About St. Boniface · Germantown, Illinois
St. Boniface Catholic Church is a small rural parish in Germantown, Illinois — the oldest German Catholic congregation in Clinton County and still known as the "Mother Church of Clinton County." Founded in the 1830s by immigrants from Westphalia and Hanover in Germany, the parish today is partnered with St. Cecilia in Bartelso and is served by an administrator, a deacon, a Director of Religious Education, a parish secretary, and assigned seminarians. The Diocese of Belleville lists the parish as established in 1837, with the imposing 1856 stone church on Munster Street as its heart.
- Established
- 1837
- Patron
- St. Boniface
- Rector
- Reverend Thomas Lugge
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Boniface in Germantown is the historic Mother Church of Clinton County, founded by German Catholic pioneers and still serving as a tight-knit rural parish where 'the church is its people.' Active liturgical ministries — lectors, ushers, Eucharistic ministers, and a Children's Liturgy of the Word — give every family a way to take part, and the parish also gathers for a popular annual picnic that brings the whole community together. As a partnered parish with St. Cecilia in Bartelso, it offers two Sunday Mass options and supports faith formation for children of all ages through its on-site DRE.
Mass times at St. Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays when St. Boniface has the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass (even months: February, April, June, August, October, December): 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Parish History
St. Boniface was founded in the 1830s by German Catholic immigrants from Westphalia and Hanover who established the first German Catholic community in Clinton County. The parish, first called St. Henry, was renamed St. Boniface and earned the title 'Mother Church of Clinton County.' From the arrival of the pioneers and the first records of Fr. J. H. Fortmann in 1834 to the building of the present stone church in 1856 and the long succession of pastors that followed, the parish has shaped the religious life of Germantown for nearly two centuries.
- Founded 1833 by settlers from Westphalia and Hanover, Germany
- First pastor with surviving records: Fr. J. H. Fortmann (1834)
- Settlement first called Hanover, then Germantown
- First called St. Henry, then renamed St. Boniface
- Stone church built 1856 by Fr. Fortmann (architect Robert Mitchell of St. Louis)
- Mother Church of Clinton County
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led today by an Administrator/Pastor, Rev. Thomas Lugge, working alongside a deacon, a Director of Religious Education, a parish secretary, and assigned seminarians summering with the parish.
- Rev. Thomas Lugge — Administrator / Pastor
- Deacon John Mote
- Danita Deerhake — DRE
- Donna Schroeder — Parish Secretary
- Mr. Grant Fender — Seminarian (Summer Assignment)
- Mr. Kyle Kellerman — Seminarian (Summer Assignment)
Liturgical Ministries
St. Boniface operates the usual complement of lay liturgical ministries called for at Mass. Sign-ups and schedules are managed through the parish website, with team pages for each ministry so parishioners can volunteer online.
- Lector
- Usher
- Eucharistic Minister
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at St. Boniface is coordinated through the parish's Director of Religious Education, Danita Deerhake, who can be reached through the parish office. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered at Mass so younger members of the parish can participate in age-appropriate prayer.
- Director of Religious Education: Danita Deerhake (618-523-4271)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word offered during Mass
- Family faith formation available — contact the parish office
Parish Life & Fundraisers
The parish homepage puts its identity plainly: 'Our Church is its People.' Alongside Mass, sacraments, and ministries, the parish runs an annual picnic that is a signature community tradition, with a published worker list so every household can take part. Online giving and the parish bulletin are also available on the website.
- Annual Parish Picnic (worker list published online)
- Online Giving via the parish website
- Online Church Bulletins
- Church Videos posted to the parish site
The Pastor's Lineage — A Long Succession
Burial and sacramental records preserve a long succession of pastors from the 1830s onward — a roster that includes Fr. J. H. Fortmann, Fathers Tusch, Jacob, two Fathers Jung, Father Margua, Fathers Kraemer, Frohboese, Berger, B. Bartels, Msgr. W. Cluse, Markus Roth, C.M. (1909–), and dozens more whose names appear in the parish's baptism, marriage, and burial registers.
- 1834: Fr. J. H. Fortmann — first pastor with surviving records
- 1857–1865: Fathers Kraemer, Frohboese, Berger
- Father B. Bartels — completed the steeple, decorated the interior
- Msgr. W. Cluse — beautified the cemetery
- 1909: Rev. Markus Roth, C.M. — assisted by Rev. A. Kiefer
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or in person at the church on Munster Street in Germantown. The mailing address is a PO Box, and the parish website carries bulletins, videos, online giving, and ministry sign-up links.
- Phone: 618-523-4271
- Address: 402 Munster Street, Germantown, IL 62245
- Mailing: P.O. Box 280, Germantown, IL 62245-0280
- Website: stbonifacechurch.net
Architecture of the 1856 Stone Church
The 1856 stone church that still anchors the parish was built by Fr. Fortmann after plans drawn by architect Robert Mitchell of St. Louis. Its scale — 148 feet long, 65 feet wide, with a steeple carried to 44 feet — was huge for a small rural farming parish, and the $24,000 contract sum reflected that ambition. Father B. Bartels later completed the steeple and richly decorated the interior, while Msgr. W. Cluse adorned the cemetery with marble Stations of the Cross and a crucifixion group.
- 1856 stone church — architect Robert Mitchell, St. Louis
- Dimensions: 148 ft × 65 ft × 44 ft steeple
- Built under a $24,000 contract
- Steeple completed and interior richly decorated by Father B. Bartels
- Cemetery marble Stations of the Cross and crucifix added under Msgr. W. Cluse
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. J. H. Fortmann1834–1845
First pastor with surviving records; built the 1856 stone church after plans by architect Robert Mitchell of St. Louis (dedicated 1856).
- Rev. Fathers Tusch, Jacob, and two Fathers Jung1845–1848
Served Germantown in short intervals after Fr. Fortmann was reassigned in 1844 to the new Diocese of Chicago.
- Rev. Father Margua1848–
Pastor during whose administration the parish prospered and Bishop Van de Velde of Chicago administered confirmation.
- Rev. Fathers Kraemer, Frohboese, Berger1857–1865 period
Frohböse/H. and others who worked to raise funds for the church steeple; Father Aug. Berger died before the steeple's completion.
- Rev. B. Bartels
Completed the steeple; renovated and decorated the interior artistically; built a new parsonage, a school, and a Sisters' house. Later transferred to Bartelso.
- Rev. (later Msgr.) W. Cluse
Beautified the cemetery with marble Stations of the Cross and a crucifixion group. Later sent to East St. Louis to take charge of St. Henry's parish.
- Rev. Markus Roth, C.M.1909–
Came to Germantown in June 1909; born in Germany, studied at Innsbruck, Austria; ordained March 15, 1891. Assistant was Rev. A. Kiefer.