About St. Joseph · Lena, Illinois
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in Lena, Illinois, founded in 1888 and one of three rural parishes — along with St. Ann in Warren and St. Joseph in Apple River — that together form the Stagecoach Trail Catholic Parishes cluster within the Diocese of Rockford. The present church building was constructed in 1938 and continues to serve farming families and neighbors across Northwest Illinois with weekly Mass, the sacraments, religious education for grades K–8, and outreach to the wider community. Day-to-day parish life is supported by parish secretary Teresa Brown and led by pastor Father Andrew Hernandez.
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- St. Joseph (spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster father of Jesus; patron of the Universal Church, fathers, and workers)
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew Hernandez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockford
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a faithful, small-town Catholic home in rural Northwest Illinois with a four-day-a-week Mass schedule (including a Sunday 10:00 AM Mass and a Saturday Vigil), regular confession times, a parish-based K–8 Religious Education program, and the warmth of being part of a three-parish family (St. Joseph Lena, St. Ann Warren, St. Joseph Apple River) that pools its ministries. Visitors and parishioners are welcomed into a community that calls itself 'to express our Catholic identity in joyful celebration of our sacraments and to share our gifts…bearing witness to Christ.'
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 4:00 – 4:20 PM
- Saturday 3:30 – 3:50 PM
- 1st Saturday 8:30 – 8:50 AM
About St. Joseph Parish (Lena)
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lena was founded in 1888 and has long been a center of local Catholic life in rural Stephenson County. The current church was built in 1938 and continues to serve area families with Masses, sacraments, and parish programs as part of the Diocese of Rockford. Today the parish shares its pastor and ministries with two companion parishes — St. Ann in Warren and St. Joseph in Apple River — under the umbrella name 'Stagecoach Trail Catholic Parishes.'
Stagecoach Trail Catholic Parishes (Parish Cluster)
St. Joseph (Lena) is partnered with two neighboring rural parishes under one pastoral team. The cluster — branded 'Stagecoach Trail Catholic Parishes' — shares a pastor, secretarial staff, and a unified religious education program, allowing three small farming communities to sustain vibrant Catholic life together in Northwest Illinois.
- St. Joseph (Lena) — 410 W Lena St, Lena, IL 61048
- St. Ann (Warren) — 608 E Railroad St, Warren, IL 61087
- St. Joseph (Apple River) — 105 W Webster St, Apple River, IL 61001
Mission Statement
The three parishes share a common mission: 'We, the people of these three parishes, are called upon to express our Catholic identity in joyful celebration of our sacraments and to share our gifts, as we reach out to each other and to all those in our communities, bearing witness to Christ.'
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor and a small lay staff. Day-to-day office operations are handled by parish secretary Teresa Brown.
- Rev. Andrew Hernandez — Pastor
- Teresa Brown — Parish Secretary
- Father Andrew was ordained in the Philippines in 1997, has ministered in the Diocese of Rockford since 2018, and previously served in Aurora, McHenry, and Crystal Lake.
Religious Education (K–8)
Stagecoach Trail Catholic Parishes offer religious education for students in grades K through 8 in Warren and Lena, with classes running concurrent with the academic year. The 2025–2026 program opened with a Family Mass on the first Sunday of September, a parent meeting the following week, and the first class on September 17. Registration forms and the parent handbook are available at the back of church, in the parish office, or by email.
- Grades served: K–8
- Program locations: Lena and Warren
- Contact: [email protected]
- Family Mass kicks off each RE year
- Registration requested by September 1
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, fax, or email during regular office hours. The rectory and parish offices are located on the same campus at 410 W Lena Street in Lena.
- Parish Office Phone: (815) 369-2810
- Rectory: (815) 369-1013
- Fax: (815) 369-9137
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Mailing address: 410 W Lena St, Lena, IL 61048