About St. Charles Borromeo · Charleston, Illinois
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin rite parish of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, located at 921 Madison Avenue in Charleston, Illinois — home of Eastern Illinois University. The parish serves approximately 879 parishioners across 344 families and shares its campus ministry with the adjacent EIU Newman Catholic Community at 500 Roosevelt Avenue, where a chaplain serves the roughly 1,500 Catholic students on campus. Its current church building was erected in 1898 and is built primarily of red brick in a hybrid Romanesque and Gothic Revival style designed by Mr. Schnell of Rock Island, Illinois. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, Adoration, the Sacrament of Penance, a faith formation program, a youth group, scripture studies, a parish choir, the Smart Choice Food Source food ministry, and a Pastoral Council, with the parish office housed in the rectory alongside Moriarty Hall and the Luisa DiPietro Memorial Library.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- St. Charles Borromeo
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Berndt
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
St. Charles Borromeo is the Catholic home for eastern Illinois — welcoming EIU students, longtime Charleston families, and newcomers with daily and Sunday Mass, a robust Faith Formation program for children, a youth group, Wednesday-morning and Friday-afternoon scripture studies, a parish choir, and a Friday-evening Newman Catholic community for college students. The parish keeps its doors open for Adoration on First Saturdays, weekly confession on Saturday afternoons, and outreach through the Smart Choice Food Source food ministry, and it serves a registered 879 parishioners across 344 families — a size that allows people to know one another while still offering the full sacramental life of the Church.
Mass times at St. Charles Borromeo
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30–4:30 PM (St. Charles)
- Wednesday morning before 7:00 AM Mass (St. Charles)
- Tuesday: 4:15–4:45 PM (EIU Newman Center)
- Wednesday: 8:15–9:00 PM (EIU Newman Center)
Adoration times
- 1st Saturday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 AM (Eve of First Saturday vigil through First Saturday morning, per parish directory)
- Wednesday: 8:00–9:00 PM (EIU Newman Center)
Worship & Sacraments
St. Charles Borromeo celebrates the Roman-Latin rite in English, with a Sunday Mass schedule anchored by the 5:00 PM Saturday Vigil and the 9:30 AM Sunday Mass at the parish church, plus an 8:00 PM Sunday Mass at the adjacent EIU Newman Center. Daily Mass is offered Monday and Wednesday at 7:00 AM at St. Charles and Tuesday and Thursday at 5:00 PM at the Newman Center. The parish keeps a regular confession schedule — Saturday 3:30–4:30 PM and Wednesday morning before 7:00 AM Mass at St. Charles, with additional reconciliation times at the Newman Center on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Sunday Mass: Sat 5:00 PM Vigil, Sun 9:30 AM (St. Charles); Sun 8:00 PM (Newman)
- Daily Mass: Mon & Wed 7:00 AM (St. Charles); Tue & Thu 5:00 PM (Newman)
- Confession: Sat 3:30–4:30 PM, Wed AM before Mass, plus Newman Center times
- First Saturday Mass: 8:30 AM
- Sacraments celebrated: Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Penance, Holy Orders
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by pastor Rev. Michael Berndt, who simultaneously serves as Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry at the EIU Newman Center and as Associate Vocation Director for the Mattoon Deanery. He was appointed by the Diocese of Springfield effective June 28, 2024, succeeding Fr. J. Braden Maher. Lay staff include Office Manager Reba Kortte, Director of Faith Formation Sarah Fehrenbacher, Choir Director Allan Horney, Pastoral Advisor for Evangelization & Discipleship Thomas Gallagher, and Maintenance Technician Ray Kuznicki, with Deacon Jeff assisting in liturgical and formation work.
- Rev. Michael Berndt — Pastor
- Deacon Jeff — Scripture Study
- Reba Kortte — Office Manager
- Sarah Fehrenbacher — Director of Faith Formation
- Allan Horney — Choir Director
- Thomas Gallagher — Pastoral Advisor for Evangelization & Discipleship
- Ray Kuznicki — Maintenance Technician
History of the Parish
St. Charles Borromeo was founded in 1873 in Charleston, Illinois. The University of Notre Dame Archives preserves a 24-page centennial history of the parish (1873–1973) cataloging it among the Irish-founded congregations of central Illinois. The first church on the property was built in 1877, and the present sanctuary replaced it in 1898, designed by architectural engineer Mr. Schnell of Rock Island, Illinois, with input from Father Driscoll and the parishioners. The parish has maintained a continuous ministry into the 21st century, currently registering 879 parishioners across 344 families per the Diocese of Springfield pastoral directory.
- Founded 1873, Irish-origin parish
- First church building 1877
- Present church building erected 1898
- Centennial history published 1973 (PPHC004, Notre Dame Archives)
- Stained glass by Jacoby Art Glass, St. Louis, MO
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith Formation at St. Charles Borromeo is directed by Sarah Fehrenbacher and serves the parish's school-age children through a 2024–2025 Faith Formation program. A parish Youth Group operates alongside formation classes and is featured on the website's main navigation. The Faith Formation & Youth Group page on the parish website is the central hub for registration, calendars, and family resources, and the parish links to diocesan Safe Environment reporting procedures for child protection compliance.
- Sarah Fehrenbacher, Director of Faith Formation
- 2024–2025 Faith Formation program
- Parish Youth Group
- Diocesan Safe Environment Reporting Procedures linked from parish site
- Online Registration Form
Scripture Study & Adult Faith
The parish hosts two ongoing scripture study groups. A Wednesday-morning group, facilitated by Deacon Jeff, 'seeks to draw closer to the Gospels and the Bible by studying the Sacred Word of God.' A second group meets Friday afternoons from 1:30 to 3:00 PM in Moriarty Hall and reads/prays with the upcoming Sunday's scriptures using provided study guides; contacts are Daiva Markelis and Terry Coulton. Both groups are open to all parishioners. The parish also promotes the 'Bible in a Year' podcast as a recommended at-home formation resource.
- Wednesday Scripture Study — led by Deacon Jeff
- Friday Scripture Study — 1:30–3:00 PM in Moriarty Hall (Daiva Markelis & Terry Coulton)
- Bible in a Year podcast (parish-recommended)
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music is coordinated by Choir Director Allan Horney. The parish choir supports the sung Mass at St. Charles Borromeo and participates in the parish's regular liturgical schedule, including seasonal services and holy days. The parish's traditional liturgical framework — Roman-Latin rite, English — is consistent with the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.
- Allan Horney, Choir Director
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Language: English
Outreach & Charity — Smart Choice Food Source
The parish operates the Smart Choice Food Source, a food-pantry outreach ministry accessible from the main website navigation. The program reflects the parish's commitment to serving material as well as spiritual needs in Charleston and the surrounding area, and is one of the parish's signature charitable works listed alongside its sacramental and formation programs.
- Smart Choice Food Source (food pantry/outreach)
- Parish links to diocesan Crisis Pregnancy Center video
Parish Pastoral Council
St. Charles Borromeo maintains an active Pastoral Council, accessible via its own menu item on the parish website. The Council works with the pastor and staff in discerning parish direction, evaluating ministries, and representing the lay voice in parish governance, complementing the work of the office staff and faith-formation team.
- Pastoral Council page linked from main site navigation
- Lay leadership body working with Fr. Berndt and staff
EIU Newman Catholic Community
St. Charles Borromeo shares its campus ministry with the Newman Catholic Community at Eastern Illinois University, housed at St. Philip Neri Chapel, 500 Roosevelt Avenue, Charleston (phone (217) 348-0188, [email protected], www.eiunewman.org). The Newman Center serves roughly 1,500 Catholic students, faculty, and staff at EIU with weekend Masses, weekday Masses, Bible studies, retreats, service opportunities, and spiritual direction. Fr. Michael Berndt serves as both parish pastor and Chaplain/Director of Campus Ministry; Jenelle Vogt is Operations Manager and John Johnson is Development Director. The Newman Center offers its own reconciliation (Tue/Thu 4:15–4:45 PM; Wed 8:15–9:00 PM) and Wednesday-night Adoration.
- Address: 500 Roosevelt Ave., Charleston, IL 61920
- Phone: (217) 348-0188
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.eiunewman.org
- Chaplain/Director: Rev. Michael Berndt
- Operations Manager: Jenelle Vogt
- Development Director: John Johnson
- Serves ~1,500 Catholic students at EIU
Facilities: Moriarty Hall & Luisa DiPietro Memorial Library
The parish grounds include Moriarty Hall, an event and meeting space available to parish ministries and groups (phone (217) 345-3066). Inside Moriarty Hall is the Luisa DiPietro Memorial Library, a parish resource library open by appointment. These facilities host the Friday scripture study, faith-formation gatherings, and other parish events.
- Moriarty Hall — event/meeting space, (217) 345-3066
- Luisa DiPietro Memorial Library — open by appointment
- Hosts Friday Scripture Study and faith-formation meetings
Visiting & Contact
Parish Office hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The parish office and rectory are located at 921 Madison Avenue, Charleston, IL 61920. The mailing address and main phone — (217) 345-3332 (fax (217) 348-8449) — are listed in the site footer and on the diocesan directory. Newcomers are invited to fill out a parish census/registration form online or call the parish office. Online Giving is available for parish contributions.
- Parish Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Address: 921 Madison Ave., Charleston, IL 61920
- Phone: (217) 345-3332 | Fax: (217) 348-8449
- Email: [email protected]
- Online Giving available
- Newcomer census/registration form online
Schedules, Bulletins & Calendar
The parish maintains an up-to-date 'Schedules' and 'Bulletins & Calendar' section on its website, publishing the weekly bulletin, the parish calendar, and current Mass/Adoration/reconciliation schedules. Visitors are encouraged to consult the bulletin for schedule changes (the website notes Mass times are 'subject to change — check the bulletin').
- Weekly bulletin published online
- Parish calendar
- Current Mass and service schedule
- Schedules page accessible from main navigation
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John M. Tituspre-2024
Listed as pastor on older church directories.
- Rev. J. Braden Maherthrough June 28, 2024
Transferred to Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Decatur, IL; previously also served as Chaplain of the EIU Newman Center and Associate Vocation Director for the Mattoon Deanery.
- Rev. Michael Berndteffective June 28, 2024
Appointed Pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry at the EIU Newman Center, and Associate Vocation Director for the Mattoon Deanery; previously Parochial Vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Effingham.