About St. Isidore · Bethany, Illinois
St. Isidore Catholic Church is a small, rural Latin-rite parish in Bethany, Illinois (Dora Township, Moultrie County), in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Founded in 1864 by Irish farming families who had emigrated from Counties Limerick and Tipperary, it is dedicated to St. Isidore the Farmer, the patron saint of farmers, and is closely tied to the agricultural life of central Illinois — parishioners still bring seed, tools, and farm equipment to be blessed each year around the March 22 feast. Today St. Isidore is part of a clustered Catholic community sharing pastoral and office staff with Our Lady of the Holy Spirit parish in neighboring Mt. Zion, offering Sunday, Tuesday, and Saturday (Latin) Mass, and Divine Mercy, Eucharistic Adoration, and prayer-group devotions. According to the diocesan directory, the parish has about 71 parishioners across 39 families.
- Established
- 1864
- Patron
- St. Isidore the Farmer (patron saint of farmers)
- Rector
- Rev. Rafal Pyrchla (Pastor since 2024)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
St. Isidore is a small, multigenerational farming parish with deep Irish-Catholic roots in the central Illinois prairie — a rare place where St. Isidore the Farmer's blessing of seed, tools, and farm equipment each March is still a living tradition, and where descendants of the original 1863 settlers still worship in the 1891 brick church they built. As part of a cluster with Our Lady of the Holy Spirit in Mt. Zion, parishioners enjoy active liturgical ministries (lectors, altar servers, extraordinary ministers, music, greeters, arts & environment), a Parish School of Religion program for K–8, the St. Therese Intercessory Prayer Group, the monthly Divine Mercy Chaplet, and traditional Latin Mass on Saturdays. With about 39 families it is an intimate community where everyone knows each other, while still being supported by parish-wide faith formation, RCIA, and sacramental preparation.
Mass times at St. Isidore
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment
- 30 minutes before Sunday Mass
- Half an hour before all Masses (per diocesan directory)
Adoration times
- First Sunday of the month: one hour before Mass
- First Sunday of every month: Divine Mercy Chaplet at 7:45 a.m.
Parish Identity & Background
St. Isidore Catholic Church in Bethany, Illinois is a small Latin-rite parish of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, dedicated to St. Isidore the Farmer. It is clustered with Our Lady of the Holy Spirit in Mt. Zion, and the two parishes share a pastor and office staff under the parish administrator Carol Waller. The parish office mailing address is 400 N. Whitetail Circle, Mt. Zion, IL 62549; the church's physical/911 address is 364 CR 2000 N, Bethany, IL 61914. According to the diocesan directory, St. Isidore counts roughly 71 parishioners across 39 families — a small, multigenerational community of farmers and rural families in the central Illinois prairie of Moultrie County.
History
- 1857 – Irish families from Counties Limerick and Tipperary settle in Dora Township, Moultrie County, IL.
- August 14, 1863 – First Mass celebrated at the home of Edward Bresnan by Father Anthony Vogt of St. Patrick's, Decatur.
- 1863 – Father Vogt purchases 40 acres from the Illinois Central Railroad at $5 per acre for the future church.
- Fall 1864 – The first Catholic church in Moultrie County is built: a 20×40-foot frame structure costing $200, dedicated to St. Isidore.
- 1873 – Rev. M. Kane succeeds Father Vogt and enlarges the church into a cruciform 60×60-foot building.
- October 1875 – Rev. Edward McGowan (b. Draperstown, Co. Derry, Ireland, 1842) becomes pastor; he serves for decades and writes the early history of the parish.
- 1890 – Congregation has grown to about 500 members.
- 1891 – Present brick church completed under Father McGowan; first baptism in the new structure is Daniel L. Reedy.
- 1945 – Father James Malony remodels the interior, facing the soft brick with hard-brick veneer.
- 1952 – A brick rectory is built on the grounds.
- Today – St. Isidore shares pastoral staff with Our Lady of the Holy Spirit, Mt. Zion; about 39 families remain active.
Founding Families of 1864
The sixteen founding subscribers who funded the 1864 frame church — and whose names were preserved for posterity — were Edward Bresnan, Patrick Smith, Timothy Sammon, W. Cronin, Patrick Burns Sr., Daniel Tueth, William Fogarty, Patrick Neilan, John Kinney, James Nolan, Francis Ryan, Richard Delahunty, Patrick Griffin, John Dunne, John Hickey, and Nicholas Bahan. The earliest records (in Latin) include the baptism of Jerome Nielson (June 10, 1869), the marriage of John Murphy and Elizabeth Masterson (Oct. 12, 1871), and the death of Anna Delehunty (Aug. 1, 1870).
The Church Building & Cemetery
The first house of worship was a 20-by-40-foot frame building dedicated in 1864, replaced in 1891 by the present brick church under Father McGowan. The interior was remodeled in 1945 by Father Malony, who faced the original soft brick with hard-brick veneer. A brick rectory was added in 1952. The cemetery on the grounds was relocated from a site one mile west of its present location when the church property was bought from the railroad in 1863; it remains well cared for, with burial plots still being purchased by descendants five and six generations removed from the original settlers.
Devotions & Spiritual Life
- Divine Mercy Chaplet — recited on the 1st Sunday of every month at 7:45 a.m., based on the apparitions of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska.
- St. Therese Intercessory Prayer Group — meets at St. Isidore after the 8:00 a.m. Tuesday Mass to pray for the Church, country, and special needs.
- Eucharistic Adoration — First Sunday of each month, one hour before Mass.
- Blessing of Seed, Tools & Farming Equipment — each year around March 22, the feast of St. Isidore the Farmer, parishioners bring items from the farm to be blessed.
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministries at St. Isidore and Our Lady of the Holy Spirit are open to parishioners who wish to share their time and talents. Extraordinary Ministers, Lectors, and Altar Servers all require training before serving; all adult volunteers must complete the diocesan background check and the 'Protecting God's Children' safe-environment class per Diocese of Springfield policy. Music Ministry is led by Mike Fogarty (Music Director) with Walter Friesel.
- Altar Servers — 4th grade and up, as well as adults; carry the processional cross and assist the priest.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — distribute the Body and Blood of Christ; a subgroup brings Communion to healthcare facilities, assisted living, and the homebound.
- Lectors — proclaim the Word of God at the Liturgy.
- Sacristans — prepare the liturgical books, sacred vessels, and altar items before Mass.
- Ushers — greet, assist with seating, collection, and bulletin distribution.
- Giftbearers — bring forward the bread, wine, and the people's tithe.
- Greeters — create a welcoming environment at the door.
- Arts & Environment — decorates the church for the seasons of the liturgical calendar.
- Music Ministry — choir for the Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass (at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit).
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit and St. Isidore offers a faith-formation program for children from Kindergarten through Grade 8 who attend public school, fulfilling the baptismal call of parents to bring up their children in the faith. Classes are held on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. in the parish center (before the 10:30 a.m. Mass), following the public-school calendar, and are organized by age groups. Geralyn Shreiner is the PSR Coordinator. The PSR program prepares children for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Little Doves Preschool, an afternoon session (Noon–3 p.m. Tuesday–Thursday during the school year) for 3- and 4-year-olds, is administered by Julie Fritzsche and serves both parishes.
- PSR (Parish School of Religion) — K–8, Sundays 9:00–10:15 a.m.; Coordinator: Geralyn Shreiner.
- First Holy Communion — preparation through the PSR program, including Reconciliation.
- Confirmation — preparation through the PSR program.
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — spiritual journey into the Catholic faith for adults.
- Little Doves Preschool — ages 3–4, Tues/Wed/Thurs noon–3 p.m. during the school year; Coordinator: Julie Fritzsche.
Sacraments
The parish administers all seven sacraments, with preparation paths appropriate to each. Baptisms require parental involvement, preparation, and documentation before scheduling. First Holy Communion and Confirmation are earned through the PSR program (children also receive Reconciliation in the process). Reconciliation is offered by appointment at both St. Isidore and Our Lady of the Holy Spirit, and weekly from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays before the 5:30 p.m. Mass at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit. Marriages must be arranged at least six months in advance. Adults seeking to enter the Catholic faith participate in the RCIA.
- Baptism — preparation and documentation required.
- First Holy Communion — preparation through PSR.
- Confirmation — preparation through PSR.
- Reconciliation (Confession) — by appointment; also Wed 4:15–5:15 p.m. at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit.
- Marriage — arranged at least 6 months in advance.
- RCIA — process for adults entering the Church.
Parish Staff
Because St. Isidore and Our Lady of the Holy Spirit share staff and pastoral leadership, parish operations are coordinated through one office in Mt. Zion. All staff can be reached through the parish phone line at (217) 864-3467.
- Rev. Rafal Pyrchla — Pastor (since 2024).
- Carol Waller — Administrative Assistant.
- Julie Fritzsche — Little Doves Preschool.
- Geralyn Shreiner — PSR Coordinator.
- Mike Fogarty — Music Director.
- Walter Friesel — Music Ministry.
- Mary Ann Beck — Facility Cleaning.
Contact, Address & Visiting
- Church (physical/911 address): 364 CR 2000 N, Bethany, IL 61914.
- Parish office (mailing address): 400 N. Whitetail Circle, Mt. Zion, IL 62549.
- Phone: (217) 864-3467.
- Fax: (217) 864-3091.
- E-mail: [email protected] (parish office); [email protected] (pastor); [email protected] (sacramental inquiries).
- Website: http://www.mtzolhs.org/
- Pastor residence: at the Our Lady of the Holy Spirit rectory in Mt. Zion.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Anthony Vogt1863–1873
Pastor of St. Patrick's, Decatur; celebrated first Mass at Edward Bresnan's home on Aug 14, 1863; purchased the 40-acre site from the Illinois Central Railroad and oversaw construction of the first frame church in 1864.
- Rev. M. Kane1873–1875
Enlarged the church into a cruciform 60×60-foot building to accommodate the growing congregation.
- Rev. Edward McGowan1875–(after 1900)
Born Draperstown, Co. Derry, Ireland (1842); educated All Hallows College, Dublin; ordained 1872. Built up the parish to 500 members and completed the present brick church in 1891. Authored the early history of St. Isidore.
- Rev. James Malonymid-20th century
Remodeled the church interior in 1945, facing the soft brick with hard-brick veneer.
- Rev. Frank Corbett(late 20th century)
Pastor also of St. Mary's, Dalton City and Our Lady of the Holy Spirit, Mt. Zion; resided at the Mt. Zion rectory.
- Rev. Peter Chinekeuntil July 1, 2024 (Parochial Administrator)
Served as Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit / St. Isidore before appointment as Pastor of St. Jude, Rochester; also Chaplain of Millikin University.
- Rev. Rafal Pyrchla2024–present
Born April 13, 1986; ordained May 27, 2017; appointed Pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit and St. Isidore in 2024.