About St. Luke · Belleville, Illinois
St. Luke Roman Catholic Church is a parish in Belleville, Illinois, within the Diocese of Belleville, founded on January 21, 1883 by English-speaking Catholics who had outgrown St. Peter's, the city's only Catholic church, then a German-speaking congregation. Today St. Luke is partnered with St. Teresa of the Child Jesus in a clustered parish family sharing priests, Mass schedules, faith formation, and outreach. The parish is known for its warm hospitality, an active St. Vincent de Paul conference, a long-running soup kitchen, a community interfaith food pantry partnership, and the 1928 Tudor Gothic church that still anchors the parish on North Church Street.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- Saint Luke
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Oganda
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Luke is a small but deeply rooted Belleville parish that has stayed close to its founding identity as a welcoming, English-speaking Catholic community — 'a parish with a reputation for its hospitality,' as its 125th-anniversary history put it. Its life is built around real, hands-on service: the long-running monthly soup kitchen (since 1982), a St. Vincent de Paul conference that visits families in need within parish boundaries, a partnership with the Community Interfaith Food Pantry on West Main Street, and a weekly Soup Day on the last Tuesday of the month. Members grow through RCIA, Scripture Study, the Parish School of Religion, Perpetual Help Ladies Sodality, the Men's Club, the Young at Heart Club for those 50+, St. Luke Quilters, and a twice-yearly Red Cross Blood Drive. Worship centers on a landmark 1928 Tudor Gothic church that the St. Clair County Historical Society has recognized as a local landmark, and the parish shares its priests and worship schedule in a tight clustering with St. Teresa of the Child Jesus next door.
Mass times at St. Luke
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:40 pm at St. Teresa of the Child Jesus Church (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel open Tuesday through Thursday, 6:00 am – 7:00 pm (shared with St. Teresa of the Child Jesus)
History of St. Luke Parish
St. Luke traces its roots to 1866, when Belleville's English-speaking Catholics began agitating for a parish of their own separate from the German-speaking St. Peter's. After a failed first attempt in the late 1860s and a school started in the convent basement in the early 1880s, Father James (Michael) Gough was assigned as the first pastor on January 18, 1883. The act of separation was read at St. Peter's on January 21, 1883 — the parish's founding date — and Father Gough celebrated the first St. Luke Mass on January 28, 1883. The original Gothic red-brick church was built in 1883–84 on the A. T. Primm property at Church and C Streets, with seating for 400 and two bells from the McShane Bell Foundry. The present Tudor Gothic church replaced it in 1928 under Monsignor Francis Kaiser, who also dedicated the Our Lady of Peace Memorial Shrine in 1946, built a new convent in 1965, and served as pastor until 1968. In 1979 the church and rectory were named landmarks by the St. Clair County Historical Society.
- Founded January 21, 1883 by English-speaking Catholics breaking from St. Peter's, Belleville
- First pastor: Father James (Michael) Gough (1883–1912)
- Original 1884 red-brick Gothic church replaced by the present Tudor Gothic church in 1928
- Monsignor Francis Kaiser served 41 years as pastor (1927–1968) and shaped today's church
- St. Clair County Historical Society named the church and rectory landmarks in 1979
Mission, Vision & Parish Identity
St. Luke describes itself as 'a Eucharistic community called by God to serve others' — people of hospitality who joyfully open their minds and hearts to minister to the world and to each other. Its vision commits the parish to growing through vibrant liturgical worship, dynamic stewardship, a vibrant youth program, new and innovative education, and ongoing outreach to the local community. The parish's commission structure — Faith Formation, Finance/Administration, Liturgy, Parish Life, Social Justice, and Youth — is the working expression of that mission.
- Mission: a Eucharistic community called by God to serve others
- Six parish commissions: Faith Formation, Finance/Administration, Liturgy, Parish Life, Social Justice, Youth
- Long-standing reputation for hospitality to newcomers
Cluster with St. Teresa of the Child Jesus
St. Luke and St. Teresa of the Child Jesus in Belleville are formally partnered parishes that share one pastor and a single schedule of Masses, reconciliation, and adoration. The clustering process began around 2004, when Sister Grace Marie Mueller, SSND, took on administration of St. Luke as Parish Life Coordinator. Today many events — including the joint SVDP conference, quilting groups, and the multi-parish Scripture Study — are explicitly shared.
- Partnered parish: St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, 1201 Lebanon Avenue, Belleville
- Shared pastor: Rev. Joseph Oganda
- Joint SVDP conference meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm
Faith Formation & Sacraments
Faith formation at St. Luke runs through the Parish School of Religion for children, RCIA for adults, and a Wednesday-morning multi-parish Scripture Study Group that prepares the upcoming Sunday readings. Sacramental preparation follows the usual diocesan pattern, with marriage requiring at least four months' notice and Precana offered through the Metro East Vicariate.
- Parish School of Religion (K–8)
- RCIA — Mary Regan (Sunday morning sessions, culminating at the Easter Vigil)
- Baptism Preparation for first-born children
- First Communion (two-year preparation)
- Confirmation preparation
- Marriage Preparation with Precana
- Scripture Study Group — Wednesdays 9:00–10:30 am, St. Teresa rectory basement
Parish Organizations & Community Life
St. Luke's parish life is woven through a wide circle of lay-led organizations. The Pastoral Council and Finance Council guide governance, while the Men's Club, Perpetual Help Ladies Sodality, Young at Heart Club, and St. Luke Quilters sustain fellowship. The Liturgy Committee, Buildings & Grounds Committee, and Ministry of Care keep the church running and bring Communion to the homebound.
- Pastoral Council — Steve Mudd, President
- Finance Council — Mary Lou Lugge
- Men's Club — Ron Kahrhoff
- Perpetual Help Ladies Sodality — Mary Wescovich
- Young at Heart Club (50+) — Nancy Zahner
- St. Luke Quilters — Mary Maue (Thursdays 9:00 am – 3:00 pm)
- Ministry of Care — Diane Lanter
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul, Food Pantry & Soup Kitchen
Outreach is a defining part of St. Luke's identity. The St. Vincent de Paul conference visits families in need within parish boundaries and helps with utilities, rent, transportation, and prescriptions; it also helps distribute meals from the SVDP bus in East St. Louis once a month. St. Luke partners with the Community Interfaith Food Pantry at 1218 West Main Street, and the parish itself has run a soup kitchen since 1982, the brainchild of parishioner Earl Hasenstab. St. Luke also hosts Soup Day on the last Tuesday of each month.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — Tom Kolb, 795-1719; meets 3rd Thursday at 7:00 pm
- SVDP St. Luke Conference — 233-0076
- Community Interfaith Food Pantry — 1218 W. Main Street, Belleville; 355-9199 (served 5,436 families / ~18,000 bags of food in the most recent year reported)
- Parish Soup Kitchen — running continuously since 1982
- Soup Day — last Tuesday of each month — Steve Dietrich, 476-3968
Parish Staff & Pastoral Leadership
The current pastor of the partnered St. Luke / St. Teresa parish family is Rev. Joseph Oganda. The parish staff includes a Business Manager and two Parish Secretaries supporting both parishes. A permanent deacon assists at Mass and on the Liturgy Committee. Pastoral Council and Finance Council members also serve in lay leadership.
- Pastor: Rev. Joseph Oganda (618-233-3500)
- Business Manager: Nancy Furlow
- Parish Secretaries: Nicole Lueckenhoff and Kathy Danielsen
- Deacon assisting the parish (name protected on the parish site)
- Pastoral Council President: Steve Mudd
- Finance Council Chair: Mary Lou Lugge
Visiting & Contact Information
St. Luke Church itself is at 301 North Church Street, Belleville, IL 62220; the parish office and mailing address is 1201 Lebanon Avenue, Belleville, IL 62221 (shared with St. Teresa of the Child Jesus). The office is open Monday–Thursday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, and the main parish phone is 618-233-3500.
- Church address: 301 N. Church Street, Belleville, IL 62220
- Office / mailing address: 1201 Lebanon Avenue, Belleville, IL 62221
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
- Phone: 618-233-3500
- Diocese directory phone listed: 618-236-1124
- Website: stlukebelleville.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James (Michael) Gough1883–1912
First pastor; assigned January 18, 1883, celebrated the first St. Luke Mass January 28, 1883; grew the parish to over 600 families; died unexpectedly January 7, 1912.
- Rev. Patrick Byrne1912–January 1916
Succeeded Father Gough after serving as his assistant since February 21, 1909; underpinned the school foundation to create basement club rooms and bowling alleys; had the church frescoed by William Weiss.
- Rev. Vincent HartungJanuary 1916–October 1927
Native of Breese, Illinois; during his tenure several new parishes were carved from St. Luke territory, dropping school enrollment to less than a third.
- Monsignor Francis KaiserOctober 26, 1927 – October 21, 1968
Born in Cologne, Germany 1891, ordained 1921; built the present Tudor Gothic church (dedicated 1928), dedicated the Our Lady of Peace Memorial Shrine (1946), served as Diocesan Director of the Propagation of the Faith and Scott Field chaplain; built a new convent (1965); retired due to age and health; died August 7, 1975.
- Rev. Theodore SiekmannOctober 21, 1968 – March 12, 1982
Built the modern convent (1965 under Kaiser, completed under his tenure), the new parish hall (1975), and air-conditioned the church; oversaw the appointment of the parish's first permanent deacon, Otto Faulbaum (1976); retired due to declining health.
- Rev. Dean Braun1982 (temporary)
Named temporary administrator after Father Siekmann's retirement.
- Rev. Eugene (Gene) NeffApril 18, 1982 – August 1, 1994
Closed the old parish school (merged with St. John's, then into St. Augustine of Canterbury); oversaw demolition of the school building (1985) and parish-hall addition (1986); started the parish soup kitchen in 1982.
- Rev. James MargasonSeptember 1994 – July 2004
Elevated to Monsignor in 2000; served as Vicar General of the Diocese of Belleville; transferred to a Shiloh parish in July 2004.
- Sister Grace Marie Mueller, SSNDPastoral Associate August 1991; Parish Life Coordinator July 2004
Took on total administration of the parish in 2004 as St. Luke and St. Teresa of the Child Jesus began the clustering process.
- Rev. Joseph Ogandacurrent
Current pastor of the partnered St. Luke / St. Teresa of the Child Jesus parish family, per the Diocese of Belleville directory.