About St. Mary · Champaign, Illinois
St. Mary Catholic Church is a historic parish in Champaign, Illinois, founded in 1854 as the first Catholic church in the Champaign-Urbana area. Originally established to serve the Irish (and some German) Catholic laborers who came to build the Illinois Central Railroad, the parish today is a multicultural community offering Masses in English, Spanish, and Q'anjobal (an Indigenous Mayan language spoken by Guatemalan immigrants). It belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Peoria and is led by Father Kevin Creegan, with Deacon Faustino Lopez serving on the parish team.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Father Kevin Creegan
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Mary is the oldest Catholic parish in the Champaign-Urbana area and today one of the most multilingual, with Sunday Mass celebrated in Q'anjobal (a Mayan language of Guatemala), English, and Spanish, plus daily evening Mass in Spanish. The parish welcomes newcomers through RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) and offers Reconciliation in both Spanish and English, a weekly Holy Hour with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Stations of the Cross during Lent. As part of the Champaign County Region of Catholic Parishes, St. Mary links its members to neighboring parishes, schools, and outreach efforts — a living, missionary community described on its website as 'a place to believe, belong, and become.'
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. (Spanish & English)
- Wednesday 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. (Spanish & English)
- Thursday 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. (Spanish & English)
- Friday 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. (Spanish & English)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Holy Hour — Tuesday 5:30 p.m.
- Holy Hour — Wednesday 5:30 p.m.
- Holy Hour — Friday 5:30 p.m.
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament before each Mass and during scheduled confessions
Who We Are — Parish Identity
St. Mary Catholic Church frames itself as 'a place to believe, belong, and become,' echoing the missionary vision Bishop Louis Tylka has set for the parish. The 'About' page quotes Pope Francis's Evangelii Gaudium: the parish is meant to be 'the Church living in the midst of its people,' a community of communities with 'constant missionary outreach,' an 'environment for hearing God,' and a 'sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink.' Members are called to be evangelizers and to keep the parish completely mission-oriented.
- Vision: 'To be the parish of Joy of the Gospel'
- Under the pastoral guidance of Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria
- Part of the Champaign County Region of Catholic Parishes
Our History
St. Mary's was established in 1854 by Father Thomas Ryan as the first Catholic church in the area, originally to minister to Irish and German laborers building the Illinois Central Railroad. The parish grew through a series of construction projects — a pastoral center (1871), a school (1878), and a convent (1885) — and on October 28, 1888 the cornerstone of the present church was dedicated by the Diocese of Peoria. Early twentieth-century pastor Father Richard Flynn led a 1915 school building campaign and founded St. Mary's Emergency Hospital (1920), which later became Mercy Hospital.
- 1854: Parish founded by Father Thomas Ryan, Diocese of Chicago
- 1871: Pastoral center built
- 1875: Transferred to the new Diocese of Peoria
- 1878: School opened
- 1885: Convent built
- 1888 (Oct. 28): Cornerstone of the present church dedicated
- 1915: Father Flynn's school building campaign
- 1920: St. Mary's Emergency Hospital founded (now Mercy Hospital)
- 1968: St. Mary's School consolidated with Holy Cross Catholic School
St. Mary's Cemetery
Established in 1866 on 5.67 acres deeded to Bishop James Duggan for $1.00, St. Mary's Cemetery has grown to more than 3,100 graves on roughly 10.5 acres, becoming the resting place of fifteen priests and many notable Catholics of the region. It is located at 9 St. Mary's Road, just east of South Neil Street in Champaign.
- 1866: Cemetery founded on land donated by Francis Kaffer and his wife
- 1897: Expanded by ~5 acres deeded by Ross Mattis and his wife to Bishop Spalding for $450
- Over 3,100 graves today
- Graves of 15 priests, a Gettysburg Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, a USS Indianapolis survivor, and a former Chicago Cubs pitcher
- Cemetery mailing address: 612 E. Park St., Champaign, IL 61820
- Cemetery office: 217-352-8364 ext. 3
Avenue of Flags
Started in 2019, the Avenue of Flags lines the streets of St. Mary's Cemetery with U.S. flags displayed on patriotic holidays to honor the country and veterans. The project is fully funded by donations from the Knights of Columbus (Twin City Council 891), local businesses, and individuals, with over 60 flags installed to date.
- Flags displayed on Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and Veterans Day
- Donation of $200 sponsors a complete 10' flagpole and 3' x 5' U.S. flag
- Donations mailed to: Avenue of Flags, Twin City Council 891 Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 3545, Champaign, IL 61826
Lent, Easter, Christmas & New Year
St. Mary's keeps a richly multilingual calendar of feasts. Lenten Stations of the Cross are prayed in Spanish every Friday at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Triduum in Spanish (Holy Thursday 6:30 p.m., Good Friday Via Crucis at 4:00 p.m., Easter Vigil at 8:00 p.m.), with Easter Sunday offering the full three-language lineup. Christmas and New Year's follow the same trilingual pattern.
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays in Lent, 6:00 p.m.
- Holy Thursday — 6:30 p.m. (Spanish)
- Good Friday Via Crucis — 4:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- Easter Vigil — 8:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- Easter Sunday — 6:00 a.m. (Q'anjobal), 10:00 a.m. (English), 12:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- Christmas Eve — 5:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- Christmas Day — 10:00 a.m. (English), 12:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- New Year's Eve — 5:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- New Year's Day — 10:00 a.m. (English), 12:00 p.m. (Spanish)
Our Staff
The parish is led by Father Kevin Creegan, who was appointed Pastor of St. Mary, Champaign by Bishop Louis Tylka effective February 21, 2024, arriving from St. Mary, Depue and St. Mary, Tiskilwa, where he had served since 2006 (and as Spiritual Director for Cursillo in Spanish since 2017). He is assisted by Deacon Faustino Lopez.
- Father Kevin Creegan — Pastor (since Feb. 21, 2024); born Dec. 8, 1959 in New London, WI; ordained May 26, 2001
- Deacon Faustino Lopez
- Office phone: 217-352-8364
- Email: [email protected]
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
St. Mary's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) walks inquirers through the Catholic faith through catechetical presentations and reflective discussion of Scripture. The process culminates in entry into the Church at the Easter Vigil through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, and is flexible enough to accommodate people whose schedules conflict with regular meetings. More information is available from the parish office at 217-352-8364.
- Open to adults inquiring about the Catholic faith
- Includes catechesis, Scripture reflection, and discernment
- Ends with Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil
- Contact: 217-352-8364
Memorial Day Mass at the Cemetery
Each Memorial Day the parish and the Knights of Columbus host an outdoor Mass at St. Mary's Cemetery to honor and remember the deceased. The Mass is open to the public; seating is limited, and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
- Memorial Day Mass 2026 — May 25, 9:00 a.m. (weather permitting)
- Open to the public
- Bring lawn chairs
Contact & Visiting
Parish office hours run Monday through Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The parish mailing address doubles as the cemetery mailing address; the cemetery itself is a short drive east of South Neil Street on St. Mary's Road. For sacramental emergencies (such as last rites) outside office hours, the parish asks callers to dial 217-352-8364 ext. 5; if no priest answers, callers are asked to contact another Champaign-Urbana parish.
- Parish address: 612 E. Park St., Champaign, IL 61820
- Phone: (217) 352-8364
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 1 p.m.–5 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
- Cemetery: 9 St. Mary's Road, Champaign, IL
- Sacramental emergencies: 217-352-8364 ext. 5
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Thomas Ryan1854
Missionary priest of the Diocese of Chicago who established St. Mary's parish and its first brick church for the Illinois Central Railroad workers.
- Father Richard Flynnearly 20th century
Directed the 1915 St. Mary's School building campaign and in 1920 helped establish St. Mary's Emergency Hospital (now Mercy Hospital).
- Father Fredi Gomez Torresc. 2017–2022
Previously pastor of St. Mary, Moline and St. Anne, East Moline; reassigned in June 2022 to OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center chaplaincy.
- Father Anthony Co2022–2024
Assigned pastor of St. Mary, Champaign effective June 15, 2022, while remaining pastor of St. Patrick, Urbana.
- Father Kevin Creegan2024–present
Assigned pastor of St. Mary, Champaign effective February 21, 2024, arriving from St. Mary, Depue and St. Mary, Tiskilwa, where he had served since 2006.