About St. Edward Catholic Church · Chillicothe, Illinois
St. Edward Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Chillicothe, Illinois, belonging to the Diocese of Peoria. Established in 1855, it serves the Chillicothe community with a rich liturgical and parish life organized around four pillars: Growing Disciples, Sacraments & Liturgy, Grow Your Faith, and Share Your Faith. The parish is paired with St. Edward Catholic School and offers daily and weekend Masses, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and a wide range of lay ministries. Father Martin Mwongyera, JCD, PhD, was officially installed as the parish's pastor on July 6, 2024, after having served as parish administrator since 2022.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- St. Edward
- Rector
- Father Martin Mwongyera, JCD, PhD
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Edward offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life in Chillicothe — multiple weekly Masses, weekday and Saturday Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, a parish school, faith-formation opportunities through FORMED.org, and small-group programs like The Search. Members can get involved in liturgical ministries (Music Ministry, Eucharistic Ministers, Greeters, Altar Servers, Lectors, Sacristan) and outreach ministries (Grief Support, Mary and Monica Group, Cemetery Beautification, Building and Grounds Committee, St. Edward Raffle Club). It is a welcoming, multigenerational parish where families can grow as disciples and serve their neighbors.
Mass times at St. Edward Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Adoration times
- Adoration of Our Lord Jesus Christ (times listed on parish Sacraments & Liturgy page)
Parish Identity & Four Pillars
St. Edward Catholic Church in Chillicothe, Illinois, organizes its parish life around four named pillars that visitors see on the homepage and across the website: Growing Disciples, Sacraments & Liturgy, Grow Your Faith, and Share Your Faith. These pillars frame both liturgical worship and outreach, and they connect to FORMED.org for ongoing formation.
- Growing Disciples
- Sacraments & Liturgy
- Grow Your Faith
- Share Your Faith
- FOR MED.org faith-formation partner
Mass & Worship Schedule
The parish celebrates Mass daily Monday through Saturday, with a Monday Communion Service in the morning and a Tuesday evening Mass. Two Sunday Masses and a Saturday Vigil fulfill the Sunday obligation, and a Saturday morning Mass is also offered.
- Monday: 7:30 AM Communion Service
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM Mass
- Wednesday–Saturday: 7:30 AM Mass
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM
Sacraments & Liturgical Ministries
The Sacraments & Liturgy pillar gathers information on how to receive each sacrament at St. Edward and how to serve in the Mass. Parishioners can be trained as lectors, servers, Eucharistic ministers, greeters, or sacristans.
- Baptisms
- Weddings
- Sacrament of Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites
- Funerals and Cemetery Information
- Music Ministry
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Greeters
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Sacristan
Growing Disciples & Faith Formation
The Growing Disciples pillar supports parishioners — especially families and children — in learning the faith. The parish pairs its formation with FORMED.org and has run small-group programs such as The Search, a seven-week series of videos and table discussions.
- St. Edward Catholic School (on-site)
- FORMED.org digital formation
- Small-group faith series (e.g., The Search)
- Contact: Theresa Meister, [email protected], 309-360-3314
Share Your Faith — Outreach & Parish Groups
The Share Your Faith pillar gathers the parish's outreach, fellowship, and service groups. These ministries support grieving parishioners, care for the parish cemetery and grounds, foster women's fellowship, and raise funds through the St. Edward Raffle Club.
- Grief Support
- Mary and Monica Group
- Cemetery Beautification
- Building and Grounds Committee
- St. Edward Raffle Club
Pastor & Clergy
St. Edward is led by Father Martin Mwongyera, JCD, PhD, who was officially installed as Pastor of St. Edward on July 6, 2024, at the 4:30 p.m. Vigil Mass. Born in Nyakishenyi, Rukungiri District, Uganda, he was ordained a priest on July 28, 1996, for the Diocese of Kabale, later incardinating in the Diocese of Peoria. In addition to serving as pastor, Father Martin serves as a Judge on the Diocesan Tribunal.
- Father Martin Mwongyera, JCD, PhD — Pastor (installed July 6, 2024; Administrator 2022)
- Born August 1, 1965, in Nyakishenyi, Uganda
- Ordained July 28, 1996
- Diocesan Tribunal Judge
Parish Contact & Practical Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email and follow the parish's Facebook page for news and event updates.
- Phone: (309) 274-3809
- Email: [email protected]
- Physical address: 1216 N. 6th Street, Chillicothe, IL 61523
- Mailing address: 1221 N. 5th Street, Chillicothe, IL 61523
- Facebook: facebook.com/saintedwardchillicothe
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Peoria (cdop.org)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Martin Mwongyera, JCD, PhDAdministrator 2022; Pastor installed July 6, 2024
Originally from Nyakishenyi, Uganda; ordained July 28, 1996, for the Diocese of Kabale; incardinated in the Diocese of Peoria; also serves as a Judge on the Diocesan Tribunal.