St. Boniface

About St. Boniface

St. Boniface Catholic Church is a small rural Latin-rite parish in Colfax Township, Champaign County, Illinois, located a few miles south of the village of Seymour. It was founded in 1878 to serve the German immigrant farmers of the area and is now administered as the second worship site of St. Matthew Parish in Champaign. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Peoria, and its Sunday 7:30 a.m. Mass draws on the same clergy, staff, and bulletin as the main St. Matthew campus.

History of the Parish

Catholic worship began at the site in 1878 to serve the German farming community of Colfax Township, for whom St. Boniface was patron. The parish grew from a mission into a full parish in 1898. In April 1911, under Father William Selk, members voted to build the present church on land donated by the Klein family; the building committee funded construction by assessing $2.50 per acre on farm owners and $1 per acre on renters. Bishop Edmund Dunne dedicated the completed church on September 4, 1912, calling it one of the most attractive small churches in the United States.

• 1878 — Catholic mission established for German immigrant farmers of Colfax Township
• 1898 — Mission becomes a full parish
• 1911 — Parishioners vote to build a new church on land donated by the Klein family
• Sept. 4, 1912 — Bishop Edmund Dunne dedicates the new church before 2,000+ people
• 1965 — New altar installed in response to Vatican II
• 1978 — Major renovation for the parish centennial
• 2001 — Interior repainted and recarpeted
• 2009 — Old wooden parish hall demolished
• 2012 — New roof; 100th-anniversary rededication Mass with Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC; bell consecrated and named 'Isidore'

Architecture and Historic Designation

St. Boniface Church is a brick, stone, and wood neo-Gothic building designed by George P. Stauduhar of Rock Island, who had studied architecture at the University of Illinois in the 1880s. Stauduhar went on to design many Midwestern Catholic churches, including St. Patrick's in Urbana, St. Malachy's in Rantoul, St. Joseph's in Ivesdale, and churches in Penfield and Philo. Stained glass windows above the altar depict St. Boniface and St. Patrick, honoring the German and Irish communities of the township. The church was designated an official Historic Site of Champaign County in 1976.

• Style: Neo-Gothic (brick, stone, and wood)
• Architect: George P. Stauduhar (Rock Island)
• Stained glass above altar: St. Boniface and St. Patrick
• Historic Site of Champaign County, designated 1976

Clergy and Staff

Because St. Boniface is administered as the second worship site of St. Matthew Parish in Champaign, it shares its priests, deacon, and staff with that parish. The current pastor is Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu, assisted by parochial vicars Fr. Nathan Hopper and Fr. Jack Swoik and Deacon David Schug. Pastoral, liturgical, and administrative support comes from Joe Taylor (Director of Parish Administration), Cindy Costello (Business/Office Manager), Loretta Oakley (Liturgy Coordinator/Music Director), Susan Taylor (Director of Religious Education and Wedding Ceremony Coordinator), Katie Pisarczyk (Pastoral Associate), and Katie Race (Director of Outreach & Evangelization). Mary Margaret O'Connor can be reached at the St. Boniface number, (217) 863-2190.

• Pastor — Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu, [email protected]
• Parochial Vicar — Fr. Nathan Hopper, [email protected]
• Parochial Vicar — Fr. Jack Swoik, [email protected]
• Deacon — David Schug, [email protected]
• St. Boniface contact — Mary Margaret O'Connor, (217) 863-2190
• St. Boniface Music Director — Heath Morber, [email protected]

Faith Formation and School

Religious education and youth formation are coordinated through St. Matthew Parish. Susan Taylor serves as Director of Religious Education. The CCD program offers preparation for First Communion and Confirmation, and — new for the 2025–26 school year — Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) for Pre-K and Kindergarten students. St. Matthew School, the parish elementary school, is led by Principal Michelle Biggs, with Michelle Tushevski as Director of School Administration and Jeff Starwalt as Assistant Director of Administration/Assistant Athletic Director.

• CCD / Religious Education — Susan Taylor, [email protected]
• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — Pre-K and Kindergarten
• First Communion and Confirmation preparation
• St. Matthew School — Principal Michelle Biggs, [email protected]

Sacraments — Especially Marriage

St. Boniface welcomes couples for marriage preparation through the shared St. Matthew / St. Boniface parish office. According to the 2025 St. Matthew Wedding Policies (revised February 3, 2025), couples should contact the parish 9–12 months in advance, complete the Wedding Interest Google Form at stmatt.net/marriage, and meet with the priest to sign the parish wedding agreement and pay a $100 deposit. Couples also complete the diocesan Genesis Retreat, a premarital inventory, and three meetings with the priest. Susan Taylor serves as Wedding Ceremony Coordinator; Heath Morber is the St. Boniface Music Director; ceremonies are coordinated with the parish office at (217) 359-4114.

• Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick — through parish office
• Marriage prep: 9–12 months out, Wedding Interest form, Genesis Retreat, premarital inventory
• Deposit: $100; total fees, security deposit, and priest gift due 1 month prior
• St. Boniface Music Director for weddings: Heath Morber

Outreach and Parish Life

Outreach and evangelization efforts across both St. Matthew and St. Boniface are led by Katie Race, Director of Outreach & Evangelization. The annual Thanksgiving Basket Ministry collects donated food baskets for more than 600 people in the Champaign-Urbana area, with 275 baskets typically distributed in late November. Senior parishioners gather through the Steppin' Out Senior Group, and the Prayer Chain/Prayer Team allows parishioners to submit prayer intentions and join a prayer team that receives weekly emails or texts.

• Thanksgiving Basket Ministry — sign up at stmatt.net/basketsignup
• Steppin' Out Senior Group
• Prayer Chain — stmatt.net/PrayerChain
• Director of Outreach & Evangelization — Katie Race, [email protected]

Visiting St. Boniface

The church sits in the open prairie of Colfax Township, a few miles south of Seymour (population ~200) and southwest of Champaign. From I-57, take the Monticello exit, go west 3 miles, turn north onto Bonville Road, and continue west 1 mile on County Road 1100 N. Mass time and any updated service information are available at (217) 863-2190. Because the parish shares its bulletin with St. Matthew, current announcements, holy day schedules, and livestream links are published each week at stmatt.net.

• Address: 416 County Road 1100 N, Seymour, IL 61875
• Phone: (217) 863-2190
• Main parish office (St. Matthew): (217) 359-4114
• Office hours (St. Matthew): Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:00 PM