About St. Joseph of the Woods · Elizabethtown, Illinois
St. Joseph of the Woods is a small rural Catholic parish in Gallatin County, Illinois, established in 1897 and situated about 4.5 miles west of downtown Elizabethtown along the Ohio River Scenic Byway (IL-146 W). It belongs to the Diocese of Belleville and is currently administered by Rev. Felix Chukwuma with a partnered-parish relationship to nearby St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Ridgway (sharing an office at P.O. Box 190, Ridgway, IL 62979). Sunday Mass is celebrated at 8:00 a.m., with Holy Day Masses announced as scheduled.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Felix Chukwuma
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Joseph of the Woods offers an intimate, traditional rural parish experience for Catholics in the Illinois Ozark/Ohio River region, with a faithful Sunday morning Mass celebrated in a quiet wooded setting just minutes from Elizabethtown. As a partnered parish within the Diocese of Belleville, it draws together the small Catholic communities of Gallatin County through shared clergy, bulletin, and pastoral care. Visitors and parishioners alike are welcomed into a parish whose roots stretch back more than 125 years and whose 'parish family' model means no one is far from the sacraments or support.
Mass times at St. Joseph of the Woods
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish Identity & Location
St. Joseph of the Woods is the historic Catholic parish serving the wooded ridges west of Elizabethtown in Gallatin County, Illinois. Listed simply as 'St. Joseph' on diocesan records, the community affectionately retains the older name 'St. Joseph of the Woods,' a nod to its rural, forested setting in the southeastern corner of the state near the Ohio River. The church sits roughly 4.5 miles west of Elizabethtown's downtown along the Ohio River Scenic Byway.
- Patron: St. Joseph
- Diocese: Belleville
- Established: 1897
- Address: 15 St. Joseph Road, Elizabethtown, IL 62931
Clergy & Staff
Day-to-day pastoral care is provided by Administrator Rev. Felix Chukwuma, with the partnership role previously served by Fr. Steven Beatty, who also serves as Chaplain at Camp Ondessonk. Parish operations are supported by secretary Cathy Fromm and maintenance lead Stephen Hopkins, both of whom serve the partnered parish community across Gallatin County.
- Administrator: Rev. Felix Chukwuma — 618-943-5255
- Secretary: Cathy Fromm
- Maintenance: Stephen Hopkins — 618-499-5966
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
St. Joseph of the Woods celebrates a single weekly weekend Mass and publishes Holy Day schedules as they are announced. Weekday Masses are not listed in the current diocesan directory; consult the parish or partnered St. Kateri office for the latest sacramental schedule.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m.
- Holy Day: As announced
- Weekday Mass: Not currently listed — contact parish office
Parish Partnership in Gallatin County
Because of its small size and rural location, St. Joseph of the Woods operates in close partnership with neighboring Catholic parishes in Gallatin County. Its current primary partner is St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Ridgway, with which it shares mailing address, secretary, and maintenance staff.
- Partnered Parish: St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Ridgway, IL
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 190, Ridgway, IL 62979
- Phone: 618-272-7059
Holy Family Catholic Community (Former Partnership)
For a period the parish was part of the 'Holy Family Catholic Community,' a multi-parish partnership in the southern portion of the Diocese of Belleville that shared clergy, bulletins, and a central parish office.
- Partnering parishes at the time: St. Mary (Eldorado) and St. Mary (Harrisburg)
- Shared priest: Fr. Steven Beatty
- Joint Parish Office: St. Mary, 2000 West Poplar Street, Harrisburg
- Office Hours (at time of listing): Tues–Thurs, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Visiting & Directions
St. Joseph of the Woods is straightforward to reach from Elizabethtown via the Ohio River Scenic Byway. Drivers should head west on Main Street (IL-146 W) for approximately 4.5 miles before turning north onto 185 E Road; the parish sits shortly after crossing 'Roger Town Road.'
- From Elizabethtown's downtown, go west on Main St. (IL-146 W / Ohio River Scenic Byway) ~4.5 miles
- Turn north on Road 185 E just after 'Roger Town Road'
- Physical address: 15 St. Joseph Road, Elizabethtown, IL 62931
Contact & Online Resources
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Joseph of the Woods through the partnered St. Kateri parish office. The parish shares its website with St. Kateri Tekakwitha and other area partners, and is also listed in national Catholic directories.
- Diocesan listing: diobelle.org/directory/parishes/st-joseph-elizabethtown
- Parish website: http://stkateri.net/
- Diocese: Diocese of Belleville
- GCatholic Church ID: 30407
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Steven Beatty
Served St. Joseph of the Woods along with St. Kateri (Ridgway), St. Mary (Eldorado), and St. Mary (Harrisburg) under the Holy Family Catholic Community partnership; also Chaplain at Camp Ondessonk.