About St. Mary Catholic Church · Hampton, Illinois
St. Mary Catholic Church is a small mission parish in Hampton, Illinois, in the Diocese of Peoria. Founded in 1865, it is paired with St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Rapids City, where the parish offices are located and the pastor resides. The current church building at St. Mary was constructed in 1953, replacing two earlier church buildings that were destroyed by fire. Worship is offered in English in the Roman Rite, and the parish is known for its intimate, prayerful atmosphere and ongoing stewardship of its historic buildings.
- Established
- 1865
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Mary in Hampton offers a small, intimate Catholic community in the Diocese of Peoria with deep historical roots going back to 1865. Worship is celebrated in a peaceful, renovated 1953 church that is part of a linked parish with St. John the Baptist in Rapids City. The parish has a long tradition of stewardship, devotions like First Friday Adoration, and a commitment to bringing people closer together and closer to God through Word and Sacrament.
Mass times at St. Mary Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:00 a.m. at St. John's (Rapids City)
- Sunday 7:30–8:15 a.m. at St. John's (Rapids City)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday Adoration (introduced under Fr. Steve Loftus, 2007–2011)
Parish History
St. Mary was formally founded as a Catholic church organization in 1865, though Catholic families had been gathering in the Hampton area since the 1840s. Early Masses were celebrated in private homes and on occasional visits by missionaries such as Father Pelamourgues of Davenport and the Dominican Father J. G. Alleman of Rock Island. The first church was built near the Wilkin farm, and a second frame church followed on the Pearl & Locust Streets site in 1879; both were destroyed (the second by fire around 1900). The present St. Mary Church was constructed in 1953 under Fr. Richard Moran's building plan. A Church Hall was added in 1978.
- Founded 1865
- Three successive church buildings on the Pearl & Locust / State Avenue site
- Present church built 1953 under Fr. Richard Moran
- Church Hall built 1978
- Relationship with St. John the Baptist (Rapids City) reversed: St. Mary became the mission
Mission & Pastoral Vision
The parish's mission statement, published on the official website, reads: 'We the people of St. John the Baptist Parish and St. Mary Parish, in the Diocese of Peoria, are called through Baptism to celebrate the presence of Christ in Word and Sacrament. We are called and sent by Christ to live gratefully the life God has given us and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.' The parish commits itself to inviting everyone to serve, being faithful stewards, and responsibly sharing time, talents, and treasures.
- Linked parish with St. John the Baptist, Rapids City
- Diocese of Peoria
- Focus on the New Evangelization (since 2011)
- Stewardship of time, talents, and treasures
Pastoral Leadership
The parish has been served by a succession of priests whose terms marked significant chapters in its life. The most recent pastor whose history is published on the parish website is Fr. Glenn H. Harris, who began in 2011 and emphasized the New Evangelization and the use of modern technology, including the parish website. Deacons such as Robert DePauw have served the parish alongside the priests.
- Fr. Richard Moran — 1950s building program (present church, 1953)
- Fr. John Gaughran — 1973–1995 (22 years)
- Fr. James DeBisshop — 1995–2007 (major renovations)
- Fr. Steve Loftus — 2007–2011 (introduced First Friday Adoration)
- Fr. Glenn H. Harris — 2011–present (as listed on the parish website)
- Deacon Robert DePauw
Devotions & Other Services
The parish continues several traditional Catholic devotions. First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, introduced by Fr. Steve Loftus, is practiced regularly. The parish calendar also lists pro-life Masses, a 40 Hours of Mercy devotion, and a series of seasonal holy day liturgies. Mass intentions are published in the weekly bulletin and on the website schedule.
- First Friday Eucharistic Adoration
- Pro-life Mass
- 40 Hours of Mercy
- Holy Day Masses (call parish for times)
- Published weekly Mass intention schedule
Liturgical Ministries
Lay faithful participate in the parish's liturgical life through scheduled ministries. Rosters for altar servers, lectors, liturgical ministers, and liturgical music are maintained on the website so that parishioners can plan their service.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Liturgical Ministry (scheduled)
- Liturgical Music
Parish Office & Contact
The parish office is physically located on the St. John the Baptist property at 1416 Third Avenue, Rapids City, IL 61278, and serves both St. John and St. Mary parishes. Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or by appointment. For emergencies, parishioners are encouraged to call the parish office number.
- Phone: (309) 496-2414
- Fax: (309) 496-3414
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tue/Wed/Fri 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- St. Mary address: 708 State Avenue, Hampton, IL 61256
- Mailing: PO Box 250, Hampton, IL 61256
Bulletin, Homilies & Communications
A weekly bulletin is published on the parish website, with an extensive online archive going back to 2014. The site also hosts homilies and a parish calendar with birthdays, events, mowing schedules, and liturgical reviews, reflecting the pastor's stated commitment to using modern tools to support evangelization.
- Weekly bulletin (current and archived 2014–present)
- Live-stream of weekend Masses
- Parish calendar with birthdays and events
- Announcements page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Richard Moran1950s
Began the post-war building program that produced today's St. Mary Church in 1953.
- Fr. John Gaughran1973–1995
Became pastor in 1973 and served for 22 years; oversaw 1978 Church Hall at St. Mary.
- Fr. James DeBisshop1995–2007
Many building improvements at both St. John and St. Mary, including renovation of St. Mary's sanctuary.
- Fr. Steve Loftus2007–2011
Introduced several devotions including First Friday Eucharistic Adoration.
- Fr. Glenn H. Harris2011–
Wrote the parish history on the website; focus on implementing the New Evangelization through technology.