About St. Joseph · Chenoa, Illinois
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a historic parish in Chenoa, Illinois, in McLean County. The parish was founded in 1859 by Irish Catholic settlers in the area and named for St. Joseph, foster-father of Jesus and patron of the Universal Church. As of May 10, 2025, St. Joseph Chenoa became the primary worship site of the newly created Good Shepherd Parish in Chenoa, formed under the Diocese of Peoria's 'Growing Disciples' reorganization. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Peoria and currently shares clergy with St. Mary Parish in Pontiac.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Father Robert Rayson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Joseph is the oldest Catholic parish in Chenoa, founded by Irish settlers in 1859, and today it serves as the primary worship site of the newly formed Good Shepherd Parish. Visitors and parishioners are welcomed to a historic church with a traditional sanctuary, regular weekend and weekday Masses, and Saturday confessions. As part of the Diocese of Peoria's Growing Disciples reorganization, the parish is now sustained by a team of three priests who also serve neighboring communities, ensuring continued pastoral care and the celebration of the sacraments.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30-5:15 PM
- Saturday 1:30-2:30 PM (also reported by some listings)
History of St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Parish was founded in 1859, just five years after the town of Chenoa was platted by Matthew T. Scott in 1854 at the junction of two railroads. The parish was established to serve the Irish Catholic immigrants who settled in McLean County during and after the Great Famine, many of whom had come to central Illinois to work on the Illinois Central Railroad. The parish became one of the anchor institutions of the local Irish community in Chenoa. While the parish dates to 1859, the Diocese of Peoria records the present church's 'year established' as 1893, indicating the current building was constructed in the early 1890s.
- Parish founded: 1859
- Diocese of Peoria church year established: 1893
- Town of Chenoa platted: 1854 by Matthew T. Scott
Parish Identity and Name
The parish is named for St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus and patron of the Universal Church. As a 'St. Joseph' parish, it shares its devotion with countless other Catholic communities worldwide.
- Patron: St. Joseph
- Dedication: Foster-father of Jesus and patron of the Universal Church
Good Shepherd Parish (2025 Merger)
On May 10, 2025, as part of the Diocese of Peoria's sweeping 'Growing Disciples' reorganization, St. Joseph of Chenoa was merged with St. Mary of Lexington to form the new Good Shepherd Parish in Chenoa. St. Joseph Chenoa was designated as the primary worship site of the new parish, while St. Joseph of Flanagan was suppressed. The merger was driven by declining Mass attendance — down nearly 50% in the diocese over the past decade — and a projected shortage of priests.
- New parish name: Good Shepherd Parish - Chenoa
- Date established: May 10, 2025
- Primary worship site: St. Joseph Church, Chenoa
- Merged parish: St. Mary, Lexington (201 N. Lee, Lexington, IL 61753)
Clergy
St. Joseph is served by a team of priests who also staff neighboring parishes in the Pontiac-area cluster. The current pastor and parochial vicars are listed below.
- Pastor: Father Robert Rayson (appointed 2025; also Pastor of St. Mary, Pontiac)
- Parochial Vicar: Father William Keebler (appointed Parochial Vicar of Good Shepherd Parish in May 2025)
- Parochial Vicar: Father John Bazimenyera (appointed 2025; also serves St. Mary, Pontiac)
Pastoral Succession
Fr. David Sabel served the cluster beginning in 2018 and was named Vicar Forane of the Pontiac Vicariate in 2019. After May 2025, he was reassigned as Chaplain at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa, and Fr. Robert Rayson became the new pastor of Good Shepherd Parish.
- Fr. David Sabel: Pastor 2018-2025; first pastor of Good Shepherd Parish May 2025, then reassigned to OSF St. Elizabeth chaplaincy
- Fr. William Keebler: Parochial Vicar 2019-present
- Fr. Robert Rayson: Pastor 2025-present
Visiting the Church
Visitors are welcomed at St. Joseph's historic sanctuary, which features traditional devotional furnishings including a communion rail, an Altar of Mary, a Divine Mercy image at the front of the altar, and statues of St. Anne with the child Mary, St. Patrick, St. Joseph, and St. Anthony of Padua. A parish hall is located on the property.
Diocese of Peoria
St. Joseph belongs to the Diocese of Peoria, which covers 17,000 square miles across 26 Illinois counties. The diocese is currently led by Bishop Lou Tylka, who launched the Growing Disciples reorganization that consolidated the diocese's 156 parishes into 75 parishes between 2024 and 2027.
- Diocese: Peoria
- Diocese website: cdop.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. David Sabel2018-2025
Pastor of St. Joseph Chenoa (and St. Joseph Flanagan, St. Mary Lexington) under the Pontiac-area cluster arrangement; named Vicar Forane of Pontiac Vicariate; became Administrator then Pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in May 2025 before being reassigned as Chaplain at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Ottawa.
- Fr. William Keebler2019-
Parochial Vicar serving the Pontiac-area cluster and continuing as Parochial Vicar of Good Shepherd Parish from May 2025.
- Fr. Robert Rayson2025-
Named Pastor of Good Shepherd Parish (Chenoa) and St. Mary (Pontiac) in May 2025, succeeding Fr. David Sabel.