About St. Mary · Huntley, Illinois
St. Mary Catholic Church is a large Roman Catholic parish in Huntley, Illinois, part of the Diocese of Rockford. Founded in the early 1870s by Irish and German immigrant families, it is now one of the largest parishes in the area with more than 5,000 registered families. The parish operates from a modern church built in 2001 on Dundee Road, supported by a rectory, parish offices, religious education facilities, a 24-hour Our Lady of Perpetual Help Adoration chapel, and extensive faith-formation, youth, and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Christopher DiTomo
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockford
Why belong here
St. Mary Huntley offers the stability of a 150-year-old parish with the energy and scale of a large suburban faith community: more than 5,000 registered families, six Sunday Masses, a full K–8 religious education program, middle-school EDGE and high-school youth ministry, a vibrant Confirmation formation program, RCIA, adult faith formation, and a 24-hour Our Lady of Perpetual Help Adoration chapel. Its four priests, two deacons, and large lay staff run ministries that cover every stage of life, and the parish's historic roots—founded by Irish and German immigrants in the 1870s—still shape its strong sense of family and tradition.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:00–6:30 PM
- Wednesday 11:00 AM–12:00 Noon
- Saturday 8:45–9:15 AM
- Saturday 3:30–4:30 PM
- By appointment with a priest
- Additional times during Lent — see bulletin
Adoration times
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day. A keycard is required for entry between 9:00 PM and 6:30 AM (contact Kelly for access).
Parish History
St. Mary Parish traces its origins to a November 1870 meeting of Irish and German Catholic settlers at the John G. Kelley blacksmith shop on the Huntley Grove town square. Town founder Thomas Stillwell Huntley had donated land for three churches, and on April 29, 1871 the founders subscribed toward a building fund. The first church, on Dean Street next to the town cemetery, was completed around 1873, with Rev. Clement Duerr arriving as the first pastor on July 20, 1873. By the late 1920s the original church was too small, and a second, more centrally located church was built on Woodstock Street in 1931 at a cost of $75,000. After Rev. Dudley L. Day was appointed pastor in 1938, his energetic program of chicken dinners, bingo, and card parties eliminated the remaining $70,000 Depression-era debt in seven years. Anticipating further growth, the parish purchased 30 acres east of town from the Kreutzer family; Bishop Thomas G. Doran broke ground for the present church on December 5, 1999, the first Mass was celebrated November 10, 2001, and the building was formally dedicated November 18, 2001. Today the parish numbers more than 5,000 registered families, and several artifacts from the original 1873 church—statues of St. Joseph with the Child Jesus, a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the restored Stations of the Cross—are preserved in the new facility.
- 1870: Founding meeting at John G. Kelley's blacksmith shop
- 1873: First church on Dean Street completed; Rev. Clement Duerr arrives as first pastor
- 1874: First rectory built next to the church
- 1909–1917: Rev. Désiré Miller builds second rectory across Dean Street
- 1930–1931: Second church built on Woodstock Street ($75,000)
- 1938: Rev. Dudley L. Day appointed pastor
- 1995: Parish at ~400 families; 30 acres purchased from Kreutzer family
- Dec. 5, 1999: Groundbreaking with Bishop Thomas G. Doran
- Nov. 10, 2001: First Mass in the new Dundee Road church
- Nov. 18, 2001: Formal dedication by Bishop Doran
- Today: More than 5,000 registered families
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Mary spans early childhood through adulthood. Children in K–5 attend Religious Education, middle-schoolers participate in EDGE, high-schoolers are served by a dedicated youth ministry, and adults can grow through ongoing faith formation or join the RCIA process to become Catholic.
- Religious Education (K–5th grade)
- EDGE Middle School Youth Ministry
- High School Youth Ministry (6th–12th)
- Adult Faith Formation
- RCIA — Become Catholic
- Come Back to the Faith
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church through age-appropriate formation, sponsor requirements, and family involvement. Registration as a parishioner living within diocesan boundaries is required for most sacramental preparation programs.
- Baptism — preparation through the parish office
- Confirmation — 2-year program beginning in 7th grade (EDGE), completed in 8th grade
- First Communion — through K–5 Religious Education
- Marriage — arranged through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — arranged through the parish office
- Funeral — arranged through the parish office
- RCIA — adults becoming Catholic
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor, three parochial vicars, two deacons, and a large lay staff handling liturgy and music, religious education, youth ministry, adult faith formation, business, and maintenance.
- Father Christopher DiTomo — Pastor (ext. 106, [email protected])
- Father Jerome Koutnik — Parochial Vicar (ext. 105)
- Father Edilberto "Ejay" Jarapa — Parochial Vicar (ext. 104)
- Father Harley Flores — Parochial Vicar (ext. 103)
- Deacon Frank Englert
- Deacon Dave Marcheschi
- Maria Maddox — Assistant to the Clergy (ext. 100)
- Amy Eggers — Parish Secretary (ext. 101)
- Deana Greco — Receptionist & Kitchen Manager (ext. 122)
- Anna Ewko — Director of Liturgy & Sacred Music (ext. 117)
- Deena Zak — Business Manager (ext. 102)
- Roberta Christian — Director of Religious Education
- Julie Strode — Religious Education Secretary
- Kyle Kalas — Director of High School Youth Ministry
- Kaylee Pondel — Director of Middle School Youth Ministry
- Shirley Allen — Director of Adult Faith Formation
- Mary Gleason — Adult Faith Formation Secretary (224-654-8596)
- Mike Allen — Director of Maintenance (ext. 114)
- Chandler Lincoln — Maintenance
- Ron Simons — Maintenance
- Mark Lang — Maintenance
Getting Involved & Outreach
The parish website features a 'How Do I…' menu to help newcomers register as parishioners, request Mass intentions, arrange sacraments, request pastoral help with basic and financial needs, or sign up for religious education and youth programs. As a parish of more than 5,000 families in the Diocese of Rockford, St. Mary relies on a deep bench of lay volunteers to staff liturgical, formation, and outreach ministries.
- Register as a parishioner (must reside within diocesan parish boundaries)
- Request help with basic and financial needs
- Request a Mass Intention
- Arrange a wedding
- Arrange a funeral
- Anointing of the Sick
- Baptism preparation
Visit & Contact
St. Mary Catholic Church is at 10307 Dundee Road in Huntley, Illinois, on the east side of the village near the intersection with Kreutzer Road. The parish office, religious education office, youth ministry office, and adult faith formation office are all reachable through the parish's main phone line and extensions listed on the website.
- Address: 10307 Dundee Rd., Huntley, IL 60142
- Parish Office: (847) 669-3137
- Fax: (847) 669-3138
- Religious Education Office: (847) 669-5953
- Youth Ministry Office: (847) 669-5612
- Adult Faith Formation Office: (224) 654-8596
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Clement Duerr1873–
First resident pastor; arrived July 20, 1873, shortly after the first church on Dean Street was completed. A rectory was built next to the church in 1874 during his tenure.
- Rev. Désiré Miller1909–1917
A second rectory was built across Dean Street during his pastorate.
- Rev. Dudley L. Day1938–
Appointed pastor in 1938; led an aggressive program of chicken dinners, bingo, and card parties that paid off the remaining $70,000 Depression-era debt in seven years.