About St. Elizabeth · Granite City, Illinois
St. Elizabeth Church & School is a Roman Catholic parish located at 2300 Pontoon Road in Granite City, Illinois, belonging to the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The parish is named after St. Elizabeth of Hungary, the 13th-century princess renowned for her charity to the poor and sick, and its patroness's feast is celebrated on November 17. As the website notes, the parish is now entering 'our next 150 years,' marking it as one of the older parishes in the diocese and a long-standing cornerstone of faith in the Granite City community. The parish shares its campus with St. Elizabeth School (the Royals), a Catholic grade school serving Preschool through 8th grade, and is committed to a discipleship-and-stewardship way of life organized around four pillars: Prayer, Formation, Hospitality, and Service.
- Established
- c. 1875
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary
- Rector
- Father Alfred Tumwesigye
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth is a long-established Granite City parish (approaching 150 years of continuous Catholic life) where the parish school, school athletic teams (the Royals), and parish ministries all share one campus on Pontoon Road. The parish runs Family Faith Nights that bring together PSR, youth, young adults, and RCIA candidates from St. Elizabeth, Holy Family, and St. Mary/St. Mark, and offers regular Eucharistic Adoration (Thursdays), Saturday and Sunday confession, and a music ministry — so newcomers can find formation, fellowship, and the sacraments in one place.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Sunday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (with Vespers)
- Also available by appointment — contact the parish office
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
About St. Elizabeth Parish
St. Elizabeth Church & School is a Roman Catholic parish in Granite City, Illinois, part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Located at 2300 Pontoon Road, the parish has served local families for roughly 150 years under the patronage of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. The community describes itself as 'a community of Catholic disciples & stewards,' committed to the discipleship and stewardship way of life revealed by Sacred Scripture and Tradition. The parish welcomes both long-time parishioners and first-time visitors to attend Mass, take part in its ministries, and become part of the parish family.
- 2300 Pontoon Road, Granite City, IL 62040
- Part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
- Approaching 150 years as a parish (founded c. 1875)
- Patron: St. Elizabeth of Hungary (feast day November 17)
History & Heritage
The parish dates back to the mid-1870s, making it one of the older Catholic parishes in the Granite City / Metro-East area. Over the generations it has built up both a worshipping community and a parish school, and today positions itself as entering 'the next 150 years as the Roman Catholic parish of St. Elizabeth.' The parish's patroness, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, was a 13th-century Hungarian princess known for extraordinary generosity to the poor and is honored as patron saint of bakers, the homeless, nursing services, and charitable societies.
- Parish founded c. 1875
- Named for St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207)
- Parish school a long-standing ministry on the same campus
Mission & Four Pillars
The parish is committed to implementing the Four Pillars of Discipleship and Stewardship from the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. These four pillars shape parish life, formation, and outreach.
- Prayer — journey to Heaven together through celebration of the sacraments and ever-deepening lives of prayer.
- Formation — continue sharing, learning, and accepting the teachings of our Lord and His Church.
- Hospitality — maintain a warm and welcoming environment and invite others to join us in prayer, especially Sunday Mass.
- Service — share the Lord's love by reaching out to all in service, especially the afflicted.
Mass & Sacraments
The parish publishes a regular Mass schedule on its website. Weekday Mass is offered Tuesday through Friday, with a Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses. Confession is offered on Saturday afternoon, with an additional Sunday evening reconciliation slot paired with Vespers. Eucharistic Adoration is held all day Thursday.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM & 10:30 AM
- Tuesday: 6:00 PM
- Wednesday–Friday: 8:15 AM
- Holy Days: see bulletin
- Confession: Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM; Sunday 7:00–8:00 PM (with Vespers); by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration: Thursday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor, a parochial vicar, and a deacon, supported by lay staff handling religious education, music, parish administration, and finances.
- Father Alfred Tumwesigye — Pastor
- Father Godwin Muhangi — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Michael Halbrook
- Mrs. Chris Spanberger — Director of Religious Education
- Mrs. Marla Weis — Director of Music
- Mrs. Jackie Jones — Parish Secretary & Office Administrator
- Mr. Bret Ware — Bookkeeper
- Mrs. Michelle Williams — School Principal
St. Elizabeth School
St. Elizabeth School is a Catholic grade school on the same campus as the parish, serving Preschool through 8th grade. The school's mission is to provide an environment which fosters Catholic moral values and academic excellence, working together with family, faculty, and the parish community. Its athletic teams are known as the Royals, with school colors blue and gold, and the school competes in the South Springfield Catholic Athletic Association.
- Home of the Royals (blue & gold)
- Preschool through 8th grade
- Principal: Mrs. Michelle Williams (since 2018)
- Athletics via South Springfield Catholic Athletic Association (IESA)
- Non-discriminatory admissions policy
- Tuition assistance available; financial-hardship requests handled by the Pastor
School Staff
The school is staffed by a principal, school secretary, and a team of grade-level teachers along with specialty teachers for Music, Art, Physical Education, Library, and Computer Lab/Technology.
- Mrs. Michelle Williams — School Principal
- Valerie Kohl — School Secretary
- Mrs. Chris Spanberger — Director of Religious Education (also listed on parish side)
- Preschool teacher listed
- Kindergarten teacher listed
- Carlie Young — 1st Grade
- Rebecca Corbett — 2nd Grade
- Meghan Lance — 3rd Grade
- Brooke James — 4th Grade
- Cheryl Wegner — 5th Grade
- Kaitlin McGraw — 6th Grade
- Laura Ratchford — 7th Grade
- Debra Vorce — 8th Grade
- Music teacher listed
- Leigh Janes — Art
- Ashley Dunn — Physical Education (PE)
- Stephanie Jones — Librarian
- Lindsey Jones — Computer Lab & Technology
- Jennifer Sadowski — teacher listed
- Katie Dimitroff — teacher listed
- Mrs. Loretta Joyce — teacher listed
Family Faith Nights & Faith Formation
St. Elizabeth hosts 'Family Faith Nights' on Thursday evenings, bringing together faith-formation programming from multiple local parishes — St. Elizabeth, Holy Family, and St. Mary/St. Mark — under one roof. Programs include PSR (Parish School of Religion) for public-school students in grades 1–5 (including Sacramental preparation for grades 1–3), youth ministry for grades 6–8 and high school, a Young Adults track, and RCIA for adults seeking initiation or simply exploring the Catholic faith. Each year kicks off with an 8-week 'Rescue Project' program held in the Harmony Room.
- Thursday evenings, 6:30–7:30 PM (PSR/Youth) and 6:30–8:00 PM (RCIA), September 15 – May 9
- Multi-parish: St. Elizabeth, Holy Family, St. Mary/St. Mark
- PSR — grades 1–5 (Sacramental prep grades 1–3)
- Youth — grades 6–8 and high school
- Young Adults
- RCIA — adult initiation / exploration
- The Rescue Project — 8-week opening program in the Harmony Room
- Contact: [email protected] (Deacon Michael Halbrook)
Ministries & Groups
The parish lists a wide range of ministries and organizations for parishioners who want to serve or grow in faith. These include music ministry and a regional Catholic teen fellowship.
- Music Ministry
- GC Catholic Teens — fellowship, formation, and prayer group for Granite City Catholic teens
- Family Faith Nights (PSR, RCIA, Youth, Young Adults)
- Parish outreach ministries (see Get Involved page for full list)
- Liturgical ministries (see Get Involved page)
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
Information on sacramental preparation and reception — including Confirmation — is published on the parish website, with preparation typically tied to grade level and parish registration. Inquiries should go through the parish office.
- Youth Confirmation preparation via the parish
- RCIA for adult initiation
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
New to the Parish / New to Catholicism
The parish welcomes new members and those exploring Catholicism. There are dedicated pages for newcomers (including RCIA for adults not yet Catholic, returning Catholics, or Catholics seeking Confirmation).
- Register as a new parishioner
- RCIA for adults exploring Catholicism
- Sacramental preparation for children in PSR
Bulletin & News
The parish publishes a regular bulletin (available on the website) carrying announcements, Mass intentions, Holy Day schedules, and parish events. The bulletin is the primary place where Holy Day Mass times are announced.
- Weekly bulletin posted at stelizabethgc.org/bulletins
- Holy Day schedule published in the bulletin
Support & Giving
St. Elizabeth sustains its parish, school, and community outreach through the generous contributions of parishioners. Online giving is available through the parish website.
- Online giving via the parish website
- School tuition and tuition-assistance inquiries via the school office
Contact
Parish office contact information as published on the official website.
- Address: 2300 Pontoon Road, Granite City, IL 62040
- Phone: (618) 877-3300
- Fax: (618) 877-9800
- Email: [email protected]
- Deacon Michael Halbrook: [email protected]