About St. Mary · Taylorville, Illinois
St. Mary Catholic Church is a vibrant Roman-Latin rite parish in Taylorville, Illinois, about 30 minutes southeast of Springfield in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Founded as a mission in 1845 and now serving roughly 1,446 parishioners in 713 families, St. Mary's worships in a church first dedicated in 1941 and shares its campus with a parish school (pre-K through sixth grade) that has been central to the community's life since 1909. The parish is currently clustered with St. Rita's Catholic Church and Holy Trinity Catholic Church under a single parochial administrator, offering a wide range of sacraments, faith-formation programs, youth ministry, and outreach in the heart of Christian County.
- Established
- 1845
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. John C. Burnette, KCHS (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a multi-generational Catholic community in the heart of central Illinois that pairs a long-standing liturgical tradition — including a 5:30 pm Saturday Vigil and 11:00 am Sunday Mass, with daily Mass most weekdays — with a strong parish school (pre-K through sixth grade) that has been educating local children since 1909. The parish offers the full sacramental life (daily and Sunday Mass, Saturday confessions, First Friday Adoration, RCIA, marriage and baptism preparation, and communion visits to the homebound), an active PSR program for grades 1–9, a Youth Advisory Committee, adult enrichment retreats and Bible studies, and a vibrant Schola and Elizabeth Ministry. The community welcomes inquirers — particularly around the parish's September 8 patronal feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary — and reaches out to the wider Taylorville area through charity and parish life.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 11:30 am – 12:00 noon (St. Mary's)
- Saturday: 3:30 – 3:45 pm (at St. Rita's Catholic Church, clustered parish)
- By appointment (at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, clustered parish)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration: First Friday of the month
Parish Overview & Welcome
St. Mary's Parish describes itself as 'a vibrant Catholic faith community' serving the needs of Taylorville and the surrounding area, where 'the Gospel message of Jesus is preached and lived in the lives of our parishioners.' Located in the heartland of Illinois roughly 30 minutes from Springfield, the parish combines a strong liturgical and sacramental life with a century-old parochial school, faith-formation programs for children and adults, youth ministry, and outreach through the local community.
- About 1,446 parishioners in 713 families
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
- Clustered with St. Rita's Catholic Church and Holy Trinity Catholic Church
- Phone (217) 824-8178 • Fax (217) 824-8225
- Office hours 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Parish History
St. Mary Parish is among the oldest Catholic institutions in Christian County, with roots going back to 1845 — just six years after Taylorville itself was founded — when Catholic settlers began gathering for Mass in private homes. The community funded and built its own frame chapel in the late 1840s/early 1850s, expanded it in the 1870s, and replaced it with a larger wooden church in 1886 (the same year it received its first regular priestly assignments and a permanent resident pastor by 1888).
- 1845 — Mission founded; irregular Masses in homes
- Late 1840s / early 1850s — First small frame chapel built
- c. 1872 — First chapel moved one block south with an addition and sacristy
- 1886 — Second (larger) church built under Father P.S. Pennartz at Adams & Washington
- 1888 — First permanent resident pastor assigned
- 1909 — St. Mary School founded by Father John Merscher with the Sisters of Adorers of the Blood of Christ
- 1921 — Red-brick school building constructed at 422 S. Washington St.
- 1941 — Current church dedicated June 1 (Monsignor George Powell)
- 1946 — New rectory completed
- 1957–1959 — Parish center built under Pastor Joseph O'Dwyer; dedicated by Bishop William O'Connor
- 1972 — Sisters withdraw; convent converted to parish offices
- 1999–2000 — New four-classroom school annex dedicated by Bishop George Lucas (Sept. 23, 2000)
- 2016 — New school building completed (preserves original 1941 doorway, limestone, and cornerstone)
- September 2025 — 180th anniversary Fall Festival celebrated
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Mary's is led by Parochial Administrator Father John C. Burnette, KCHS — a priest of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois ordained in 1985 and a former U.S. Navy chaplain who also directed the diocesan Office for the Missions for nine years. He is supported by parish and school staff handling administration, religious education, music, liturgy, and outreach.
- Rev. John C. Burnette, KCHS — Parochial Administrator ([email protected])
- Amanda Pickett — Secretary ([email protected] / [email protected])
- Amanda Corso — Operations Manager / Accountant ([email protected])
- Rita Moomey — Bookkeeper
- Carole Harrison — Director of Religious Education / OCIA ([email protected])
- Joanne Coady — Principal, St. Mary's School ([email protected])
- Jean Ninmer — Music Liturgist / Director of Music
- Kathy Fergin — St. Mary's Schola
- Sandy Asmussen — Elizabeth Ministry
St. Mary's Catholic School
St. Mary's School is the parish school serving preschool through sixth grade and is described on the parish site as 'an icon in the community that has provided quality Catholic education for over 116 years.' Its curriculum pairs a Catholic liberal-arts academic core with art, music, physical education, band, and computer, and the school has steadily grown its facilities since the one-room schoolhouse of 1909.
- Founded 1909 by Father John Merscher with the Sisters of Adorers of the Blood of Christ
- First site: one-room schoolhouse at 116 W. Franklin St., 77 students, 1 teacher
- 1921 — Red-brick school built at 422 S. Washington St. (346 students; 4 religious sisters & 6 lay teachers)
- 1959 — Parish center with cafeteria, gymnasium, and multipurpose rooms dedicated by Bishop William O'Connor
- 1999–2000 — Four-classroom annex dedicated by Bishop George Lucas
- 2016 — New school building completed; 1941 doorway, limestone framing, and cornerstone preserved
- Principal: Joanne Coady
- Website: st-maryschool.com
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Mary's is directed by Carole Harrison and covers both the Parish School of Religion (PSR) for school-age children and the RCIA process for adults and older children inquiring about Catholicism. Adult enrichment offerings — retreats, Bible studies, and outreach opportunities — are scheduled throughout the year, and the parish opens its inquiry process each fall around its September 8 patronal feast.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR): Grades 1–9, Sundays 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm during the school year in St. Mary's school building
- RCIA / OCIA: Classes begin in the fall and conclude at Easter
- Adult Enrichment: retreats, Bible studies, and outreach opportunities offered year-round
- Director of Religious Education: Carole Harrison ([email protected])
Youth & Music Ministries
St. Mary's sustains a strong post-Confirmation youth program through its Youth Advisory Committee, which gives high-school students an active role in parish life. Liturgical music is led by Music Liturgist Jean Ninmer together with the parish Schola (Kathy Fergin), and the parish's Elizabeth Ministry (Sandy Asmussen) provides outreach to women in need.
- Youth Advisory Committee — Emily Jones, President; Mallory Brotherton, VP; Mallory Jones & Madeleine Althoff, Secretaries; Brendan Held, Treasurer; members Tori Spiker, Karlee Kunzman, Gabe Verardi, Olivia Graham, Hunter Mollohon
- Music Liturgist / Director of Music: Jean Ninmer
- St. Mary's Schola: Kathy Fergin
- Elizabeth Ministry: Sandy Asmussen
- Recent trips and fellowship events such as the youth group outing to Sky Zone in Springfield
Clustered Parishes & Wider Community
St. Mary's is the lead church of a three-parish cluster under a single parochial administrator, sharing sacramental coverage and event programming with St. Rita's Catholic Church and Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Together the cluster extends Mass, confession, and pastoral care across Christian County and surrounding rural communities, while St. Mary's remains the principal site of the parish school.
- St. Mary's Catholic Church — 116 W. Adams St., Taylorville, IL 62568 (parish school, pre-K–6)
- St. Rita's Catholic Church (Saturday Vigil 4:00 pm; Saturday Penance 3:30–3:45 pm)
- Holy Trinity Catholic Church (Mass 9:00 am; Penance by appointment)
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. John C. Burnette, KCHS
Annual & Special Events
St. Mary's most prominent community tradition is the annual Fall Festival, a parish-wide fundraiser held the second weekend of September that draws visitors from across Christian County. The 2025 Fall Festival (September 12–14) doubled as a celebration of the parish's 180th anniversary and was highlighted by the diocese's Catholic Times and the local Breeze-Courier.
- Fall Festival — second weekend of September each year
- 180th-anniversary celebration: September 12–14, 2025
- Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sept. 8) — parish patronal feast and annual 'Questions and Answers' inquiry session for those exploring Catholicism
- First Friday Eucharistic Adoration
Contact & Practical Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Mary's by phone, fax, email, or in person at the parish office on West Adams Street in downtown Taylorville. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Sacramental emergencies and pastoral needs outside office hours should be directed through the parish phone line to the on-call priest.
- Address: 116 W. Adams St., Taylorville, IL 62568
- Phone: (217) 824-8178
- Fax: (217) 824-8225
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Office hours: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
- Website: http://stmarytaylorville.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father P.S. PennartzBuilt new church 1885–1886; under his direction the 1886 church was built
Oversaw construction of the second St. Mary church at Adams & Washington
- (First permanent resident pastor)1888
Parish was previously served by visiting priests from Springfield, Assumption, Alton, and Edwardsville
- Father John Merscher1909
Founded St. Mary School with the Sisters of Adorers of the Blood of Christ
- Father Reinhardtten years (early 20th century)
A long-tenured pastor of the parish
- Monsignor George PowellBegan current church 1941; rectory completed 1946
Built and dedicated the present St. Mary Church on June 1, 1941
- Pastor Joseph O'DwyerCampaign 1957; dedicated August 1959
Built and dedicated the parish center (cafeteria, gymnasium, multipurpose rooms)
- Rev. John J. CorcoranPlanning began 1919; red-brick school built 1920
Led fundraising for and construction of the 1921 red-brick school building
- Rev. John C. BurnetteCurrent
Ordained 1985; former diocesan director of the Office for the Missions and a former U.S. Navy chaplain; now parochial administrator of St. Mary, St. Rita, and Holy Trinity