About St. Joseph · Benld, Illinois
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small parish in Benld, Illinois, founded in 1915 to serve the immigrant Catholic families — many of Italian and Slavic heritage — who came to work in the area coal mines. It remains a mission-style parish of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, sharing its pastor, Fr. Joe Koyickal, SAC, with neighboring Ss. Simon and Jude in Gillespie. The parish counts roughly 120 parishioners in 57 families and gathers for one Sunday Mass and one Wednesday Mass each week, in keeping with its modest size and intimate community character.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Koyickal, S.A.C.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a small, intimate parish where every family is known by name, rooted in a century of immigrant Catholic faith in the coal-country communities of Macoupin County. Worshippers gather for a single Sunday Mass and a Wednesday daily Mass, with the Rosary prayed before Sunday liturgy and the Sacrament of Penance available before Mass or by appointment. Sharing a pastor and staff with Ss. Simon and Jude in nearby Gillespie, the parish offers a quiet, traditional rhythm of Catholic life ideal for those seeking a close-knit faith community in the Benld area.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday before the 7:45 AM Mass
- By appointment
Parish Identity & Vision
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Benld, Illinois is a mission parish of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, sharing its pastor and staff with Ss. Simon and Jude in nearby Gillespie. The parish's published Vision Statement reads: "With the Lord's kindness and guidance, we hope to keep St. Joseph Church alive and well so that we may continue to grow in faith and spirit for future generations." This reflects both the small size of the community — about 120 parishioners in 57 families — and the determination of its members to sustain Catholic life in Benld for the next century.
History of the Parish
The parish traces its roots to 1915, when Father John Crosson of Ss. Simon & Jude in Gillespie obtained permission from Bishop James Ryan of the Diocese of Alton to build a church in Benld for the immigrant Catholic miners and their families. The cornerstone was laid on October 17, 1915, and the parish was built on four lots on West Central Avenue. A century later, in 2015–2016, the parish celebrated its 100th anniversary with a centennial family directory and a pictorial history of St. Joseph.
- Town of Benld founded in 1904
- Immigrant Catholic population largely of Italian and Slavic descent
- Cornerstone laid October 17, 1915 by Father Deval of Staunton representing Bishop James Ryan
- Four lots purchased on West Central Avenue for the new church
- Centennial anniversary observed in 2015–2016 with parish directory and pictorial history
Clergy, Staff & Parish Office
St. Joseph is served by Fr. Joseph Koyickal, S.A.C. (Society of the Catholic Apostolate / Pallottine), who serves as pastor and resides at Ss. Simon and Jude in Gillespie. Because St. Joseph is a mission parish, its administrative operations are coordinated through the Gillespie parish office. The parish staff includes Donette Clark as Parish Secretary and Director of Religious Education, with additional support from Amy Killam (Administrative Assistant) and Rosemary Messner (Liturgical Music Coordinator).
- Rev. Joseph Koyickal, S.A.C. — Pastor (resides at Ss. Simon and Jude, Gillespie)
- Donette Clark — Parish Secretary / DRE
- Amy Killam — Administrative Assistant (shared with Ss. Simon & Jude)
- Rosemary Messner — Liturgical Music Coordinator (shared with Ss. Simon & Jude)
- Parish office shared with Ss. Simon & Jude at 304 N Macoupin St, Gillespie, IL 62033
- Office hours: Tuesdays, 9:00 AM – Noon
Contact & Location
St. Joseph's church building is located on West Central Street in Benld, while the parish office is shared with Ss. Simon & Jude in Gillespie. The parish can be reached by phone at the office number; office hours are limited to Tuesday mornings.
- Church address: 300 W Central St, Benld, IL 62009 (diocesan directory lists 310 W Central)
- Parish office: 304 N Macoupin St, Gillespie, IL 62033
- Phone: 217-839-3456
- Office hours: Tuesdays 9:00 AM – Noon
Bulletin, Calendar & Parish Giving
The parish maintains a current weekly bulletin and a parish calendar of upcoming events on its website, including weekend Masses, weekday Masses, devotions such as Stations of the Cross during Lent, and outreach Masses at local facilities like Gillespie Health & Rehab. Parish Giving options are made available for online stewardship, and parishioners are encouraged to consult the bulletin for the most up-to-date announcements.
- Online bulletin archive on the parish website
- Parish calendar listing weekend Masses, daily Masses, and special devotions
- Parish Giving program for online donations
- Outreach Mass celebrated at Gillespie Health & Rehab
Centennial Celebration (2015–2016)
In recognition of the parish's 100th anniversary, St. Joseph's centennial planning committee organized a parish-wide pictorial directory and family portrait sessions, with Lifetouch Family Photography setting up in St. Joseph's Hall on three days in October 2015. Each photographed family received a free 8×10 portrait and a free directory, with non-perishable food donations to a local food pantry encouraged.
- Centennial observed in 2015–2016 (100 years from the 1915 cornerstone)
- Parish pictorial directory and family album produced
- Lifetouch portrait sessions held in St. Joseph's Hall on October 15, 16, and 17, 2015
- Donations of non-perishable food collected for a local food pantry
Related Parishes in the Region
St. Joseph belongs to a cluster of Catholic parishes in Macoupin County sharing pastoral and administrative resources. Its sister parish, Ss. Simon and Jude in Gillespie, is the mother parish from which St. Joseph was founded in 1915. The parish is also linked, through the 3 Parishes 1 Faith network, with another neighboring St. Joseph parish in the area, allowing for coordinated sacramental, faith-formation, and administrative life across the small communities.
- Ss. Simon & Jude, Gillespie — mother parish (304 N Macoupin, Gillespie, IL 62033)
- Part of the regional "3 Parishes 1 Faith" collaboration
- All share Pastor Fr. Joseph Koyickal, S.A.C.