About St. Mary - Annunciation of the B.V.M. · Shumway, Illinois
St. Mary's Catholic Church — formally Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary — is a small country parish in the village of Shumway, Illinois, located about 15 minutes west of Effingham in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The parish community worships in a Roman Catholic church established in 1870 and organized as a formal parish in 1879 by 26 German-settler Catholic families served by Franciscan Fathers from nearby Teutopolis. With about 286 parishioners in 126 families, it remains a friendly rural congregation celebrating weekend Mass, a Wednesday morning Mass, Saturday confessions, the Families in Faith religious education program, and seasonal Penance Services.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Adam Prichard (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
St. Mary's in Shumway is a small, friendly country parish where everyone quickly comes to know one another — a place where the Franciscans once collected farm produce in lieu of a salary and where the parish family still gathers around a single weekend Mass. Worship here is intimate and reverent: Saturday Vigil at 4:00 p.m., Sunday Mass at 8:00 a.m., and a Wednesday 8:00 a.m. Mass, with Reconciliation each Saturday afternoon before Vigil Mass. Active faith formation (the Families in Faith program meets Sundays at 9 a.m. after Mass) and seasonal Penance Services in Advent and Lent make it easy to grow as a disciple alongside neighbors and family.
Mass times at St. Mary - Annunciation of the B.V.M.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 p.m. (also listed as 3:00–3:30 p.m. on the parish homepage) before the 4:00 p.m. Vigil Mass
- Penance Services with individual confessions during Advent and Lent (dates published in the parish bulletin)
- Other times may be arranged by anonymously contacting one of the priests
About St. Mary's Catholic Church (Annunciation of the B.V.M.)
Established in 1870 and formally organized as a parish in 1879, St. Mary's Catholic Church — the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary — is a small country parish in the village of Shumway, Illinois, about 15 minutes west of Effingham. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and today numbers roughly 286 parishioners in 126 families. It is a community that strives to celebrate the liturgy faithfully and reverently, grow as a parish family, and follow the call of Jesus Christ as disciples sent to share the Gospel.
- Patron: Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (feast day March 25)
- Diocese: Springfield in Illinois
- Statistics: 286 parishioners, 126 families
- Location: 307 S 4th St, Shumway, IL 62461
Parish History
St. Mary's grew out of an 1870s mission of German Catholic farm families who worshipped in private homes before the Franciscans of Teutopolis built a 30-by-60-foot church in 1879 at a cost of about $3,000. The mission was dedicated May 23, 1879, by Very Rev. John Janssen, chancellor to Bishop Peter J. Baltes of Alton. Franciscans served as pastors from 1874 (and formally from 1879) until 1888, when the first diocesan priest, Rev. J. Gratza, took charge while also pastoring Altamont. For decades afterward the small community was attended from Altamont, Effingham, Ramsey, and (after 1926) St. Anthony's Hospital in Effingham.
- Original 1879 church: 30 × 60 ft, built by 26 families under Fr. Boniface Depmann, O.F.M.
- Enlarged two rooms on the east side during Fr. Fidelis Kaercher, O.F.M.'s administration
- First diocesan priest: Rev. J. Gratza (1888, pastor of Altamont)
- Erected as a parish by Bishop William A. O'Connor on June 23, 1958
The 1954 Church Building
Groundbreaking for the present church took place July 12, 1954, with Fr. Goff turning the first shovel of dirt and Msgr. Daniel Daly (Dean of the Effingham Deanery) officiating at the cornerstone-laying on September 19, 1954, with Fr. Peter Mascari preaching the sermon. The new building measured 99 by 34 feet, seated 238 in the main floor with another 60 in the Mother's room and choir loft, and included a full basement used as a parish hall. The total project — including property and furnishings — cost approximately $66,000.
- Exterior: Indiana Bedford limestone
- Interior walls: St. Meinrod sandstone
- Pews, sanctuary bench and kneelers: oak
- Doors and rear woodwork: African mahogany
- Altar table: Tennessee Pink Marble
- Altar background: St. Genevieve Pink Marble with Alico Marble trim and imported German & English antique glass
- Communion railing (since removed): wrought iron with Tennessee Pink Marble top inscribed 'Ava Maria'
From Mission to Parish (1958 onward)
On June 23, 1958, Bishop William A. O'Connor of Springfield formally established St. Mary's of the Annunciation as a parish and appointed Fr. Edward Kowalski as its first pastor. Lacking a rectory, Fr. Kowalski initially lived at St. Anthony Hospital in Effingham and drove in daily for Mass. The first baptism recorded after the parish's erection was that of Mark Edward Kemme, and the first marriage was between Thomas Kemme and Bonnie Phillips; the first funeral was Frank Miller's on June 10, 1959.
- Fr. Edward Kowalski — first resident pastor (1958)
- Fr. John Colavecchio — became pastor in 1969
- Fr. Emil Helfrich, O.M.I. — pastor for 12 years beginning 1981
- Fr. Alexis Pruemer, O.F.M. — pastor from 1988 until his death May 26, 2001
- Msgr. Leo Enlow (Administrator) and Fr. Bill Kessler of St. Anthony's served the parish after 2001
Pastoral Succession
The parish's history page records a succession of pastors, beginning with the 1879 Franciscan founders (Boniface Depmann, Fulgentius Hansen, Franciscus Hasse, Benzventure Faulhaver, Norbertus Wilhem, Tedlis Kaercher), then diocesan priests and religious-order pastors in the 20th and 21st centuries. The current Parochial Administrator is Fr. Adam Prichard.
- 1879–1888: Franciscan Fathers from Teutopolis
- 1888: First diocesan priest, Rev. J. Gratza (pastor of Altamont)
- 1895–1904: Attended from Effingham (Fathers Ward, Hoffman, Formaz, Ostendorf, Quatman)
- 1904–1922: Rev. August Forster, pastor of Ramsey, attended Shumway
- 1924–1926: Rev. Anton M. Jaschke from St. Anthony's Hospital, Effingham
- 1926 onward: Rev. James Heslin from St. Anthony's Hospital
- 1958: Fr. Edward Kowalski, first resident pastor
Sacraments
Beyond the Eucharist and Reconciliation, St. Mary's celebrates Baptism and Marriage. Parents must complete a Baptism Class (held at St. Anthony Parish) before their child's baptism and register through the parish secretary. Couples wishing to marry at St. Mary's should contact one of the priests not less than six months before the intended date and complete either a Marriage Encounter weekend or a Pre-Cana Conference, along with a Natural Family Planning class; these dates are published in the bulletin.
- Baptism: contact parish secretary; Baptism Class required (held at St. Anthony Parish)
- Marriage: 6 months' notice; Marriage Encounter or Pre-Cana + NFP required
- Mass intentions: requested through the parish secretary or website contact form
- Pastoral care / emergencies: parish emergency line 217-703-1042
Parish Staff
The parish is led by its Parochial Administrator and supported by a small staff of parish-office and liturgical ministers.
- Rev. Adam Prichard — Parochial Administrator ([email protected])
- Donna Davis — Parish Secretary ([email protected]; [email protected])
- Irene Koester — Director of Music
- Karen Kemme — Business Manager
Faith Formation & Family Life
The parish's Families in Faith religious-education program meets on Sundays at 9:00 a.m., immediately following the 8:00 a.m. Mass. Parents are encouraged to stay up to date through the website and the parish bulletin, where class dates and special events are published. Sacramental preparation — Baptism classes at neighboring St. Anthony Parish and Marriage Encounter / Pre-Cana conferences for engaged couples — is coordinated through the parish secretary.
- Families in Faith — Sundays at 9:00 a.m.
- Baptism Class (at St. Anthony Parish)
- Marriage Encounter / Pre-Cana + Natural Family Planning for engaged couples
Visiting & Contact
St. Mary's welcomes new faces, returning Catholics, and those simply exploring the faith. Visitors are invited to introduce themselves after Mass, or to contact the parish office by phone, email, or the website's contact form. The pastor invites questions in person after Mass, by phone at 1-844-536-6514, or by email at [email protected].
- Church address: 307 S 4th St, Shumway, IL 62461
- Mailing address: PO Box 96, Shumway, IL 62461
- Parish phone: 1-844-536-6514
- Emergency line: 217-703-1042
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stmaryshumway.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Edward Kowalski1958–
First pastor when the mission was formally erected as a parish by Bishop William A. O'Connor on June 23, 1958; lived at St. Anthony Hospital in Effingham due to lack of a rectory.
- Fr. John Colavecchio1969–
Became pastor in 1969.
- Fr. Emil Helfrich, O.M.I.1981–1993
Replaced Fr. John; served the parish for 12 years.
- Fr. Alexis Pruemer, O.F.M.1988–2001
Franciscan pastor from 1988 until his death on May 26, 2001.
- Msgr. Leo Enlow (Administrator) and Fr. Bill Kessler2001–
From St. Anthony's in Effingham; offered Saturday 5:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m. Masses after Fr. Alexis's death.
- Fr. Adam Prichard
Current Parochial Administrator per the parish website and diocesan directory.