About St. Lawrence · Lawrenceville, Illinois
St. Lawrence is a Roman Catholic parish in Lawrenceville, Illinois, in the Diocese of Belleville. The parish was established in 1909 and serves the Lawrence County seat area from its church at 1006 Collins Street. Today it operates as part of a four-parish partnership with St. Joseph in Olney, St. Joseph in Stringtown, and Holy Cross in Wendelin, sharing clergy and a coordinated Mass and sacramental schedule across southeastern Illinois.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- St. Lawrence
- Rector
- Rev. Steven Beatty
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Lawrence is a welcoming small-town Catholic parish in the heart of Lawrence County, offering weekend and weekday Mass, Saturday reconciliation, and a parish-based religious education program coordinated by CRE Becky Ruppel. As one of four partnered parishes sharing pastoral care across southeastern Illinois, it gives Catholics in Lawrenceville a stable spiritual home with the support of two priests and a deacon, alongside parish secretary Robyn Gray and lay staff who keep the parish center, sacramental preparation, and community life running.
Mass times at St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Parish Identity and Location
St. Lawrence Parish is located at 1006 Collins Street in Lawrenceville, the seat of Lawrence County in southeastern Illinois, just across the Wabash River from Vincennes, Indiana. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Belleville and shares its mailing address, rectory and parish center at the same Collins Street site. The mailing address for both the office/rectory and parish center is 1006 Collins Street, Lawrenceville, IL 62439.
- Diocese of Belleville parish, established 1909
- Street address: 1006 Collins Street, Lawrenceville, IL 62439
- Office/Rectory phone: 618-943-5255
- Parish Center phone: 618-943-4898
- Website: catholiccommunityofstlawrence.com
History of St. Lawrence Parish
St. Lawrence traces its sacramental register back to 1905, though the Diocese of Belleville records the parish as established in 1909. Early Catholic life in Lawrenceville was ministered by priests based at St. Francisville, Illinois — notably Fathers Downey and Taggart — until Father J. F. McCarthy, a priest who came from Ireland, was assigned to serve both the Lawrenceville and Bridgeport Catholic communities. The parish's older baptism, marriage, communion, confirmation and death records are preserved on site at St. Lawrence, which the Diocese of Belleville's archives list as the official repository for those historical records.
- Baptism register begins 1911; earliest sacramental entries date to 1905-1910
- Original sacramental records now held at the parish
- Early mission priests based at St. Francisville served the Lawrenceville mission
- Father J. F. McCarthy (from Ireland) became resident pastor for Lawrenceville and Bridgeport
Mass and Sacramental Schedule
St. Lawrence offers a Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 p.m. and a Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m., with weekday Masses on Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:00 a.m. Holy Days are marked by a 6:00 p.m. Vigil and an 8:00 a.m. Holy Day Mass. The sacrament of Reconciliation is heard each Saturday from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. before the Vigil Mass, and Anointing of the Sick is available by appointment through the parish office.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m.
- Wednesday and Friday: 8:00 a.m.
- Holy Day Vigil: 6:00 p.m.
- Holy Day: 8:00 a.m.
- Reconciliation: Saturday 3:00-3:30 p.m.
Parish Partnership
St. Lawrence is formally partnered with three other southern-Illinois parishes — St. Joseph in Olney, St. Joseph in Stringtown, and Holy Cross in Wendelin — sharing pastoral ministry and a published 'Parish Partnership Mass Schedule' that rotates weekend and weekday Masses across the four church buildings. This collaboration means that even when a particular Mass is not being offered at St. Lawrence, parishioners can attend the partnership Mass at one of the other linked churches at the scheduled time.
- Partnered parishes: St. Joseph (Olney), St. Joseph (Stringtown), Holy Cross (Wendelin)
- Shared pastor, Rev. Steven Beatty, with parochial vicar Rev. Levi James
- Coordinated weekly Mass rotation across all four parishes
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Pastor Rev. Steven Beatty and Parochial Vicar Rev. Levi James, with Deacon Stephen P. Andrews assisting in diaconal ministry. Parish Secretary Robyn Gray manages the office, while Becky Ruppel serves as Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE), directing sacramental preparation and faith formation for parish children.
- Rev. Steven Beatty — Pastor (618-943-5255)
- Rev. Levi James — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Stephen P. Andrews
- Robyn Gray — Parish Secretary
- Becky Ruppel — Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE)
Religious Education and Sacraments
Faith formation at St. Lawrence is coordinated by CRE Becky Ruppel and includes preparation for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation, as well as ongoing religious education for parish children. Sacramental ministries are coordinated through the parish office, with Anointing of the Sick available on request and baptism, marriage, and Confirmation preparation scheduled through the office staff.
- Religious Education / CCD program for parish children
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Anointing of the Sick by appointment
Visit, Contact, and Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Lawrence through the Office/Rectory at 618-943-5255 or the Parish Center at 618-943-4898, both located at 1006 Collins Street. The parish website at catholiccommunityofstlawrence.com is maintained as the Catholic Community of St. Lawrence and posts current schedules, bulletins, and contact information. Those wishing to join the parish community or arrange a baptism, wedding, funeral, or sacramental preparation are encouraged to call the parish office during regular hours.
- Office/Rectory: 618-943-5255
- Parish Center: 618-943-4898
- Website: catholiccommunityofstlawrence.com
- Mailing address: 1006 Collins Street, Lawrenceville, IL 62439