About St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception · Delavan, Illinois
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a Catholic parish located in the rural Central Illinois town of Delavan. Established in 1867 and now serving as the lead church of the newly formed St. Isidore the Farmer Parish (canonicaly erected March 15, 2025), it shares its pastoral team with the Mission of St. Joseph in Hopedale and Immaculate Conception in Manito. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Peoria and offers a traditional schedule of weekend and weekday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and regular Confession. Its central parish office, located at the Delavan church building, serves all three worship sites.
- Established
- 1867
- Patron
- St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Geoff Horton
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a welcoming rural parish in the Diocese of Peoria where parishioners can attend Mass multiple times a week, pray before the Blessed Sacrament in weekly Adoration, and prepare for the sacraments through a Faith Formation program led by Director of Religious Education Carolyn Zimmer. The parish family is small enough to know one another by name, yet joined with the Mission of St. Joseph in Hopedale and Immaculate Conception in Manito, giving the community strength and shared resources.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 10:20 AM (St. Mary, Delavan)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM (St. Joseph, Hopedale)
Adoration times
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, following the 9:00 AM Mass at St. Mary's, Delavan
Parish Identity and Family of Parishes
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Delavan is the lead church of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, a 'family of parishes' canonicaly erected by the Diocese of Peoria on March 15, 2025. The new parish brings together St. Mary (Delavan, est. 1867), St. Joseph (Hopedale, est. 1870) and Immaculate Conception (Manito, est. 1909) under one pastoral team.
- Lead church: St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Delavan
- Member church: St. Joseph, Hopedale
- Member church: Immaculate Conception, Manito
- Parish erected: March 15, 2025
Clergy and Parish Staff
The pastoral team is led by Fr. Geoff Horton, pastor, and is assisted by several deacons serving the family of parishes. The parish office is staffed by two administrative assistants and a Director of Religious Education.
- Pastor: Fr. Geoff Horton — 309-244-8516
- Deacon Eugene (Gene) LaBelle
- Deacon Jon Dosher
- Deacon Robert 'Bob' Sondag
- Deacon Bill Meyer (Senior Status)
- Director of Religious Education: Carolyn Zimmer
- Administrative Assistants: Gayle Williamson, Pam Elliott
Parish Office and Contact
The shared parish office for St. Isidore the Farmer Parish is located inside the St. Mary church building in Delavan. Office hours are limited to two mornings per week, and most correspondence is handled by email.
- Physical address: St. Mary Catholic Church, 505 E. Fourth St., Delavan, IL 61734
- Mailing address: PO Box 769, Delavan, IL 61734
- Phone: 309-244-8516
- Office email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Bulletin submissions: [email protected] (due Wednesday)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation in the family of parishes is directed by Carolyn Zimmer. The program supports parish families — recognized in the parish's own catechesis as the 'domestic church,' the primary place where children first learn the faith — and extends that foundation through parish catechesis and sacramental preparation.
- Director of Religious Education: Carolyn Zimmer
- Contact: [email protected]
- Family-based catechesis supported by parish programs
Mass Intentions and Stipends
Parishioners may request a Mass to be offered for a particular intention (living or deceased) by using the special envelopes available at each of the three churches, or by calling the parish office. A $10 stipend per intention is customary, with checks made payable to 'St. Mary Stipends.'
- Use Mass Intention envelopes at any of the three churches
- Special date requests: call the parish office
- Stipend: $10, payable to 'St. Mary Stipends'
Diocesan Affiliation
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a parish in the Diocese of Peoria. The newly erected St. Isidore the Farmer Parish is listed in the official directory of the Diocese of Peoria.
- Diocese: Peoria
- Listed in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria parish directory as 'St. Isidore the Farmer Parish – Delavan'
- Parish Established: March 15, 2025 (canonical erection)