About St. Francis Xavier · Carbondale, Illinois
Church of St. Francis Xavier is a Roman Catholic parish in Carbondale, Illinois, located at 303 S. Poplar Street on the corner of Poplar and Walnut (Highway 13 going east). Founded in 1900, it is the oldest Catholic parish in Carbondale and belongs to the Diocese of Belleville. The parish is partnered with the SIUC Newman Catholic Student Center and currently serves its members through weekend and weekday Masses, a weekly Spanish Mass, and the sacraments of Reconciliation and (by appointment) other pastoral needs.
- Established
- 1900
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Rev. Joel Seipp (Temporary Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Francis Xavier is the historic Catholic parish of Carbondale, founded in 1900 and still active in the heart of the city on South Poplar Street. It welcomes practicing Catholics, university students (through its partnership with the SIUC Newman Catholic Student Center), Spanish-speaking Catholics (a Spanish Mass is celebrated on Sundays), and anyone seeking the sacraments. Parishioners benefit from a Saturday Vigil Mass, a Sunday morning Mass, a Spanish-language Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, and regular Saturday morning confessions, all under the pastoral care of a Temporary Administrator supported by a pastoral sister and lay staff.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. (per SIUC Newman Center listing)
- Saturday: 4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (per masstime.us listing)
- By appointment
About St. Francis Xavier Parish
St. Francis Xavier is a Catholic parish of the Diocese of Belleville, located at 303 S. Poplar Street in Carbondale, Illinois. Founded in 1900, it is the first Catholic parish established in Carbondale and continues to serve as a center of Catholic life for residents, students at nearby Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and Spanish-speaking Catholics in the region.
- Oldest Catholic parish in Carbondale (founded 1900)
- Diocese of Belleville parish
- Partnered with SIUC Newman Catholic Student Center
History of the Parish
St. Francis Xavier was founded in 1900, during the early growth years of the Diocese of Belleville (the diocese itself was erected in 1887 by Pope Leo XIII). It was the first Catholic parish in Carbondale, and by 1902 the diocese as a whole contained 104 churches, 94 priests, 64 parochial schools, and 50,000 Catholics. The parish has remained active on South Poplar Street for more than 120 years.
- Established: 1900
- First Catholic parish in Carbondale
- Founded during the tenure of the Diocese of Belleville's first bishop, John Janssen
Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by a Temporary Administrator and a small team of lay and religious staff, as listed in the Diocese of Belleville directory.
- Rev. Joel Seipp — Temporary Administrator (Ext. 1)
- Sr. Barbara Blesse — DRE / Pastoral Associate (Ext. 2)
- Skip Kurtz — Parish Secretary (Ext. 3)
- Robert Bleyer — Bookkeeper (Ext. 4)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation is coordinated by the parish's Director of Religious Education / Pastoral Associate, Sr. Barbara Blesse. The parish does not operate a parochial school, but partners with the SIUC Newman Catholic Student Center for ministry to university students.
- DRE / Pastoral Associate: Sr. Barbara Blesse
- No parish school
- Partnered with SIUC Newman Catholic Student Center
Spanish-Speaking Community
St. Francis Xavier celebrates a weekly Spanish-language Mass on Sundays at 12:15 p.m., making it a welcoming spiritual home for Hispanic Catholics in the Carbondale area.
- Misa en Español — Domingo 12:15 p.m.
Visiting & Location
The parish sits on South Poplar Street in Carbondale, at the corner of Poplar and Walnut — Walnut being Highway 13 heading east. The location is convenient both to downtown Carbondale and to the SIU Carbondale campus. The parish office is open during regular business hours; visitors are encouraged to call ahead.
- 303 S. Poplar Street, Carbondale, IL 62901
- Corner of Poplar & Walnut (Hwy 13 east)
- Phone: 618-457-4556
- Email: [email protected]
St. Francis Xavier — Patron of the Parish
The parish's patron, St. Francis Xavier (1506–1552), was a Navarrese Jesuit priest and missionary, co-founder of the Society of Jesus with St. Ignatius of Loyola. Known as the "Apostle of the Indies" and "Apostle of Japan," he evangelized across India, Southeast Asia, and Japan, and died on Shangchuan Island off the Chinese coast while seeking to enter China. He was proclaimed patron of all foreign missions by Pope St. Pius X in 1904. His feast day is December 3.
- Born 1506 in Navarre, Spain
- Co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
- Patron saint of all foreign missions
- Feast day: December 3
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joel Seipp
Listed as Temporary Administrator on the Diocese of Belleville directory page.
- Rev. Michaelsami Arockiam
Listed as Pastor on an earlier Diocese of Belleville directory snapshot.