About St. Francis of Assisi · Ottawa, Illinois
St. Francis of Assisi Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Ottawa, Illinois, one of three historic parishes (alongside St. Columba and St. Patrick) that together form the Ottawa Catholic Community, served by priests of the Society of African Missions (SMA). Founded in 1858 and seated at 820 Sanger Street, the parish ministers to English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics in the Illinois Valley and is part of the Diocese of Peoria. It is currently in a period of transition as the three Ottawa parishes are being joined under a new parish name — Saint Brigid Parish — while retaining their individual church names and buildings.
- Established
- 1858
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Jules Adator, SMA (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a historic, multilingual Catholic parish at 820 Sanger Street in Ottawa, with a Saturday Vigil Mass, Sunday Masses in English and Spanish, and weekday Masses. As part of the Ottawa Catholic Community, parishioners can take part in a wide range of ministries across the three local parishes and are served by SMA missionary priests. The parish is a welcoming place for English- and Spanish-speaking families in the Illinois Valley seeking traditional Catholic worship, the sacraments, and active community life.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM
- 20 minutes before all other Masses
About St. Francis of Assisi Parish
St. Francis of Assisi Parish is one of three historic Catholic parishes in Ottawa, Illinois, founded in 1858 and located at 820 Sanger Street. The parish is part of the Ottawa Catholic Community, a collaborative grouping of St. Columba, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Patrick parishes that share clergy, staff, and ministries under the Diocese of Peoria. The community is currently transitioning into a single canonical parish, Saint Brigid Parish, while keeping each of the three church buildings and their patron names. St. Francis of Assisi is staffed by priests of the Society of African Missions (SMA) and serves both English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics in the Illinois Valley.
Parish History
According to the Ottawa Catholic Community website, Saint Francis Parish dates back to 1858, making it the second-oldest of the three Ottawa Catholic parishes. The parish has long been served in collaboration with St. Columba and St. Patrick; in 2017, the Diocese of Peoria named Father David M. Kipfer pastor of all three parishes, with Father Corey Krengiel as parochial vicar and chaplain of Marquette Academy, Ottawa. Earlier assignments list Father Anthony Kwaku Fevlo, SMA, as administrator of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Patrick, Ottawa. In 2025, the community announced a unified parish name — Saint Brigid Parish — to 'guide us into the future,' while preserving the names of the three individual church buildings.
- Founded 1858
- Part of the Ottawa Catholic Community with St. Columba and St. Patrick
- Currently merging into Saint Brigid Parish while retaining the three church names
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently administered by priests of the Society of African Missions (SMA). The administrator is Rev. Jules Adator, SMA, assisted by parochial vicar Rev. Mike Adrie, SMA. Parish secretarial duties are handled by Suzette Buckley. The clergy also serve the wider Ottawa Catholic Community across St. Columba, St. Francis, and St. Patrick parishes.
- Rev. Jules Adator, SMA — Administrator
- Rev. Mike Adrie, SMA — Parochial Vicar
- Suzette Buckley — Secretary
Ottawa Catholic Community
St. Francis of Assisi is one of the three parishes that make up the Ottawa Catholic Community, alongside St. Columba (122 W. Washington St.) and St. Patrick (726 W. Jefferson St.). The community shares a central office at 122 W. Washington St., Ottawa, IL 61350, with phone (815) 433-0700 and email [email protected]. The community publishes a website at ottawacatholic.org, maintains a Facebook page (@OttawaCatholic), and runs a community-wide 'Ministries' page listing opportunities across all three parishes.
- St. Columba — 122 W. Washington St., Ottawa
- St. Francis of Assisi — 820 Sanger St., Ottawa
- St. Patrick — 726 W. Jefferson St., Ottawa
- Shared community phone: (815) 433-0700
- Shared community email: [email protected]
Languages & Hispanic Ministry
St. Francis of Assisi is a bilingual parish. The 12:00 PM Sunday Mass is celebrated in Spanish, providing a regular liturgical home for Spanish-speaking Catholics in the Ottawa area. The 10:00 AM Sunday Mass and the weekday Mass schedule are celebrated in English.
- Spanish Mass: Sundays at 12:00 PM
- English Masses: Saturday 5:00 PM vigil, Sunday 10:00 AM, and weekday schedule
Transition to Saint Brigid Parish
As reported by the Starved Rock / WLPO and confirmed on the Ottawa Catholic Community Facebook page, the three Ottawa parishes are being canonically united under a new parish name, Saint Brigid Parish. Parishioners were invited to suggest a patron saint's name, and the three church buildings — St. Columba, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Patrick — will retain their individual names. The new parish identity is intended to 'guide us into the future' while preserving the heritage of each historic church.
- New unified parish name: Saint Brigid Parish
- Church names preserved: St. Columba, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Patrick
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish through the Ottawa Catholic Community office at 122 W. Washington St., Ottawa, IL 61350, by phone at (815) 433-0700, or by email at [email protected]. The parish-specific line listed in directories is (815) 434-0969. The parish website — stfrancisparishot.org — and the community's Facebook page (@OttawaCatholic) carry the latest bulletin, announcements, and ministry information.
- Parish address: 820 Sanger St., Ottawa, IL 61350
- Community office: 122 W. Washington St., Ottawa, IL 61350
- Phone: (815) 433-0700 (community) / (815) 434-0969 (parish)
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stfrancisparishot.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/OttawaCatholic
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. David M. Kipfer
Named pastor of St. Columba, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Patrick parishes, all in Ottawa, in the 2017 Diocese of Peoria clergy assignments.
- Rev. Anthony Kwaku Fevlo, SMA
Earlier served as administrator of St. Francis of Assisi, Ottawa, and St. Patrick, Ottawa, per Diocese of Peoria assignments.