About St. Joseph · Brimfield, Illinois
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 314 W. Clay Street in the village of Brimfield, Illinois, in Peoria County. Founded in 1852 as a mission of St. Mary's of Kickapoo, it has served Catholic families in the rural Brimfield community for more than 170 years. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Peoria and, on May 10, 2025, was merged with St. Dominic (Wyoming), St. John the Baptist (Bradford), and St. Mary of the Woods (Princeville) to form the new Incarnation of Our Lord Catholic Parish. Mass is currently celebrated at the Brimfield church on Saturday evenings and weekday mornings, with confession before Saturday Mass and Eucharistic Adoration on Thursday mornings.
- Established
- 1852
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Father Corey Krengiel
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Joseph of Brimfield offers the warmth of a small rural Catholic community that has worshipped together since 1852, with a current brick church dedicated in 1951. Worshippers can attend the Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 pm, a Sunday Mass (10:30 am during the school year; 10:00 am in summer), weekday Masses Tuesday through Friday, and a Wednesday evening Mass, with confession before Saturday Mass and Adoration on Thursday mornings. The parish is also known for its charitable outreach — notably serving as a regional drop-off center for Cross Catholic Outreach's Box of Joy campaign — and shares an affiliated Calvary Cemetery that has been part of the community since 1881.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm (at St. Joseph Church, before the 5:00 pm Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 am – 8:00 am (Eucharistic Adoration at St. Joseph Church)
Our Parish History
Saint Joseph Church was established in 1852 as a mission of Saint Mary's of Kickapoo. The original, small church was expanded into a larger church in 1864 and was later erected as its own parish in 1877. On May 8, 1948, the larger church was destroyed by fire, and a third, current brick church was built on the same location and dedicated on September 30, 1951. The parish was merged into the newly erected Incarnation of Our Lord Parish on May 10, 2025, the Vigil of Good Shepherd Sunday.
- 1852 — Established as a mission of St. Mary's of Kickapoo
- 1864 — Original church expanded
- 1877 — Erected as its own independent parish
- May 8, 1948 — Larger church destroyed by fire
- September 30, 1951 — Current brick church dedicated
- May 10, 2025 — Merged into Incarnation of Our Lord Parish
Becoming Part of Incarnation of Our Lord Parish
In May 2025, St. Joseph of Brimfield was merged with three neighboring rural Catholic churches — St. Dominic of Wyoming, St. John the Baptist of Bradford, and St. Mary of the Woods of Princeville — to form a single new parish called Incarnation of Our Lord. The four historic worship sites are preserved within the unified parish, with Saint Mary of the Woods serving as the principal church and parish office.
- Four country churches, one parish
- Principal church: Saint Mary of the Woods (Princeville)
- Parish office: 119 Saint Mary Street, Princeville, IL 61559
- Pastor: Father Corey Krengiel
Clergy and Staff
Father Corey Krengiel serves as pastor of Incarnation of Our Lord Parish, which includes St. Joseph of Brimfield. Father John M. Verrier served as the prior pastor of St. Joseph Parish before the 2025 merger. Deacon Ray Burton is associated with the Brimfield worship site. Parish office and ministry staff support the four churches.
- Father Corey Krengiel — Pastor (ordained May 24, 2014; assigned May 2025)
- Father John M. Verrier — former pastor of St. Joseph Parish
- Deacon Ray Burton
- Lyndsay Blank — Parish Office
- Kathy Sullivan — Director of Religious Education
- Annie Bosch — Youth Group Director
- Leah Bousky — Choir Director
- Monica Watson — Coordinator of Evangelization
- Shane Lindley — Bulletin Editor
- Pete McKean — Parish Council President
Parish Ministries
The parish offers a wide range of ministries spanning worship, formation, service, and community life. Of particular note is the parish's regional role in Cross Catholic Outreach's Box of Joy Christmas campaign, for which St. Joseph in Brimfield has served as a drop-off center since 2017.
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Finance Committee
- Fundraising Committee
- Evangelization
- Religious Education / CCD / Faith Formation
- Youth Group
- Choir
- Homebound Ministry
- Hospitality Committee
- Vocations Committee
- Family Life Committee
- Food Pantry (each Friday)
- Alcoholics Anonymous (Thursdays and Saturdays)
- Friendship Club (seniors)
- Dorcas Sewing for Jesus Circle
- Girl Scouts
- Box of Joy regional drop-off (Cross Catholic Outreach)
Religious Education and Sacraments
Faith formation for children is coordinated through the parish's Religious Education program, led by Director of Religious Education Kathy Sullivan. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Communion takes place during the 2nd-grade Faith Formation year. Adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
- Director of Religious Education: Kathy Sullivan ([email protected])
- First Reconciliation & First Communion preparation in 2nd grade
- Confirmation preparation through Faith Formation classes
- RCIA for unbaptized adults, baptized Christians, and Catholics seeking Eucharist/Confirmation
Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery has been associated with St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Brimfield since 1881, making it one of the older Catholic cemeteries in the Peoria region. The cemetery was blessed and formally dedicated by Fr. Nickerson on April 29, 1969. The cemetery's crucifix and iron fence were purchased in 1927, and the stone altar was donated by the Carroll and Burrus families in 1996. Sections A (north) and B (center) remain in active use, with genealogy resources and veteran recognition available to families.
- Affiliated with St. Joseph's Catholic Church since 1881
- Formally dedicated by Fr. Nickerson on April 29, 1969
- Crucifix and iron fence purchased 1927
- Stone altar donated by the Carroll and Burrus families in 1996
- Section A (north) and Section B (center)
Harrison Hall — Parish Gathering Space
St. Joseph's Harrison Hall, located at 320 E. Illinois Street in Brimfield, serves as a gathering and fellowship space for parish events. It has hosted activities such as the parish's annual Box of Joy collection party, with shared meals and community-building around charitable outreach.
- Location: 320 E. Illinois St., Brimfield
- Used for parish events and outreach collections
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office through the main parish phone line, by email, or by visiting the church at 314 W. Clay Street in Brimfield. The unified parish office for Incarnation of Our Lord Parish operates out of Saint Mary of the Woods in Princeville, Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- Address: 314 W. Clay Street, Brimfield, IL 61517
- Phone: (309) 446-3275
- Fax: 309-446-9409
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stjosephbrimfield.org/
- Facebook: facebook.com/stjosephbrimfield
- Parish Office (Incarnation): 119 Saint Mary Street, Princeville, IL 61559; 309-385-2578
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John M. Verrier
Pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Brimfield, prior to the 2025 merger; led the parish's regional outreach efforts including the Box of Joy drop-off campaign.
- Father Corey KrengielMay 2025–present
First pastor of the newly erected Incarnation of Our Lord Parish, which includes St. Joseph of Brimfield as one of four worship sites. Born November 24, 1985 in Lemont, Illinois; ordained May 24, 2014.