About St. Mary · Utica, Illinois
St. Mary's Church in North Utica, Illinois, is the historic Catholic parish that traces its origin to the very first Mass celebrated in the Illinois Country — offered by the Jesuit missionary Father Jacques Marquette on Holy Thursday, April 11, 1675, before some 5,000 Native Americans at what became the Mission of the Immaculate Conception. Now in the Diocese of Peoria and linked with neighboring Holy Family Parish in Oglesby, St. Mary's continues to serve the small village of Utica and surrounding Starved Rock area with weekly Mass, the sacraments, a CCD faith-formation program, and a parish cemetery, while the parish's bronze Père Marquette Memorial stands on the church grounds as a national landmark of American Catholic history.
- Established
- 1675
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Paul Carlson (Fr. Paul Carlson)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a small, welcoming parish with a uniquely historic mission: worshipping in the very place where the first Catholic Mass in Illinois was celebrated in 1675. Parishioners enjoy a simple, accessible weekly schedule (Saturday Vigil at 5:15 pm and Sunday at 9:00 am, plus weekday Masses), a CCD faith-formation program for children, sacramental preparation for baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, marriage, and anointing of the sick, a regional RCIA program for adults, and a parish cemetery — all under the pastoral care of Fr. Paul Carlson, supported by a parochial vicar and dedicated lay staff. The parish is also a designated Pilgrimage Site for the 150th Anniversary of the Diocese of Peoria (2025–2027), offering the faithful a tangible connection to the origins of Catholicism in the Illinois Country.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:30–6:55 PM
- Friday 9:00–9:30 AM
- An online confession guide is also available on the parish website.
Parish History
St. Mary's parish traces its origin to Holy Thursday, April 11, 1675, when Father Jacques Marquette, S.J., offered the first parochial Mass in the Illinois Country before an estimated 5,000 Native Americans at Utica. Joined by Louis Joliet, Marquette formally took possession of the land in the name of Jesus Christ and founded the Mission of the Immaculate Conception — the direct ancestor of today's Church of Saint Mary. A bronze monument to Père Marquette (sculpted by J. Topin, 1937, cast in Paris by F. Barbedienne) stands in the northeast corner of the property; it was unveiled on October 14, 1951, by Cardinal Samuel Stritch of Chicago, under Bishop Joseph H. Schlarman of Peoria. In 1858 the Catholic community built a small frame church, which was destroyed by fire seventeen years later; a brick-and-stone replacement was built on the site of the former St. Mary School. That brick church was in turn replaced in 1888 by the present church, erected by the first resident pastor, Rev. Francis J. O'Reilly.
- 1675 — First Mass in Illinois Country by Fr. Jacques Marquette (Holy Thursday, April 11, 1675)
- 1858 — Small frame church built
- 1875 — Frame church destroyed by fire; brick-and-stone replacement built on site of former St. Mary School
- 1883 — Rev. Charles Xavier O'Neill appointed first pastor (did not reside in Utica)
- 1884 — Rev. Canon Jeremiah Moynihan becomes first resident pastor
- 1888 — Rev. Francis J. O'Reilly succeeds Moynihan and erects the present church
- 1951 — Père Marquette Memorial unveiled by Cardinal Stritch
Mass and Sacraments
St. Mary's offers a straightforward weekly Mass schedule with a Saturday Vigil Mass, one Sunday Mass, and three weekday Masses. Confessions are heard twice weekly and an online confession guide is provided on the parish website for those preparing for the sacrament. All seven Catholic sacraments are administered by the parish: arrangements for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and adult initiation (RCIA) are coordinated through the parish office.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 5:15 PM
- Sunday Mass — 9:00 AM
- Weekday Masses — 8:30 AM (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
- Confessions — Tuesday 6:30–6:55 PM and Friday 9:00–9:30 AM (online guide available)
- Anointing of the Sick — available day or night by contacting the parish
- Baptism — contact parish office to schedule
- First Communion & Confirmation — arranged through CCD program (children); adults contact the parish
- Holy Matrimony — begin preparation at least 8 months before the wedding
- RCIA — regional program for adults, meets in the fall
Faith Formation (CCD)
Children's faith formation at St. Mary's is organized through the parish's CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program, coordinated by Heather Leffers. The program prepares children for the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation. Adults seeking initiation into the Catholic Church participate in the regional RCIA program that meets in the fall.
- CCD Coordinator: Heather Leffers ([email protected])
- First Communion preparation for children via CCD
- Confirmation preparation for children via CCD
- Adult RCIA — regional program meeting in the fall
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Mary's is led by Pastor Rev. Paul Carlson, who also serves as Pastor of the linked parish of Holy Family in Oglesby and as Adjutant Episcopal Vicar for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Peoria. A parochial vicar assists with ministry. The parish also relies on a small dedicated lay staff for administration, faith formation, and cemetery care.
- Rev. Paul Carlson — Pastor ([email protected])
- Parochial Vicar — assisting
- Jennifer Newman — Parish Secretary ([email protected])
- Heather Leffers — CCD Coordinator ([email protected])
- Bill Brown — Cemetery Sexton ([email protected])
Parish Cemetery
St. Mary's maintains a parish cemetery, an important ministry of the parish to local Catholic families. Inquiries and arrangements are handled through the Cemetery Sexton.
- Cemetery Sexton: Bill Brown ([email protected])
150th Anniversary of the Diocese of Peoria — Pilgrimage Site
In celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Diocese of Peoria (opening Mass February 12, 2025, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria; closing May 22, 2027), the diocese designated six official Pilgrimage Sites. St. Mary's, Utica, is one of them — chosen because it stands on the historic ground of the 1675 Mission of the Immaculate Conception. The faithful who make a pious pilgrimage to St. Mary's during this period may obtain the 150th Anniversary indulgence granted by the Holy Father.
- Anniversary celebration window: February 12, 2025 – May 22, 2027
- St. Mary's is one of six Diocesan Pilgrimage Sites
- Indulgence granted by the Holy Father available to pilgrims
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors may reach the parish office by phone, fax, or email, or visit in person at 303 S. Division Street in the village of North Utica, LaSalle County, Illinois. The church is located near Starved Rock State Park in the Illinois River valley and is accessible from I-80 via Route 178.
- Mailing address: St. Mary's Church, PO Box 159, North Utica, IL 61373
- Street address: 303 S. Division Street, North Utica, IL 61373
- Phone & Fax: 815-667-4677
- Parish Office email: [email protected]
- Bulletin email: [email protected]
- Schedule email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stmarysutica.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles Xavier O'Neill1883
Appointed first pastor of St. Mary's; never took up residence.
- Rev. Canon Jeremiah Moynihan1884
First resident pastor.
- Rev. Francis J. O'Reilly1888
Succeeded Canon Moynihan and erected the present church in 1888.
- Rev. Paul Carlson2025–
Current pastor; also pastor of linked parish Holy Family, Oglesby; named pastor effective November 1, 2025.