About St. John the Baptist (see also St. Dominic, Wyoming) · Bradford, Illinois
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is a historic rural parish in Bradford, Illinois (Stark County), founded in 1876 — the same year as the United States centennial and the first year of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. The parish is celebrated for its striking Neo-Gothic Revival church building designed by prolific Midwestern church architect George P. Stauduhar, and for its acclaimed stained-glass windows crafted by Munich artist F.X. Zettler. In May 2025, St. John's was merged with St. Dominic of Wyoming, St. Joseph of Brimfield, and St. Mary of the Woods of Princeville to form the new Incarnation of Our Lord Catholic Parish under Father Corey Krengel, while preserving St. John's as one of four worship sites serving the rural Stark-Peoria County region.
- Established
- 1876
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Father Corey Krengel
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria (parish merged in 2025 into Incarnation of Our Lord Parish, Princeville, IL)
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a chance to worship in one of central Illinois's most architecturally significant small-town Catholic churches — a Stauduhar-designed Neo-Gothic landmark filled with prize-winning Zettler stained glass. As one of four worship sites of the new Incarnation of Our Lord Parish, St. John's connects a tight-knit Bradford farming community to a wider network of faith formation (PREP, OCIA/RCIA, youth group), the Catholic Women of St. John's fellowship, and shared parish ministries across Stark and Peoria Counties. Whether you come for the historic sanctuary, the rural community, or the broader parish life, you are welcomed into a church that has marked 150 years of faith and is poised for a creative new chapter.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist (see also St. Dominic, Wyoming)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM (currently held at St. Dominic, Wyoming — see parish bulletin for any Bradford-specific schedule)
About St. John the Baptist Parish
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church serves the small Stark County community of Bradford, Illinois, and has done so continuously since 1876. The parish is one of four historic worship sites that, in May 2025, were brought together to form the new Incarnation of Our Lord Catholic Parish under the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. Father Corey Krengel serves as pastor of the combined parish, which is administered from St. Mary of the Woods in Princeville.
- Founded: 1876
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Peoria
- Parent parish: Incarnation of Our Lord, Princeville, IL (est. May 10, 2025)
- Pastor: Father Corey Krengel
- Office phone: (309) 695-4031
- Email: [email protected]
History & 150th Anniversary
St. John's was founded in 1876 — the year of America's centennial and the first year of the Diocese of Peoria — and has anchored Catholic life in Bradford for fifteen decades. Its current church is a celebrated example of Neo-Gothic Revival design by George P. Stauduhar, a University of Illinois graduate whose work defined Catholic architecture across the Midwest. The year 2025–2026 was designated a sesquicentennial, with the Catholic Women of St. John's organizing a calendar of community events leading to a final anniversary Mass on April 19, 2026.
- 1876 — Parish founded
- Neo-Gothic Revival church designed by George P. Stauduhar
- Stained-glass windows by Munich artist F.X. Zettler (honored at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition)
- May 10, 2025 — Merged into Incarnation of Our Lord Parish
- April 19, 2026 — Final 150th-anniversary Mass at 2:00 PM
Architecture & Art
The St. John the Baptist church is one of the signature small-town commissions of George P. Stauduhar, a UI Class of 1890 graduate based in Rock Island who went on to design dozens of Catholic churches across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Like many of his rural works, Bradford's church uses a long, narrow brick form with a single spire. Inside, the most celebrated artistic feature is the set of stained-glass windows by F.X. Zettler of Munich, whose studio won top honors at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The interior altar is documented in the Stauduhar Papers held by the University of Illinois Archives (RS 26/20/42).
- Architect: George P. Stauduhar (Rock Island, IL; UI 1890)
- Style: Neo-Gothic Revival
- Stained glass: F.X. Zettler, Munich
- Archives: University of Illinois — Stauduhar Papers, Box 51
Sacraments
Incarnation Parish prepares parishioners and newcomers for all the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Children in public schools attend Parish Religious Education for Children (PREP) for grades K–8 in preparation for Reconciliation and First Communion. Adults seeking full initiation attend OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), a 26-class program running September through Easter that culminates in Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil.
- Baptism (infant & adult)
- First Reconciliation & First Communion (via PREP)
- Confirmation (received at Easter Vigil by OCIA candidates)
- Holy Matrimony — parish preparation required
- Anointing of the Sick
- OCIA/RCIA — 26 weekly classes, Tuesdays 7:00–8:15 PM
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation is a core pillar of the merged parish. Director of Religious Education Shane Lindley oversees PREP for children in public schools, while Coordinator of Evangelization Lyndsay Blank supports adult and family outreach. Adult Faith Formation includes OCIA, Bible studies, and ongoing classes; the Jornada-based youth group (led by Annie Bosch) nurtures the spiritual life of teens; and the Mustard Seed Ministry and Young Adult Ministry round out a layered program for every age and stage.
- PREP (Parish Religious Education for Children) — K–Grade 8
- OCIA / RCIA — 26-week adult initiation program
- Youth Group — Jornada principles, led by Annie Bosch
- Adult Faith Formation — Bible studies, ongoing classes
- Mustard Seed Ministry
- Young Adult Ministry
- Director of Religious Education: Shane Lindley (309-657-8085, [email protected])
- Coordinator of Evangelization: Lyndsay Blank (309-361-1582, [email protected])
- Youth Group Director: Annie Bosch (309-231-8084, [email protected])
Music & Liturgy
Music at the merged Incarnation Parish is directed by Choir Director Leah Bousky, who supports worship across all four church sites. The 150th anniversary celebration opened in October 2025 with an organ concert featuring Mary McKean (wife of Parish Council President Pete McKean), with guests invited to arrive early to view the historic Zettler stained-glass windows.
- Choir Director: Leah Bousky (630-877-6302, [email protected])
- Anniversary organ concert — Mary McKean, October 17, 2025
- Bulletin Editor: Kathy Sullivan (309-695-4031, [email protected])
Community, Fellowship & 150th Anniversary Events
The Catholic Women of St. John's organized a yearlong slate of parish and community gatherings to mark the 150th anniversary, turning the sesquicentennial into a celebration shared with the wider Bradford community. Events span worship, fellowship, and feasting at the Carmody Center and inside the historic church.
- Oct. 17, 2025 — Organ concert with Mary McKean, 6:00 PM
- Nov. 2, 2025 — Cemetery tour & scavenger hunt after 10:00 AM Mass
- Dec. 6, 2025 — Bradford Christmas Open House and church tour, 4:00–7:00 PM
- Jan. 17, 2026 — Trivia Night at the Carmody Center, 7:00 PM
- Feb. 15, 2026 — Breakfast at the Carmody Center after 10:00 AM Mass
- March 15, 2026 — St. Patrick's Day Dinner at the Carmody Center, 5:00 PM
- April 19, 2026 — Final 150th Anniversary Mass, 2:00 PM
Parish Staff & Leadership
Day-to-day parish life is shared across the four Incarnation worship sites. Father Corey Krengel is the pastor; Deacon John (Ray) Burton and Deacon Frederick J. Kruse assist in ministry. The Parish Council, presided over by Pete McKean, advises the pastor on parish direction and is particularly dedicated to evangelization.
- Pastor — Father Corey Krengel
- Deacon — John (Ray) Burton (Senior Status)
- Deacon — Frederick J. Kruse
- Director of Religious Education — Shane Lindley
- Coordinator of Evangelization — Lyndsay Blank
- Youth Group Director — Annie Bosch
- Choir Director — Leah Bousky
- Bulletin Editor — Kathy Sullivan
- Parish Council President — Pete McKean
Visiting & Contact
St. John's shares its phone line and email with the rest of the Stark County Catholic cluster. After the 2025 merger, parish office operations are coordinated through the Incarnation Parish office at St. Mary of the Woods in Princeville, open Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
- Church address — 218 First Street, Bradford, IL 61421
- Mailing address — PO Box 310, Bradford, IL 61421
- Phone — (309) 695-4031
- Email — [email protected]
- Parish office — 119 Saint Mary Street, Princeville, IL 61559 (Tue–Fri, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM)
- Parish office phone — 309-385-2578
- Parish office email — [email protected]
Looking Ahead: A Possible Byzantine Chapter
After the April 19, 2026 closing anniversary Mass, Incarnation Pastor Father Corey Krengel and Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria announced they are exploring the transfer of the historic St. John the Baptist building to the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma (Ohio) for use as a Byzantine mission church. Father Thomas J. Loya of Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Homer Glen, Illinois, is involved in the proposal, and a community informational meeting was held in January 2026 to gauge local support. The Byzantine Catholic Church shares the same faith as the Roman Catholic Church and is in full communion with the Pope.
- Prospective partner — Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma (Ohio)
- Clergy lead — Rev. Thomas J. Loya, Annunciation of the Mother of God, Homer Glen, IL
- Diocesan support — Bishop Louis Tylka, Diocese of Peoria
- Status — exploration / not yet in formal negotiations as of early 2026