About St. Joseph · Lebanon, Illinois
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a historic parish in Lebanon, Illinois, founded in 1862 and today part of the Diocese of Belleville. The parish shares a pastor, Rev. Paul Wienhoff, JCL, and a youth-and-ministry partnership with Corpus Christi Catholic Church in nearby Shiloh. Its current church, of modern construction, was consecrated on March 19, 1979 — the Feast of St. Joseph — and the parish is also notable for Joseph House, a Monday-evening outreach that welcomes McKendree University students to the rectory for dinner, fellowship, and conversation about faith. Sunday Mass is offered at 10:30 a.m., with weekday Masses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
- Established
- 1862
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Paul R. Wienhoff, JCL
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville, Illinois
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers the rhythm of a small, historic parish — a single Sunday Mass (10:30 a.m.), Tuesday and Thursday weekday Masses, and a tradition of hospitality that goes back 160+ years. It is well known for Joseph House, a Monday-evening gathering in the parish rectory that feeds and fellowships with McKendree University students in a Newman-Center-style setting, and for being partnered with Corpus Christi in Shiloh so that youth ministry, retreats, and combined outreach (St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Urban Programs, Pregnancy Cares, Boxes of Joy) are done together. Active ministries, a Parish School of Religion for K-8/9, RCIA, year-round fellowship events (Fall Fest, Trivia Night, Lenten Fish Fry), and a parish cemetery make it easy to plug in.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- After Mass on Sunday
- 4th Monday of the month, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Upon request
Adoration times
- 4th Monday of the month, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (listed alongside Reconciliation schedule on the parish home page)
Parish History
St. Joseph Parish traces its roots to 1858 and was formally organized in 1862 with its first church on Pearl Street. The parish history page on the website lays out a detailed timeline — from the first baptismal records in 1866 to the 150th-anniversary celebration closing Mass and potluck in 2013. Key chapters include the construction of a Gothic-design brick-and-stone church on Highway 4 in 1891 (paid off in only five years), the 1979 consecration of the present church on March 19 (St. Joseph's Feast Day), and the move toward parish partnerships beginning in 2003 and culminating in the current St. Joseph–Corpus Christi partnership in 2017.
- 1858 — Fr. Augustine Reineke given pastoral care of the Lebanon settlement
- 1857 — Lebanon incorporated as a town
- 1862 — First church erected on Pearl Street; parish established
- 1866 — Parish records note 24 Baptisms, 12 First Communions, 18 Confirmations; cemetery land purchased
- 1868 — One-room frame schoolhouse erected (taught by laity for 32 years)
- 1871 — Nicholas Faust and Joseph Ganschinietz named first trustees
- 1876 — First financial records kept (January income $21.10, $9.10 from Sunday collections)
- 1879 — Fr. Francis Trojan named first resident pastor
- 1891 — Land acquired on Hwy 4 for Gothic-design brick-and-stone church (~300 seats, $10,000)
- 1897 — Church debt paid off in five years
- c.1925-1943 — Fr. Joseph Roken serves as pastor (18 years until his death)
- 1968 — Land acquired for the present church
- 1979 — Present church consecrated on March 19, Feast of St. Joseph
- 1995 — Founding parish of Christian HomeCare Services, Inc.
- 2003 — Clusters with St. Mary (Trenton), St. George (New Baden), St. Bernard (Albers), and St. Damian (Damiansville)
- 2012-2013 — 150th anniversary year celebrated (cookbook, ornament, pig roast, St. Louis Hearth and Home Build, Trivia Night, closing Mass and potluck)
- 2014 — Bishop Braxton announces partnership with St. Nicholas, O'Fallon
- 2017 — Bishop Braxton announces partnership with Corpus Christi, Shiloh
About St. Joseph
St. Joseph Catholic Church describes itself as a vibrant, faith-filled parish rooted in prayer, service, and community. Its mission statement is to be a living and growing community of prayer, support and service formed by the Gospel — living out Catholic heritage and reaching out in the spirit of Jesus to those in need both within the parish and beyond.
- Mission: a living and growing community of prayer, support, and service formed by the Gospel
- Identity: vibrant, faith-filled parish rooted in prayer, service, and community
- Outreach emphasis: welcome and support of McKendree University students through Joseph House
- Active ministry life for all ages
Clergy & Staff
St. Joseph shares its pastor with partner parish Corpus Christi in Shiloh. The Pastoral Associate serves as the on-site parish staff leader, supported by an Administrative Assistant. Office hours are Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (closed Friday).
- Pastor: Rev. Paul R. Wienhoff, JCL — also Pastor of Corpus Christi, Shiloh; Office of Tribunal Promoter of Justice; shared phone 618-632-5631
- Pastoral Associate: Deb Kuth — 618-537-2575
- Administrative Assistant: Pam Gaynor — 618-537-2575
- Office hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.; Friday closed
- Parish office phone: 618-537-2575
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
The parish offers one Sunday Mass each week along with two weekday Masses, in line with its smaller-parish rhythm. Confession is most regularly available after Sunday Mass, with a dedicated Monday evening reconciliation time on the 4th Monday of the month, and by request. Holy Day Mass is at 12:10 p.m. with vigil times to be confirmed via the bulletin or website.
- Sunday Mass: 10:30 a.m.
- Weekday Mass: Tuesday & Thursday, 8:00 a.m.
- Holy Day Mass: 12:10 p.m. (vigil consult bulletin/website)
- Reconciliation: after Mass on Sunday, 4th Monday 6:00-7:00 p.m., or upon request
- Eucharistic Adoration: 4th Monday 6:00-7:00 p.m.
- Communion calls to Evercare of Lebanon (1st Tuesday) and Cedar Ridge Health & Rehab (2nd Tuesday)
Joseph House — McKendree University Outreach
Joseph House is the parish's signature outreach, gathering McKendree University students in the St. Joseph rectory every Monday evening during the school year. It provides dinner, fellowship, conversation about faith (with a weekly spiritual question), and a quiet study space — functioning as a Newman-Center-style atmosphere on a college campus that does not have one. Founded in 2019 under a vision from then-pastor Msgr. James Margason, the program is run jointly with Corpus Christi, Shiloh; it has grown from 8-10 students its first year to 28-30 today.
- When: Mondays 5:00-7:00 p.m. (Fall & Spring semesters; even on holidays)
- Where: St. Joseph rectory (walking distance from McKendree's campus)
- Who: McKendree University students and other local college students; all faith backgrounds welcome
- What: home-cooked meal, faith discussion, quiet study space, Wi-Fi
- In 2026, awarded the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award from McKendree University
- Coordinator (St. Joseph side): Donna Weil; volunteers and donations coordinated through the parish
- Funded partly by grants from the Catholic Service and Ministry Appeal (CSMA) Fund for Ministry
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Joseph centers on the Parish School of Religion (PSR), which teaches children in Kindergarten through 8th/9th grade. Sacramental preparation is built in: First Communion is celebrated in the spring of the 2nd-grade year, and Confirmation is celebrated every other year in 7th, 8th, or 9th grade. RCIA sessions run year-round for adults and children seeking baptism or full communion.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR): K-8/9
- First Communion: spring of 2nd grade
- Confirmation: every other year in 7th-9th grade
- RCIA: year-round for unbaptized adults, Christians entering full communion, and Catholic-raised but uncatechized adults and children
- PSR Registration e-Form available for the upcoming school year
Partnership with Corpus Christi, Shiloh
Since 2017, St. Joseph has shared a pastor with Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Shiloh, along with joint liturgical events, a combined youth group, and shared outreach. The two parishes maintain separate bulletins, websites, and PSR programs but come together for Holy Week, retreats, the Partnership Mass & Lunch, and combined service projects. A weekly email is sent via Flocknote to parishioners of both parishes.
- Announced in 2017 by Bishop Braxton
- Shared pastor: Rev. Paul R. Wienhoff, JCL
- Combined youth group (sjandcc.youthgroup), 7th-12th grade
- Joint liturgical events for Holy Week and Advent/Lent
- Shared outreach: St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Urban Programs, Pregnancy Cares, Boxes of Joy, Joseph House
- Partnership Vision: 'Together we are a dynamic Eucharistic community sharing our Gospel values while being dedicated to our faith and service.'
Sacraments
St. Joseph prepares parishioners for the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation) and welcomes new members through the RCIA. Infant Baptism requires parents to be registered, practicing Catholics and to attend a parish baptismal class; Baptisms are not scheduled during Lent. Older children and adults prepare through the RCIA process.
- Baptism — register at the parish office and complete the baptismal class
- Eucharist (First Communion) — spring of 2nd grade via PSR
- Confirmation — every other year in 7th-9th grade via PSR
- RCIA — open year-round; contact the parish office at 618-537-2575
Ministries & Parish Life
St. Joseph maintains a formal Ministry List inviting parishioners to share their time, talent, and treasure. Liturgical ministries — lectors, servers, greeters, ushers, extraordinary ministers — are the heart of parish worship, and social-life ministries create the fabric of community. The parish supports ongoing outreach to the wider community through Christian HomeCare Services and several Catholic charitable organizations.
- Liturgical Ministry (lectors, altar servers, greeters, ushers, extraordinary ministers)
- Joseph House
- PSR / Youth Ministry (combined with Corpus Christi)
- RCIA team
- Cemetery ministry
- Christian HomeCare Services, Inc. (co-founding parish)
- St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Urban Programs, Pregnancy Cares, Boxes of Joy
- Communion calls to Evercare of Lebanon and Cedar Ridge
- Fall Fest, Trivia Night, Lenten Fish Fry, McKendree Into the Streets, Vacation Bible School
Cemetery
St. Joseph Cemetery is an extension of the parish's ministry, open daily from dawn to dusk. Cemetery land was purchased in 1866, making it one of the oldest continuous features of the parish. (Specific burial records and pricing are not posted on the public website.)
- St. Joseph Cemetery — open daily, dawn to dusk
- Land purchased 1866 (the same year early parish records began)
I'm New Here / Visiting
The parish welcomes new visitors with a dedicated 'I'm New Here' page that addresses the most common first-time questions — directions, Mass times, and Confession times — and notes that hearing devices are available for those needing special assistance.
- Map and address provided
- Mass and Confession schedules linked
- Hearing devices available for parishioners with hearing difficulty
Live Streaming & Online Resources
Mass continues to be live streamed from St. Joseph via the website, and the video remains available to view afterward. (Live-streamed Mass from the parish is offered; Corpus Christi's Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass is also shown on the joint home page as live streamed.)
- Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass from St. Joseph remains available via the website
- Corpus Christi Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass live streamed (partner parish)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Augustine Reineke1858-
Pastor of St. Dominic, Breese, given pastoral care of the Lebanon settlement; organized St. Joseph Parish and erected its first church in 1862.
- Fr. Francis Trojan1879-
First resident pastor of St. Joseph Parish.
- Fr. Joseph Rokenc.1925-1943
Died in 1943 after serving as pastor for 18 years.
- Msgr. James Margason
Appointed pastor; in 2019 had the vision for the Joseph House outreach ministry for McKendree University students.
- Rev. Paul R. Wienhoff, JCL2017-present
Shared pastor under the 2017 Bishop Braxton partnership with Corpus Christi, Shiloh; also serves as Pastor of Corpus Christi.