About St. Mary · Lexington, Illinois
St. Mary Church in Lexington, Illinois is a Roman Catholic mission church founded in 1898, located at 201 N. Lee Street in the small McLean County town of Lexington. As of May 10, 2025 it was merged into the newly formed Good Shepherd Parish in Chenoa, alongside historic St. Joseph Church in Chenoa (founded 1893), within the Pontiac Vicariate of the Diocese of Peoria. The mission is served today by Father David Sabel as pastor, with Father Robert Rayson and Father William Keebler assisting across the combined parish family.
- Established
- 1898
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father David Sabel
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria (Pontiac Vicariate)
Why belong here
St. Mary Lexington offers the warmth of a small-town Catholic mission with the stability of a multi-parish Catholic family. As part of the newly formed Good Shepherd Parish (est. May 2025), Lexington worshippers enjoy weekday morning Mass, a Sunday Mass, Saturday Vigil Mass, and Saturday confessions — while still being served by three priests across the Chenoa-Lexington cluster. It's a faithful community where the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation remain the center of parish life.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM at St. Mary Church, Lexington
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM at St. Joseph Church, Chenoa
Parish History
St. Mary Church in Lexington was established in 1898 as a Catholic mission serving the small McLean County farming community. For more than a century it has remained a quiet but steady presence on N. Lee Street. In May 2025 it was canonically merged with neighboring St. Joseph Church in Chenoa (founded 1893) into the newly erected Good Shepherd Parish, with Father David Sabel named Pastor.
- Founded: 1898
- Merger into Good Shepherd Parish: May 10, 2025
- Sister church: St. Joseph, Chenoa (founded 1893)
- Vicariate: Pontiac Vicariate, Diocese of Peoria
Good Shepherd Parish (the consolidated parish family)
On May 10, 2025 the Diocese of Peoria formally established Good Shepherd Parish in Chenoa, bringing together St. Joseph Church in Chenoa and St. Mary Church in Lexington as worship sites of one canonical parish. The parish mailing address is 225 W. Owsley Street, Chenoa, IL 61726. Father David Sabel serves as Pastor, with Father William Keebler as Parochial Vicar and Father Robert Rayson assisting in parish leadership.
- Parish Established: May 10, 2025
- Mailing Address: 225 W. Owsley Street, Chenoa, IL 61726
- Pastor: Father David Sabel
- Parochial Vicar: Father William Keebler
- St. Joseph (Flanagan) suppressed at the same consolidation
Clergy
Three priests of the Diocese of Peoria currently serve Good Shepherd Parish and its mission church of St. Mary, Lexington. Father David Sabel is the Pastor and Vicar Forane of the Pontiac Vicariate; he was born in Rock Island, Illinois on May 2, 1953 and ordained on May 23, 2009. He has served St. Mary, Lexington since 2018.
- Father David Sabel — Pastor (Pastor of St. Mary Lexington from 2018; Pastor of Good Shepherd Parish from May 10, 2025)
- Father Robert Rayson — Pastor (Good Shepherd Parish, Chenoa and St. Mary, Pontiac from 2024)
- Father William Keebler — Parochial Vicar (Good Shepherd Parish, from May 2025)
Visit & Contact
St. Mary Church is located in the heart of Lexington, Illinois. Parishioners and visitors are warmly invited to celebrate Mass and may contact the parish office by phone or email for current information about Mass times, sacraments, and parish life.
- Address: 201 N. Lee Street, Lexington, IL 61753
- Phone: (815) 945-2561
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocesan website: cdop.org/parishes/good-shepherd-parish-chenoa
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father David Sabel2018–present (Pastor of St. Mary Lexington; Pastor of Good Shepherd Parish from May 10, 2025)
Has served St. Mary, Lexington since 2018; became Pastor of the consolidated Good Shepherd Parish on May 10, 2025 while remaining Vicar Forane (Pontiac Vicariate). Born May 2, 1953 in Rock Island, Illinois; ordained May 23, 2009; incardinated in the Diocese of Peoria.