About St. Mary · Marshall, Illinois
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a small Roman-Latin parish in Marshall, Illinois, part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Founded in 1847, it serves roughly 145 parishioners in 81 families and is currently led by Parochial Administrator Rev. Augustine Koomson. The parish is one of three in the McK教会 cluster of local Catholic churches sharing a single office, and it offers a full schedule of weekday and weekend Masses along with parish-hall community life that has grown since the late 19th century.
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- St. Mary (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Augustine Koomson (Parochial Administrator, since July 2015; residence at Christ the King, Greenup)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers a tight-knit Catholic community in rural Clark County, with daily and weekend Masses, a Communion Service on Mondays, and a weekly Wednesday evening schedule that includes Confession followed by Mass. The parish's small size (about 81 families) is reflected in its active 'Christ in Action' groups — Knights of Columbus, Belles of St. Mary's, Helping Hands, Catholic Charities, Building and Grounds, Outreach Committee, and Youth Groups — and its parish hall, built in 1991, hosts both parish and community events. Members enjoy a deep historical home: a 19th-century brick church with a bell tower, stained glass, and a choir-loft organ originally from St. Benedict's in Terre Haute, rededicated by Bishop George Lucas in 2003.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:00–6:30 p.m.
History of St. Mary's Church
The first resident priest arrived in Marshall in 1847 and soon contracted for the building of a church. The building was under roof by 1848, and the first Mass was said in 1850 by Father Thomas Ryan of North Arm, who was simultaneously saying Mass at Castle Finn on donated property. The first church was a tidy brick Gothic-design building with stained glass, located at what is now the corner of 10th Street and Locust. Over the next 150+ years the parish grew, rebuilt, suffered a 2001 rectory fire, was rededicated in 2003, and continues today under its 12th pastor, Fr. Augustine Koomson.
- 1847 – first resident priest arrives in Marshall
- 1848 – original brick church under roof at 10th & Locust
- 1850 – first Mass celebrated by Father Thomas Ryan of North Arm
- 1862 – Father H.J. Hoven (from Cologne, Germany) becomes pastor; buys the block for the present church
- 1867 – Father J.A. Mark arrives; brickwork completed
- 1869 – present church opens for Mass
- 1872 – church dedicated by Bishop Bates of Alton (October 20)
- 1876 – Father Charles Kuhlmann (from Muenster) adds brick tower and bell; opens parochial school with Dominican Sisters
- 1891 – Father Maroney (first English-speaking pastor in this era) adds spire/cross, stained glass window, and organ from St. Benedict's, Terre Haute, Indiana
- 1900 – Father Ducey enlarges sanctuary, adds 'Flight From Egypt' stained glass, marble-topped altars, builds present sacristy as a winter chapel
- 1915 – Father Wilson builds new all-brick rectory with basement; installs steam heating
- 1946 – Monsignor Donahue remodels the interior: new altars with red velvet hangings, padded kneelers
- Mid-1960s – post–Vatican II: side altars removed, new altar facing the people, modern baptismal font
- 1987 – Father Jeff Grant begins tenure; leads 1990 parish-hall vote
- 1991 – parish hall completed and dedicated November 24, 1991
- May 3, 2001 – fire almost totally destroys the rectory
- 2003 – July 11, church rededicated by Bishop George Lucas after construction of new office/rector y and renovations
- 2008 – Father Chris Brey reassigned; Father Michael Haag becomes pastor
- June 2015 – Father Haag departs
- July 2015 – Father Augustine Koomson becomes pastor (current Parochial Administrator)
Mass & Service Schedule
St. Mary's offers Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses, a weekly Wednesday evening Mass, and two morning Masses on Thursday and Friday. A Monday 7:00 a.m. Communion Service supplements the weekday schedule. Confessions are heard each Wednesday immediately before the evening Mass.
- Saturday – 6:30 p.m. Mass
- Sunday – 8:00 a.m. Mass
- Monday – 7:00 a.m. Communion Service
- Wednesday – 6:30 p.m. Mass
- Thursday – 7:00 a.m. Mass
- Friday – 7:00 a.m. Mass
- Eve of Holy Days – 7:00 p.m. Mass
- Holy Days – 7:00 a.m. Mass
- Sacrament of Reconciliation – Wednesday 6:00–6:30 p.m.
Parish Staff
St. Mary's is currently served as a clustered parochial assignment under the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The Parochial Administrator resides at Christ the King in Greenup, and the parish office at 414 S. 6th Street is staffed part-time.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Augustine Koomson (since July 2015; residence at Christ the King, Greenup)
- Administrative Assistant: Stacey Boyer
- Director of Religious Education: Danielle Johnson
- Liturgical Music Coordinator: Teresa Hoecherl
- Collections: Leslie Cameron
- Business Manager: James Cline
- Office hours: Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Christ in Action — Parish Ministries & Groups
The parish website groups its lay organizations under the heading 'Christ in Action Groups.' These ministries span fraternal, social, charitable, and youth formation, and they reflect the small-parish culture in which many families wear several hats.
- Knights of Columbus
- Belles of St. Mary's
- Helping Hands
- Catholic Charities
- Building and Grounds
- Outreach Committee
- Youth Groups
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education is coordinated by Director of Religious Education Danielle Johnson. The DRE office supports parish faith formation for the parish's roughly 81 families. Server schedules (e.g., January–March 2020) and an Altar Server contact list are published on the parish website, indicating active youth involvement as altar servers.
- DRE: Danielle Johnson
- Altar Server program with published schedules
- Bulletin posted at mckchurches.weebly.com/bulletin.html
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music is coordinated by Teresa Hoecherl. The parish choir loft houses a historic castoff organ originally from St. Benedict's Church in Terre Haute, Indiana, installed in 1891 by Father Maroney — a notable surviving piece of 19th-century parish heritage.
- Liturgical Music Coordinator: Teresa Hoecherl
- Historic organ from St. Benedict's, Terre Haute, Indiana (installed 1891) in the choir loft
Sacraments
The sacrament schedule published on the official website and in the diocesan directory centers on the Eucharist and Reconciliation. The parish office can be contacted for other sacramental needs.
- Eucharist: Saturday 6:30 p.m.; Sunday 8:00 a.m.; Wednesday 6:30 p.m.; Thursday 7:00 a.m.; Friday 7:00 a.m.; Holy Days 7:00 a.m.; Eve of Holy Days 7:00 p.m.
- Communion Service: Monday 7:00 a.m.
- Penance (Reconciliation): Wednesday 6:00–6:30 p.m.
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick: contact parish office at (217) 826-2845
Parish Facilities & Property
The parish hall, completed and dedicated on November 24, 1991 under Father Jeff Grant, serves both parish and community activities. After the May 3, 2001 rectory fire, the parish chose to build a new office building with an attached rectory rather than repair the old one, and church renovations were completed in time for the July 11, 2003 rededication by Bishop George Lucas. A later improvement under Father Chris Brey added new landscaping including St. Joseph's garden.
- Parish hall (1991) – used for both parish and community activities
- New office building with attached rectory (built after 2001 fire; church rededicated July 11, 2003)
- St. Joseph's garden (landscaping addition under Father Chris Brey)
Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
St. Mary's is part of a clustered pastoral assignment in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, sharing office staff and a single parish administrator with neighboring parishes (including Christ the King in Greenup). Diocesan directory statistics: 145 parishioners in 81 families. The diocesan parish directory (dio.org) and the diocesan pastoral directory confirm the assignment, priest, and schedule.
- Diocese: Springfield in Illinois
- Statistics: 145 parishioners, 81 families
- Cluster: Marshall–Greenup–Casey pastoral grouping
- Diocesan parish directory entry: dio.org/view/parish-directory/entry/331/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Thomas Ryan (of North Arm)c. 1847–c. 1862
Said the first Mass in 1850; also served Castle Finn on donated property.
- Father H.J. Hoven1862–c. 1867
Came from Cologne, Germany, in 1861; purchased the block for the present church and began construction, delayed by the Civil War.
- Father J.A. Mark1867
Another German-speaking 'builder priest'; finished the brickwork, with Joseph Forebeck completed the rectory, school, and altars.
- Father Charles Kuhlmann1876–1891
From Muenster, Germany; added the brick tower and bell, opened the parochial school staffed by Dominican Sisters, founded The Church Progress newspaper. Replaced in 1891 after Irish families complained about German priests.
- Father Maroney1891
First English-speaking pastor in this era; added the spire and cross to the tower, installed the present stained glass window and a castoff organ from St. Benedict's, Terre Haute, Indiana.
- Father Ducey1900
Enlarged the sanctuary, added the 'Flight From Egypt' stained glass, white-and-gold marble-topped altars, and built the present sacristy as a winter chapel.
- Father Wilsonby 1915
Oversaw construction of a new all-brick rectory with a basement and installed a steam-heating system in the church.
- Monsignor Donahue1946
Remodeled the church interior; added new altars with red velvet hangings and padded kneelers.
- Father Jeff Grantfrom 1987
Led the 1990 vote to build a parish hall, completed and dedicated November 24, 1991.
- Father Chris Breythrough 2008
Continued church property improvements; oversaw new landscaping including St. Joseph's garden.
- Father Michael Haag2008–June 2015
Succeeded Father Brey; served until June 2015.
- Father Augustine KoomsonJuly 2015–present
Current Parochial Administrator; leads the parish from a residence at Christ the King, Greenup.