About St. Mary · Durand, Illinois
St. Mary Parish in Durand, Illinois is a Catholic faith community in the Diocese of Rockford that shares its pastoral life with St. Patrick Church at Irish Grove (rural Davis). The parish traces its origins to 1836, when the first Mass in the Durand area was celebrated at the Patrick Fenlon home in Fenlon Settlement, making it one of the older Catholic communities in northern Illinois. Today the combined St. Mary / St. Patrick parish is led by Parochial Administrator Rev. Dennis L. Vargas, with Mass celebrated at St. Mary's in Durand and at St. Patrick's in Irish Grove on a seasonal weekend schedule. The parish offers faith formation from preschool through Confirmation, sacramental preparation, and an active community rooted in two historic worship sites.
- Established
- 1862
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Dennis L. Vargas
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockford
Why belong here
St. Mary / St. Patrick is a welcoming two-site Catholic community where generations of farming families have worshipped since before the Civil War. Parishioners worship at two historic churches — St. Mary in Durand and St. Patrick in Irish Grove — share a faith-formation program that runs from preschool through a two-year Confirmation class, and can celebrate every major sacrament from baptism through marriage in the same parish family. The combined community is small enough that people know one another and large enough to offer daily Mass, Reconciliation, holy-day schedules, and an active catechetical program led by named staff.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sacrament of Reconciliation: times posted on the parish website (stmarystpatrick.org)
Parish Overview
St. Mary / St. Patrick Catholic Church is a single faith community in the Diocese of Rockford that worships at two historic locations: St. Mary Church in Durand and St. Patrick Church in the Irish Grove settlement (rural Davis). The parish is currently led by Parochial Administrator Rev. Dennis L. Vargas, supported by Deacon Mike and parish staff. Registered families from both worship sites are counted as members of the parish at St. Mary in Durand.
- Combined St. Mary / St. Patrick parish
- Two worship sites: Durand and Irish Grove
- Diocese of Rockford
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Dennis L. Vargas
History of St. Mary, Durand
The Durand parish traces back to 1836, when Mass was first celebrated at the Patrick Fenlon home in Fenlon Settlement. The cornerstone of St. Mary Church was laid in 1862 by Father Michael J. Hanley and the church opened in 1863. In 1909 Bishop Peter J. Muldoon appointed Father Daniel A. Feeley as the first resident pastor. The present church was begun in 1926 under Father Edward A. Cerny and dedicated by Bishop Edward F. Hoban in 1928, then renovated for Vatican II and again rededicated in 2004 by Bishop Thomas G. Doran after a major parishioner-led restoration under Monsignor Eric R. Barr.
- 1836 — First Mass at Fenlon Settlement (likely Father Mazzuchelli, O.P.)
- 1862 — Cornerstone of St. Mary laid by Father Michael J. Hanley
- 1863 — Church opened
- 1909 — Father Daniel A. Feeley, first resident pastor
- 1926–1928 — Present church built and dedicated by Bishop Hoban
- 1960s — Renovations for Vatican II liturgical changes
- 2004 — Bishop Doran rededicated church and consecrated new altar
History of St. Patrick, Irish Grove
Irish Grove is one of the oldest Catholic settlements in northern Illinois. Father Remigius Petiot offered the first Mass there in 1841 at the home of Michael Walsh and soon directed the building of a log-cabin church. Both Father Petiot and Father Samuel C. Mazzuchelli, O.P. ministered at Irish Grove in its early decades. St. Patrick has shared pastoral leadership with Durand since 1909, when Father Feeley was made first resident pastor at Durand with Irish Grove as his mission.
- 1841 — First Mass offered by Father Remigius Petiot at the Walsh home
- Early log-cabin church built under Father Petiot's direction
- 1909 — Linked to Durand as a mission under Father Feeley
- 1942 — Centennial Mass offered by Bishop Edward F. Hoban
- 1992 — Sesquicentennial Mass with Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill
- 2017 — 175th anniversary Mass with Bishop David J. Malloy
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments and welcomes inquiries about baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, marriage, anointing of the sick, and the sacrament of Reconciliation. Adults who have not received Confirmation are encouraged to call the parish office. The parish also assists couples whose marriage took place outside the Catholic Church and who may need validation or to begin an annulment process.
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion
- Confirmation (two-year preparation)
- Marriage (6-month preparation for parishioners, 12 months for non-registered)
- Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
Marriage Preparation
St. Mary / St. Patrick requires that couples be registered parishioners for at least six months before making wedding plans. The Diocese of Rockford also requires a six-month preparation period, beginning from the first visit with the parish priest for registered parishioners and one year for non-registered couples. Couples cannot confirm a final wedding date by phone and must meet with the pastor and complete the assessment and instructional process. The pastor is also happy to help couples whose previous marriage was not celebrated in the Catholic Church explore validation or annulment.
- Six-month parish registration required before wedding planning
- Diocesan six-month preparation period
- One-year preparation for non-registered couples
- Couples must meet with the pastor
- Help available for marriage validation and annulment
Confirmation
Confirmation at St. Mary / St. Patrick is received after Baptism and First Holy Communion. Religious Education students complete a two-year Confirmation class; current students find class schedules, questions, the Sacrament Info Form, and Service Hour form on the Confirmation Class page of the parish website. Adults past eighth grade who have not been confirmed are invited to call the parish office to begin preparation.
- Two-year Confirmation class for RE students
- Class schedule, questions and forms posted on parish website
- Adult Confirmation available by contacting the parish office
Religious Education & Faith Formation
The parish runs a Religious Education program serving preschool through eighth grade, with catechists named for each grade level. For the 2025–26 year, the First Grade class is combined with Preschool under catechist Tara Carlson. The Confirmation program is a two-year course that follows First Communion.
- Preschool–8th grade Religious Education
- Combined Preschool–First Grade class for 2025–26
- Catechist: Tara Carlson (Preschool–First Grade)
- Two-year Confirmation class
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Parochial Administrator Rev. Dennis L. Vargas and is assisted by Deacon Mike. Office staff includes the parish secretary and bookkeeper who handle parish communications, sacramental records, and scheduling at 815-248-2490.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Dennis L. Vargas
- Deacon: Mike
- Parish Secretary
- Bookkeeper
Pastoral Succession
The parish website provides a detailed succession of pastors beginning with Father Michael J. Hanley, who laid the cornerstone in 1862, through Father Daniel A. Feeley, the first resident pastor (1909–1913), and continuing through Father Joseph A. Driscoll's 27-year pastorate (1933–1960), the post-Vatican II pastors, Monsignors Monahan and Barr, and Rev. Matthew M. Bergschneider (2014–2025), ending with the current administrator Rev. Dennis L. Vargas.
- Hanley (1862) → Feeley (1909) → Considine (1913) → Cerny (1925) → Driscoll (1933) → Kilduff (1960) → Fry (1965) → Neumann (1972) → Ganss (1984) → Monahan (1995) → Barr (2000) → Bergschneider (2014) → Vargas (2025)
Frequently Asked Questions: Mass Etiquette
The parish publishes an extensive FAQ page on Mass etiquette covering Catholic obligations such as Sunday Mass attendance, Holy Days of Obligation, the Eucharistic fast, and confession before receiving Holy Communion. It also explains practices such as kneeling during Mass and arriving on time, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other Catholic sources.
- Sunday and Holy Day Mass obligations
- Eucharistic fast (one hour before Communion)
- Confession required only when in mortal sin
- Kneeling posture during Mass
Links & Resources
The parish website provides a Links page connecting visitors to other Catholic resources, alongside pages for the Diocese of Rockford and parish contacts.
- Parish Links page
- Diocese of Rockford resources
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Michael J. Hanley
Laid the cornerstone of St. Mary in 1862 and opened the church in 1863
- Father Eugene Gray1885–1889
Resided in Davis to avoid preference between the two parishes
- Father Daniel A. Feeley1909–1913
First resident pastor at Durand; Irish Grove assigned as a mission
- Father Daniel J. Considine1913–1920
Purchased land for the present parish cemetery in 1917
- Father Edward A. Cerny1925–1930
Built the present church (begun 1926, dedicated 1928)
- Father Joseph A. Driscoll1933–1960
Longest-tenured pastor, 27 years
- Father John J. Kilduff1960–1965
Renovated church for Vatican II liturgical changes
- Father Paul E. Fry1965–1966
Began a multi-year remodeling of the rectory and church
- Father Alphonsus F. Harteone month
Parish administrator between pastors
- Father Aloysius J. Neumann1972–1984
- Father Karl P. Ganss1984–1995
Dedicated Holy Family statue in 1993
- Monsignor Thomas Monahan1995–2000
- Monsignor Eric R. Barr2000–2014
Oversaw major renovation; Bishop Doran rededicated church in 2004
- Rev. Matthew M. Bergschneider2014–2025
- Rev. Dennis L. Vargas2025–present
Current parochial administrator