About St. Mary the Immaculate Conception · Mount Vernon, Illinois
St. Mary the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic parish in Mount Vernon, Illinois, within the Diocese of Belleville. The parish traces its roots to 1866 and was formally established with its first church building in 1880. Today it serves as a worship, education, and service community anchored by its current church (dedicated in 2013) and its parish school, St. Mary Grade School. Its mission statement reads: 'We are people guided by God, called to be a welcoming community, celebrating our Catholic Christian faith through continuing worship, education, and service within our parish and the world beyond.'
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. David Darin (Temporary Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Mary the Immaculate Conception is a multigenerational Catholic community in the heart of Mount Vernon that combines traditional parish life with a thriving parish school. Worshippers find a full schedule of Masses (including live-streamed Sunday and weekday Masses), weekly confession, twice-weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and communal devotions like the Rosary. Active lay organizations such as the Council of Catholic Women and the Knights of Columbus offer ways to serve and belong, while St. Mary School, a state-accredited Pre-K through 8th-grade program, makes this an ideal parish for Catholic families seeking faith formation from cradle through adulthood.
Mass times at St. Mary the Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm (or by appointment; exception is Easter Weekend)
Adoration times
- Monday 9:30 am (Live Stream)
- Tuesday 4:30 pm - 5:15 pm
- Wednesday 9:00 am - 10:15 am
Our History
St. Mary the Immaculate Conception traces its roots to 1866, when Rev. Blasius Winterhalter celebrated the first recorded Jefferson County Mass at the home of Judge Thomas S. Casey on Main Street. The parish was formally established in 1880 with a small wood-frame church, expanded into a brick church in 1921, and finally moved into a new 600-seat church dedicated in 2013 by Bishop Edward K. Braxton. The parish has been continuously served by the Diocese of Belleville throughout its history.
- 1866 — First recorded Mass at the Casey home
- 1872 — Trustees appointed for St. Philip Neri's Roman Catholic Church at Mount Vernon
- 1880 — First wood-frame church built (60 seats, $2,000)
- 1883 — Became a mission; Fr. Henry Hagen assigned as pastor
- 1921 — Original frame church moved north; new brick church built
- May 30, 1922 — Dedication of 1921 church by Rt. Rev. Henry Althoff, D.D.
- 1929 — Original frame church dismantled; basement finished as parish hall
- July 23, 1939 — Lightning strike on bell tower
- 1980s — 600 families overflowing a 230-seat church
- Dec 19, 2011 — Groundbreaking for new church
- Jan 13, 2013 — New church dedicated by Bishop Edward K. Braxton
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is currently shepherded by a Temporary Administrator with the support of two deacons, a parish secretary, and a Director of Religious Education. The parish school is led by a new principal, Deacon D.M. 'Doc' Mills, Ed.D.
- Rev. Msgr. David Darin — Temporary Administrator (618-532-6291)
- Deacon Steven Eischens
- Deacon Mark Kabat
- Sue (Susan) Kusmer — Parish Secretary, Ext. 201
- Ryan Schmidt — Coordinator of Religious Education (DRE), Ext. 205
- Deacon D.M. 'Doc' Mills, Ed.D. — Principal, St. Mary School
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation for children and families is coordinated by Ryan Schmidt. The parish supports parents through sacramental preparation, including infant Baptism preparation with coordinator Lori Kabat. The parish links to the USCCB for additional catechetical resources on the seven sacraments.
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Ryan Schmidt ([email protected])
- Baptism Prep Coordinator: Lori Kabat (618-214-5203)
- Infant Baptism Registration Form (electronic) available online
- RCIA / Becoming Catholic — contact parish office
- Marriage preparation — contact parish office
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Lay organizations form the backbone of parish life at St. Mary. The Council of Catholic Women unites all the women of the parish, and the Knights of Columbus Council welcomes all men. Both groups meet regularly and are visible in the parish calendar.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — all women of the parish are members
- Knights of Columbus — all men are welcome; meetings at the Knights Clubhouse
- Stewardship Directory and Time & Talent Renewal Form available from the parish office
St. Mary School
St. Mary School is a state-accredited Catholic grade school serving Pre-K through 8th grade, sharing the parish campus at 1550 Main Street. Its mission is 'A Catholic family raising scholars, citizens & saints.' The school features Christ-centered, faith-based education with virtue-based restorative discipline, small class sizes, Smart Boards in every room, 1:1 Chromebooks for K-8, music, band, and art programs, and more than 15 extracurricular activities including Robotics and Math Fact Scholars. Standardized test scores place St. Mary students among the top in the nation in math, language, and reading.
- Grades served: Pre-K through 8
- Phone: 618-242-5353
- Accredited by the State of Illinois
- Principal: Deacon D.M. 'Doc' Mills, Ed.D. (newly appointed)
- Highlights: Smart Boards, 1:1 Chromebooks K-8, music/band/art, 15+ extracurriculars, Pre-K educational daycare
Contact & Visit
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at 1550 Main Street, Mount Vernon, IL 62864-4332. Visitors and those interested in registering, becoming Catholic, or learning more about ministries and sacraments are encouraged to use the online contact form on the parish website.
- Address: 1550 Main Street, Mount Vernon, IL 62864-4332
- Phone: 618-244-1559
- Fax: 618-242-5365
- Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
- Website: stmarymtvernon.org
- Online contact form for inquiries about registration, sacraments, and ministries
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Blasius Winterhalter1866
Celebrated the first recorded Jefferson County Mass at the Casey home
- Rev. Henry Becker1880
Celebrated the first Mass in the newly constructed wood-frame church on Dec 5, 1880
- Fr. Henry Hagen
Assigned as pastor, breathed new life into the small church; served 38 years
- Rt. Rev. Henry Althoff, D.D.1922
Dedicated the 1921 brick church on May 30, 1922
- Rev. John Iffert
Former pastor; was pastor of St. Mary Immaculate Conception in Mount Vernon and St. Barbara in Scheller (per 2020 Belleville Messenger)
- Rev. Msgr. David Darin
Current Temporary Administrator