About St. John the Evangelist · Galva, Illinois
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Galva, Illinois, is a small rural parish in the Diocese of Peoria with roots going back to the 1850s, when the first Catholic Masses in the area were celebrated in private homes. The parish was formally established in 1882, when 25 local Catholic families built their first church; today it serves the community from a 400-seat octagonal church completed in 1968 and dedicated in 1969. On June 7, 2025, St. John the Evangelist was merged with neighboring St. John the Apostle (Woodhull) and St. John Vianney (Cambridge) into a single new entity called St. John the Beloved Parish, pastored by Monsignor Michael C. Bliss. The Galva worship site continues to host regular weekend and weekday Masses and remains the spiritual home for generations of Henry County Catholic families.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Monsignor Michael C. Bliss
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist (now part of St. John the Beloved Parish) offers a close-knit, multi-generational Catholic community rooted in 140+ years of faith in rural Henry County. The Galva worship site hosts regular Saturday vigil and Sunday Masses, weekday Masses on Tuesday and Friday, and Saturday confessions — sustaining a Sacramental life that has outlasted two buildings and now spans three towns. Three historic parishes — St. John the Evangelist (Galva), St. John the Apostle (Woodhull), and St. John Vianney (Cambridge) — have joined as one family of faith under Monsignor Michael C. Bliss, making this a welcoming place to belong, serve, and grow as a disciple of Christ.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Parish History
St. John the Evangelist traces its origins to 1857–1858, when the first Catholic Masses in the Galva area were celebrated in private homes by Rev. Kilkenny of Lacon, Illinois. After a lapse, Fathers John Murray Ryan and John F. Ryan of Kewanee began riding horseback to offer Mass locally, eventually in the home of Phil Costello. In 1882 twenty-five Catholic families decided to build their own church, completing it in early 1883 at a cost of just over $3,000. The parish was a Mission of Kewanee until 1888, when Fr. James Heaney built a rectory and became Galva's first resident pastor. The parish grew steadily, supporting missions at Woodhull, Wataga, and Toulon, until the present octagonal church was built in 1967–1968 and dedicated by Bishop John B. Franz on April 20, 1969.
- 1853: Pioneers arrive in the Galva area
- 1857: Town of Galva established
- 1857–1858: First Masses said in private homes by Rev. Kilkenny
- 1882: 25 families commit to building a church
- 1883 (April 5): First church consecrated
- 1888: Rectory built; Fr. James Heaney becomes first resident pastor
- 1917–1926: Rev. William Graham — first pastor with a car
- 1944: Basement dug beneath the church
- 1967: Ground broken for the present octagonal church (April 15 contracts; June 8 groundbreaking)
- 1968 (July 21): First Mass in the new church
- 1969 (April 6): Cornerstone blessed by Pastor Gerard Verhoye
- 1969 (April 20): Church dedicated by Bishop John B. Franz
- 2025 (June 7): Merged into St. John the Beloved Parish
The Present-Day Church (1968)
The current St. John's was designed by the parish Building Committee as an octagon 88 feet across the center, combining church and hall under one roof. Construction contracts were signed on April 15, 1967, and the old church was taken down nine days later. The total project cost $147,220.69 — $123,258.94 for the building and $23,691.75 for furnishings and finishes.
- Seating capacity: 400
- Church area: 5,127 sq ft; Hall area: 1,972 sq ft; total 7,099 sq ft
- Exterior: Montezuma Blend brick
- Interior walls: cinder block
- Roof: laminated beams with cedar wood decking
- Floors: concrete (carpet in church, tile in hall)
- Heating: natural gas furnace; air conditioning added later
- Cornerstone engraved 'St. John – 1967' with stainless-steel history box
Mass & Sacrament Schedule (Galva site)
Following the June 7, 2025 merger, the three worship sites of St. John the Beloved Parish share a unified Sacramental schedule. The Galva worship site (St. John the Evangelist) hosts the parish's Saturday vigil and one Sunday Mass, along with weekday Masses and Saturday confessions.
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM Mass
- Friday: 8:00 AM Mass
- Saturday: 4:00 PM Vigil Mass
- Sunday: 10:00 AM Mass
- Saturday Confessions: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Holy Day schedule: see bulletin
St. John the Beloved Parish — Three Worship Sites
On June 7, 2025, the Diocese of Peoria formally merged three historic 'St. John' parishes — St. John the Evangelist in Galva, St. John the Apostle in Woodhull, and St. John Vianney in Cambridge — into a single new parish: St. John the Beloved Parish. The shared mission statement reads: 'The Cambridge, Galva, and Woodhull communities live and proclaim the Gospel message of Jesus in word and action. We invite and welcome all people lovingly into our faith community inspiring a spirit of love, joy and wisdom. We are servants on a journey of faith, spreading gifts of healing and forgiveness that flow from God. Our parishes encourage all to become Disciples of Christ, embracing the presence of the Holy Spirit.'
- Galva (St. John the Evangelist): 212 N.E. 1st Street, 309-334-2180
- Woodhull (St. John the Apostle): 390 E Highway Avenue, 309-334-2180
- Cambridge (St. John Vianney): 313 S. West Street, 309-937-3304
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Primary worship site: St. John the Apostle, Woodhull
- Pastor: Monsignor Michael C. Bliss
Clergy & Staff
St. John the Beloved Parish is pastored by Monsignor Michael C. Bliss, who was assigned as the first pastor of the merged parish in 2025. Born May 7, 1961, in Florissant, Missouri, he was ordained May 25, 1991, and incardinated in the Diocese of Peoria. He has served the diocese as chaplain, Vicar Forane of the Peoria SE Vicariate (2003), and pastor of several parishes, and was honored as Chaplain to His Holiness in 2007. Past assignments include St. Edward (Chillicothe, 2017) and St. Philomena (Monticello) / St. Michael (Bement, 2019).
- Monsignor Michael C. Bliss — Pastor (2025–present)
- Parish office: 309-334-2180 (Galva/Woodhull)
- Parish hall: 309-334-2137 (Woodhull)
- Fax: 309-334-2136
Visiting & Location
The Galva worship site of St. John the Beloved Parish is located at 212 N.E. 1st Street, Galva, Illinois 61434. From I-80, take exit 27 (County Highway 5); the church is about 20 miles south. From Center Avenue, go one block east after crossing the railroad tracks.
- Address: 212 N.E. 1st Street, Galva, IL 61434
- Directions: I-80 exit 27 / County Highway 5, 20 miles south
- Landmark: 1 block east of Center Avenue, after the railroad tracks
- Parish hall on site for meetings and gatherings
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Kilkenny (priest from Lacon, IL)1857–1858
Said the first Masses in Galva in private homes.
- Father John Murray Ryan and Father John F. Ryan (Kewanee)1880s (approx.)
Rode horseback from town to town to celebrate Mass in Galva homes.
- Various priests from Kewanee1883–1888
St. John's was officially a Mission of Kewanee.
- Fr. James Heaney1888–
First resident pastor of Galva; built the rectory that still stands; missions included Woodhull, Wataga, and Toulon.
- Rev. William Graham1917–1926
First pastor to own a car, enabling weekly Sunday Mass at all missions.
- Rev. C. Jagodzinski1959 (building fund drive)
Led the 1959 building fund drive and initial rectory remodeling.
- Pastor Gerard Verhoye1969 (cornerstone)
Blessed and set the cornerstone of the new church on April 6, 1969.
- Monsignor Michael C. Bliss2025–
First pastor of the merged St. John the Beloved Parish (Galva/Cambridge/Woodhull), effective June 7, 2025.