About St. Mary · Eldorado, Illinois
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Eldorado, Illinois is a small Catholic parish serving the community of Eldorado in Saline County. Established in 1900, the parish has been in continuous ministry for more than 120 years and is part of the Diocese of Belleville. The parish is now partnered with St. Mary in Harrisburg and St. Paul in Vienna, sharing pastoral leadership and resources. Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed to weekend and weekday Masses at the church on North Second Street.
- Established
- 1900
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Christian Iwuagwu (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Mary's Eldorado offers the warmth of a small-town Catholic parish with the rhythm of traditional devotions: Saturday Vigil Mass, weekday Masses on Wednesday and Friday, plus weekly Eucharistic Adoration. The parish supports Parish School of Religion (PSR) programs at both Eldorado and Harrisburg sites, helping form the next generation of Catholics in Saline County. With a faithful location director and a partnered-parish structure linking Eldorado, Harrisburg and Vienna, newcomers find a close-knit community that genuinely knows its members.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before each Mass
Adoration times
- Friday 7:30 AM (before 8:00 AM Mass)
Welcome to St. Mary's Eldorado & St. Mary Harrisburg
The parish website at holyfamilycatholics.com welcomes visitors to both St. Mary's in Eldorado and St. Mary in Harrisburg, reflecting the partnered-parish structure under which they now operate. Visitors are explicitly invited to attend any weekend or weekday Mass and to make use of the sacrament of Reconciliation, which is offered 30 minutes before each Mass. The friendly tone of the website — 'You are welcome to attend any of our weekend and/or weekday Masses and Confession' — signals a small-parish hospitality typical of southern Illinois Catholic communities.
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is currently led by Rev. Christian Iwuagwu, who serves as Parochial Administrator for the partnered cluster of St. Mary Eldorado, St. Mary Harrisburg and St. Paul Vienna. Pam Karns serves as Location Director (parish secretary) for the Eldorado site, with office hours posted at the Harrisburg office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Fr. Barrett, a retired priest, is listed as a contact for pastoral emergencies (cell: 618-759-1707). Maintenance for the parish is handled by Scott Wargel (618-841-6825), and the St. Mary's Eldorado Cemetery is overseen by Dewain Barrett (618-841-5103).
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Christian Iwuagwu
- Location Director / Secretary: Pam Karns — (618) 253-7408
- Retired assisting priest: Fr. Barrett — (618) 759-1707
- Maintenance: Scott Wargel — (618) 841-6825
- Cemetery contact: Dewain Barrett — (618) 841-5103
Parish School of Religion (PSR)
Religious education for parish children is provided through the Parish School of Religion (PSR) program, offered at both Eldorado and Harrisburg to accommodate families across the partner-parish area. The Eldorado PSR meets Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, coordinated by Tashina Wood. The Harrisburg PSR meets Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:15 AM, coordinated by Megan Burris. PSR provides sacramental preparation and ongoing catechesis for the parish's children outside of a parish school setting (the parish does not operate its own school).
- Eldorado PSR — Wednesdays 6:00–7:00 PM — Contact: Tashina Wood, (618) 841-2860
- Harrisburg PSR — Sundays 9:00–10:15 AM — Contact: Megan Burris, (618) 926-8232
St. Mary's Eldorado Cemetery
The parish maintains St. Mary's Eldorado Cemetery as a ministry of care for the deceased and their families. Cemetery business and inquiries are handled by Dewain Barrett, who can be reached at (618) 841-5103. The cemetery is one of the parish's quiet but enduring works of Christian charity in the Eldorado community.
- Cemetery contact: Dewain Barrett — (618) 841-5103
Partnered Parishes
St. Mary's Eldorado is one of three parishes in a partnered cluster under the Diocese of Belleville. The Diocese directory lists its partners as St. Mary, Harrisburg (established 1907) and St. Paul, Vienna. Together the three parishes share one priest (Rev. Christian Iwuagwu) and pastoral staff, pooling resources to keep the sacraments available to Catholics across the rural southern Illinois region of Saline, Johnson and surrounding counties.
- St. Mary's Eldorado (est. 1900) — 1158 N. 2nd Street, Eldorado, IL 62930
- St. Mary, Harrisburg (est. 1907) — 2000 W. Poplar, Harrisburg, IL 62946
- St. Paul, Vienna — partner parish in Johnson County
Diocese of Belleville
St. Mary's Eldorado belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Belleville, which covers the southernmost 28 counties of Illinois, an area historically shaped by French Catholic settlement from the 18th century onward. The Diocese lists the parish in its official directory at holyfamilycatholics.com, with founding year 1900 and current contact information matching the parish's own records. The Diocese of Belleville's central offices are located in Belleville, Illinois.
- Diocese: Diocese of Belleville
- Diocese directory listing: diobelle.org/directory/parishes/st-mary-eldorado
- Partnered parishes: St. Mary Harrisburg; St. Paul Vienna
Visiting & Contact Information
The parish office can be reached by phone at (618) 253-7408 or by email at [email protected]. The church is located at 1158 N. 2nd Street in Eldorado, Illinois (ZIP 62930). Office hours for the Location Director are posted at the Harrisburg office (2000 W. Poplar Street, Harrisburg, IL 62946), Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Visitors are invited to attend any scheduled Mass, with Confessions heard 30 minutes beforehand.
- Address: 1158 N. 2nd Street, Eldorado, IL 62930
- Phone: (618) 253-7408
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: holyfamilycatholics.com