About St. Joseph Mission · Hopedale, Illinois
St. Joseph Mission is a small Catholic mission church located in Hopedale, Illinois, in the heart of rural Central Illinois. It serves as the mission chapel of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in nearby Delavan, both of which were folded into the newly formed St. Isidore the Farmer Parish on March 15, 2025. The mission traces its origins to 1909 and continues to offer weekend Masses in English, along with regular confession opportunities, for the Catholic faithful of the Hopedale area within the Diocese of Peoria.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Father Geoff Horton
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Joseph Mission offers a small, traditional Catholic community in rural Hopedale with regular weekend Mass in English and accessible confession times before both the Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass. As part of the combined St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, parishioners benefit from shared clergy and ministries across Delavan, Hopedale, and Manito, while still being able to worship in an intimate mission setting.
Mass times at St. Joseph Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM (St. Joseph, Hopedale)
- Sunday 8:00 AM – 8:20 AM (St. Joseph, Hopedale)
St. Joseph Mission at a Glance
St. Joseph in Hopedale is a Catholic mission church belonging to the Diocese of Peoria. It shares pastoral leadership with neighboring St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Delavan, and since March 15, 2025, both are part of the new St. Isidore the Farmer Parish.
- Type: Mission church (Latin/Roman Rite)
- Established: 1909
- Diocese: Diocese of Peoria
- Pastor: Father Geoff Horton
History
St. Joseph Church in Hopedale was established in 1909 to serve Catholic families in and around the small rural community. For generations it functioned as a mission of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Delavan. In 2025, the Diocese of Peoria consolidated St. Mary (Delavan), St. Joseph (Hopedale), and Immaculate Conception (Manito) into a single parish named St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, effective March 15, 2025.
- 1909 — St. Joseph Church founded in Hopedale
- Long-standing mission relationship with St. Mary, Delavan
- March 15, 2025 — folded into newly created St. Isidore the Farmer Parish
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Joseph Mission is served by the clergy of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish in Delavan, which also cares for Immaculate Conception in Manito. Three senior-status deacons assist with pastoral ministry across the combined parish.
- Father Geoff Horton — Pastor
- Deacon Eugene La Belle — Senior Status
- Deacon Jon Dosher — Senior Status
- Deacon Robert Sondag — Senior Status
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone; the website serves as the online hub for both St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Delavan and the Mission of St. Joseph in Hopedale.
- Address: 128 Washington Street, Hopedale, IL 61747
- Phone: (309) 244-8516
- Website: stmarydelavan.org
- Diocesan listing: St. Isidore the Farmer Parish – Delavan (cdop.org)
Sacraments
Reconciliation (Confession) is offered weekly at St. Joseph itself, both before the Saturday Vigil Mass and before the Sunday Mass. Other sacraments — Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and First Communion preparation — are arranged by appointment through the parish office.
- Confession: Saturday 3:30–3:50 PM and Sunday 8:00–8:20 AM
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing: by appointment
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Geoff Horton2025–present
First pastor of the newly formed St. Isidore the Farmer Parish (Delavan), which now incorporates the former St. Mary (Delavan), St. Joseph (Hopedale), and Immaculate Conception (Manito) worship sites.