meets the spirituals and Gospel music of the African-American Catholic tradition. Members find a place in over two dozen active ministries — from the Parish Choir, Praise Dancers, and Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver, to faith formation for children and youth, Bible study, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and outreach through Catholic Urban Programs and Health Visions East. It is a parish rooted in 100 years of Black Catholic witness in East St. Louis and committed to crossing 'traditional race, ethnic and economic division' in the name of the Gospel.
Mass times at St. Augustine of Hippo
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
About St. Augustine of Hippo Catholic Church
St. Augustine of Hippo is a Catholic parish of the Diocese of Belleville serving the East St. Louis community from 408 Rev. Joseph A. Brown, SJ Blvd. The parish was canonically established on March 6, 2006, when four remaining East St. Louis parishes — St. Joseph, St. Patrick, St. Philip, and Regis — were merged. It carries forward the name of the original St. Augustine Colored Mission, southern Illinois's first African-American Catholic parish. Worship is a distinctive blend of traditional Catholic liturgy with spirituals and contemporary Gospel music, and a Children's Church (Liturgy of the Word for Children) is offered at the Sunday 9:30 a.m. Mass.
- Established: March 6, 2006
- Diocese: Belleville
- Style of worship: traditional Catholic + African-American spirituals & Gospel
- Children's Church available at 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass
History & Heritage
The parish traces its roots to 1921, when Father Peter Harrington of the Society of African Missions (SMA) opened St. Augustine Colored Mission at 14th and Broadway Avenue in East St. Louis — the first African-American Catholic parish in southern Illinois. Saint Katharine Drexel personally supported the mission and sent Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament to run its school. After desegregation the mission closed in 1960 and was eventually razed for Interstate 64. As East St. Louis's population declined, parishes and schools were consolidated, culminating in the 2006 founding of St. Augustine of Hippo from four merged parishes.
- 1921 — First Mass at St. Augustine Colored Mission (Oct. 2, 1921)
- 1922 — Mission school opens
- 1960 — Original mission closes after desegregation
- 1989 — Remaining Catholic schools merged into Sister Thea Bowman School
- March 6, 2006 — St. Augustine of Hippo canonically established
Clergy & Staff
The parish is pastorally served by the Franciscan friars (Order of Friars Minor — OFM) of St. Benedict the Black Friary, located on the parish campus. The pastor is supported by a pastoral associate and a youth ministry team.
- Rev. Carroll Mizicko, OFM — Pastor
- Gail Wren — Pastoral Associate
- Christine Bush — Youth Minister
- Chandra Gines — Youth Minister
Parish Campus
The parish campus includes three key facilities: the church and rectory, the Fr. Augustus Tolton Parish Hall (parish center, at 401 Columbia Place), and St. Benedict the Black Friary, the home of the Franciscan friars who staff the parish. The hall is named for Venerable Augustus Tolton, the first African-American priest in the United States, who was himself baptized with the name Augustine after the great Doctor of the Church.
- St. Augustine of Hippo Catholic Church — 408 Rev. Joseph A. Brown, SJ Blvd.
- Fr. Augustus Tolton Parish Hall — 401 Columbia Place, East St. Louis
- St. Benedict the Black Friary — residence of the OFM Franciscans
Ministries & Parish Life
St. Augustine of Hippo offers an unusually rich array of ministries for a parish of its size — more than two dozen active groups spanning worship, formation, fellowship, and outreach. Members are encouraged to take an active part in parish life through choirs, service organizations, councils, and faith-formation teams. The parish also maintains active partnerships with Catholic Urban Programs, Health Visions East, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society in reaching the wider East St. Louis community.
- Pastoral Council (President: Arthur Lane)
- Finance Council
- Parish Life Commission
- Worship and Spiritual Life Commission
- Religious Education Commission
Liturgical & Music Ministries
Worship at St. Augustine is shaped by the gifts of its music and liturgical ministers, including the Parish Choir and the Praise Dancers. The Mass features traditional Catholic music alongside spirituals and contemporary Gospel drawn from the African-American Catholic tradition.
- Parish Choir
- Praise Dancers
- Lector/Reader
- Minister of the Cup (Eucharistic Minister)
- Altar Servers
- Usher / Hospitality
- Church Environment / Decoration
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith formation is offered for children, youth, and adults. Children pre-school through high school are welcomed to a special 'Children's Church' experience at the Sunday 9:30 a.m. Mass. The parish runs a youth group, 'Team-J' classes, adult Bible study, and presentations on the Catholic faith throughout the year.
- Liturgy of the Word for Children (Children's Church)
- St. Augustine Youth Group
- Team-J
- "The Saints"
- Religion Teacher / Teacher Aide
- Adult Faith Formation & Bible Classes
Service, Outreach & Community
Service is central to the parish's identity. The F.A.S.T. (Faith in Action to Serve & Transform) initiative coordinates parish outreach, and parishioners volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Urban Programs, and Health Visions East — all serving neighbors in need across East St. Louis.
- F.A.S.T. — Faith in Action to Serve & Transform
- Community Outreach
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Volunteer partnerships: Catholic Urban Programs, Health Visions East
Parish Organizations
Two of the parish's longest-standing lay societies are the Knights of Peter Claver and the Ladies of Peter Claver, national Black Catholic fraternal organizations. A Social Media Team helps steward the parish's communications.
- Knights of Peter Claver
- Ladies of Peter Claver
- Social Media Team
Partnered Communities
St. Augustine of Hippo is partnered with Immaculate Conception Chapel in East St. Louis, a small Lithuanian Catholic community whose chapel remains a vital part of the local Catholic landscape. Together they continue the ministry and presence of the Catholic Church in an economically challenged region.
- Immaculate Conception Chapel (East St. Louis) — partnered parish
Our Beliefs & Mission
The parish's published mission statement reads: 'We are a community of Catholics from the Metro-St. Louis area who choose to celebrate our faith together in East St. Louis. In response to God's call to grow in our faith in Jesus Christ through Word and Sacrament, we give witness that we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord by crossing traditional race, ethnic and economic division. We share together in worship, in fellowship, in hospitality, in service to and in active involvement in the life of the surrounding community.'
- Identity: Catholic community crossing race, ethnic, and economic lines
- Method: Word and Sacrament
- Outreach: worship, fellowship, hospitality, service, community involvement
Visit & Contact
Parishioners welcome guests and visitors — especially anyone relocating to the area. The parish invites newcomers to feel 'comfortable and at liberty to call on us for anything you need' and to explore the ministries and events described on the parish website.
- Address: 408 Rev. Joseph A. Brown, SJ Blvd., East St. Louis, IL 62205
- Phone: (618) 274-0655
- Website: https://staugustineeaststlouis.com/
- Diocese of Belleville listing confirms Mass and reconciliation schedule