About St. Mary · Kickapoo, Illinois
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Kickapoo, Illinois is a historic parish of the Diocese of Peoria established in 1861, originally formed when German Catholics in the village purchased a former Episcopalian church. The parish shares its long ministry with nearby St. Patrick's Church in Elmwood, and on August 10, 2025 the two were combined into the new St. John XXIII Parish — Kickapoo, while St. Mary's retains its own identity as a worship site. Today the parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, Saturday confessions, monthly First Friday adoration, faith formation and sacramental preparation, and is served by the parish school, St. Mary's School.
- Established
- 1861
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father James (Jim) Pankiewicz
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a small-town historic parish where members of the congregation know one another by name, and where the pastor (Fr. Jim Pankiewicz) is personally available by appointment for confession or conversation. The parish offers the full rhythm of Catholic life — Saturday Vigil and two Sunday morning Masses, a weekday Communion service, monthly First Friday adoration, and a parish school (St. Mary's School) — all under the pastoral care of the Diocese of Peoria. Visitors and new parishioners are warmly invited to register through the parish office.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:45–3:45 PM
- By appointment — contact Fr. Jim
Adoration times
- First Friday of the Month, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Parish History
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Kickapoo was established in 1861 when German Catholic families in the village purchased a former Episcopalian church and converted it for Catholic worship. According to the parish's own historical materials, St. Patrick's Church had until then been the only Catholic church in the area; Mass was offered in both churches until 1921, when the present St. Mary's Church building was constructed and the two parishes were formally combined. The Diocese of Peoria records 1861 as the parish's official year of establishment.
- Founded 1861 by German Catholic settlers in Kickapoo
- First church: a former Episcopalian building purchased 1861
- Present church built 1921
- Combined with St. Patrick's (Kickapoo) parish in 1921
- Grouped into St. John XXIII Parish — Kickapoo on August 10, 2025
Our Pastor
St. Mary's is served by Father James (Jim) Pankiewicz, who was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in 2010. According to his parish biography, Fr. Jim grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri with three sisters and one brother. Before coming to Kickapoo he served as Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph's in Pekin (2010–2013), Assistant Chaplain at the St. John's Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois (2013–2016), and at the Heart of Peoria parishes (2016–2021). He was first assigned to the Kickapoo/Elmwood grouping as Administrator in 2021, then Pastor in 2022. He can be reached at [email protected] or (309) 691-2030.
- Father James (Jim) Pankiewicz — Pastor
- Ordained May 29, 2010
- Previously: St. Joseph Pekin, Newman Center UIUC, Heart of Peoria parishes
- Administrator of St. Mary (Kickapoo) / St. Patrick (Elmwood) 2021
- Pastor 2022 to present
Mass & Service Schedule
The parish celebrates Mass on Saturday evening at 4:00 PM and twice on Sunday morning at 7:30 and 10:00 AM. Weekday Masses are offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:00 AM, with a Communion Service on Tuesday and Thursday at 8:00 AM. Holy Day schedules are published in the bulletin and on the My Parish App.
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 PM
- Sunday Masses: 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM
- Weekday Mass (Mon/Wed/Fri): 8:00 AM
- Weekday Communion Service (Tue/Thu): 8:00 AM
- Holy Days: see bulletin and My Parish App
Faith Formation & Sacraments
St. Mary's invites those interested in the Catholic faith to be accompanied on 'a journey to a loving relationship with Jesus Christ,' offering the usual sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion and Reconciliation, Confirmation, and Marriage. The parish welcomes new members through its Parish Registration page and provides ongoing faith formation for parishioners of all ages.
- Baptism preparation
- First Communion / First Reconciliation preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Marriage preparation
- RCIA / OCIA for those inquiring into the Catholic faith
- Parish Registration for new parishioners
St. Mary's School
St. Mary's School serves as the parish school of the Kickapoo Catholic community. The Diocese of Peoria lists St. Mary's School as the school associated with St. John XXIII Parish — Kickapoo, making it a central part of the parish's ministry of forming children in the Catholic faith.
- Parish school: St. Mary's School
- Part of the Diocese of Peoria Catholic school system
St. Patrick's Cemetery
The parish maintains the historical St. Patrick's Cemetery, which surrounds the original St. Patrick's church building. The ground and historical cemetery were donated by William Patrick Mulveny, whose grave lies just a few feet from a corner stone bearing a historical inscription; his donation included the land for the church and surrounding cemetery, according to the parish's own historical brochure.
- St. Patrick's Cemetery surrounds the old St. Patrick's church
- Land and cemetery donated by William Patrick Mulveny
- Corner stone bears a historical inscription
- Mr. Mulveny's grave lies near the corner stone
Parish Life & Giving
Beyond the sacraments, St. Mary's maintains a parish calendar of events, an online giving portal hosted through the Diocese of Peoria's Annual Diocesan Appeal (cdop.org/ada), and welcomes new parishioners through its registration page. The parish uses the My Parish App to communicate Holy Day schedules and other updates.
- Calendar of Events
- Online Giving via cdop.org/ada
- My Parish App for bulletins and announcements
- Parish Registration for new members
Visiting St. Mary's
St. Mary's is located at 9910 W. Knox Street in the Village of Kickapoo, Illinois, just outside Peoria. The parish office can be reached at (309) 691-2030, and the pastor can be emailed at [email protected]. Those interested in joining the parish are encouraged to explore the website or call the main office.
- Address: 9910 W. Knox Street, Kickapoo, IL 61528
- Phone: (309) 691-2030
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmaryskickapoo.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Blaise Raho
Referenced in the parish's historical brochure as one of the early priests associated with the founding/building of the Kickapoo parish.