About St. Mary · Westville, Illinois
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Westville, Illinois, located at 231 N. State Street. Founded in 1903 in what was then a coal-mining and railroad town with strong Lithuanian immigrant roots, the parish belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Peoria and today forms part of a linked-parish grouping with Holy Family (Danville), St. Anthony (Hoopeston), St. Isaac Jogues (Georgetown), and St. Paul (Danville). The parish is currently led by Father Timothy J. Sauppé, who has served since June 2008, and offers a full week of Masses plus Saturday confessions, a CCD religious-education program, and an active Altar & Rosary Society, Holy Name Society, choir, lector corps, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Timothy J. Sauppé
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers a faithful, welcoming Roman Catholic home in Westville with a full week of Masses (daily Monday–Friday at 7:30 AM, Saturday Vigil at 4:00 PM, and Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30 AM), Saturday confessions, and a robust devotional life including the Rosary, Stations of the Cross in Lent, First Friday devotions, and a Mother of Perpetual Help novena. Parishioners can become part of long-standing ministries such as the Altar & Rosary Society, Holy Name Society, choir, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, and the CCD religious-education program for children. Registered members also receive advance notice of religious-education enrollment and the option of weekly offertory envelopes, with online giving now available through the parish website and mobile app.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM (or 3:00–3:45 PM on older schedule)
- By appointment
Parish Identity & Location
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Westville, Vermilion County, Illinois, at 231 N. State Street (ZIP 61883). The parish belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Peoria — a diocese stretching 26 counties from Indiana to Iowa and from Rock Island to Vermilion — and is currently linked with Holy Family (Danville), St. Anthony (Hoopeston), St. Isaac Jogues (Georgetown), and St. Paul (Danville).
- Founded 1903
- Diocese of Peoria
- Linked parishes: Holy Family, St. Anthony, St. Isaac Jogues, St. Paul
Parish History
St. Mary's was founded in 1903 in a coal-mining and railroad town then home to about 2,500 people, largely Lithuanian immigrants. A school was built first, with its upper floor serving as the worship space; a brick church followed in 1906. Over more than a century the parish has been served by fifteen pastors (or so), weathered the Great Depression, rebuilt after mine-subsidence damage, and absorbed three neighboring parishes.
- 1903: Parish founded
- 1906: Brick church built
- 1948: St. Anthony's, Hegeler, merged in
- 1951: St. Procopius merged in
- 1950: New church dedicated April 30 (replacing mine-damaged 1906 building)
- 1960: New school built under Msgr. Julius Siesel
- 1990: Sts. Peter and Paul merged in
Devotions, Rosary & Other Services
Beyond Mass and confession, St. Mary's keeps a steady devotional rhythm: the Rosary is prayed before each weekday Mass, before the Saturday Vigil, and before the Sunday 8:00 AM Mass, with an evening Rosary prayed Sunday through Friday at 5:00 PM. The parish also offers a Mother of Perpetual Help novena on Wednesdays before morning Mass, Bible Study on Mondays 2:00–4:00 PM in the rectory, and Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent.
- Rosary: Mon–Fri 7:00 AM; Sat 3:30 PM; Sun 7:30 AM; Evening Rosary Sun–Fri 5:00 PM
- Mother of Perpetual Help Novena: Wednesdays before morning Mass
- Bible Study: Mondays 2:00–4:00 PM (rectory)
- Stations of the Cross: Fridays in Lent
- May Crowning: first Sunday of May (children attend)
Religious Education (CCD)
The parish's CCD program — Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, the historic name for Catholic religious education — meets on Sundays from 9:00 to 10:15 AM between the two Sunday Masses. Children preparing for First Communion and Confirmation receive their formation here, and the parish hosts a Christmas Posada celebration, an Easter Egg Hunt after Easter Masses, and an end-of-year party in May.
- Sunday CCD classes 9:00–10:15 AM
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation (separate webpage)
- Christmas Posada, Easter Egg Hunt, May Crowning, end-of-year party
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Mary's has a rich parish life organized around traditional Catholic lay societies and liturgical ministries. The Altar & Rosary Society (women's society) prepares and serves funeral dinners for grieving families and supplies altar needs like candles, wine, and hosts. The Holy Name Society and Madonna Rosary are also active, and liturgical roles are filled by lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, and a parish choir supported by a music director and organists. A Common Parish Advisory Council meets regularly, and a Youth Group / DTS provides ministry to younger parishioners.
- Altar & Rosary Society (dues $10; officers include Mary Ann Hughes, JoAnn Thompson, Janet Green)
- Holy Name Society
- Madonna Rosary
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers
- Parish Choir, Music Director, organists
- CCD teachers
- Common Parish Advisory Council
- Youth Group / DTS
- Funeral Dinner Group
Sacraments
Parishioners can prepare for and receive the seven sacraments through St. Mary's. Reconciliation is heard Saturday afternoons; Baptisms, Marriages, First Communion, and Confirmation are arranged through the parish office, with the parish operating dedicated webpages for Baptism information, Marriage information, and Confirmation preparation. Anointing of the Sick and funerals are coordinated with the pastor.
- Baptism — by arrangement with the parish
- First Communion — through CCD
- Confirmation — dedicated preparation webpage
- Matrimony — by arrangement with the parish
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:00–3:30 PM or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the rectory
Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery
The parish maintains St. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery, located southeast of Westville. The cemetery has published rules covering hours (7:00 AM to dusk), permitted decorations, and seasonal cleanup: winter decorations are removed after February 27, and spring/summer/fall decorations after September 18; Memorial Day decorations are removed two weeks after the holiday. Metal frames, crushed stone, fences, shrubs, ground ornaments, jars, bottles, potted plants, unlicensed vehicles, and ATVs are not permitted, and alcohol is prohibited.
- Hours: 7:00 AM to dusk
- Wreaths/grave blankets permitted in winter
- Decoration removals: Feb 27 (winter), Sept 18 (spring/summer/fall), two weeks after Memorial Day
- No metal frames, fences, shrubs, or ground ornaments
Lithuanian Heritage & Parish Publications
Westville's Lithuanian Catholic roots are central to the parish's identity. Father John Flattery, a senior priest of the Diocese of Peoria, researched and wrote A Short History of a Big Lithuanian Row in Westville, Illinois, a booklet accompanied by dozens of historic photographs of first Communions, church buildings, schools, and a 1920s parish baseball team. Proceeds from the booklet benefit St. Mary's.
- Booklet: A Short History of a Big Lithuanian Row in Westville, Illinois
- Author: Father John Flattery, senior priest, Diocese of Peoria
- Companion history of Sts. Peter and Paul (1932–1973 pastor Fr. John Paukstis) and Holy Cross Lithuanian parish
Parish Communications & Giving
St. Mary's maintains both a long-running site at catholic-church.org/~westvillestmarys and a newer site at stmaryscc.com, which offers online Mass streams via YouTube, weekly bulletins, a mobile app for smartphones, and online giving. The parish also produces recorded homilies by Father Sauppé on a wide range of topics, including homilies from the 2019 Vatican Clergy Abuse Summit and reflections on Humanae Vitae, Amoris Laetitia, and same-sex marriage.
- Websites: stmaryscc.com and catholic-church.org/~westvillestmarys
- Mobile app for smartphones
- Online giving
- YouTube channel for homilies and live Mass
- Facebook page
- Weekly parish bulletin
Community Outreach
Beyond the parish walls, Father Sauppé has encouraged parishioners to take part in local civic and environmental initiatives. St. Mary's is a member of Keep Vermilion County Beautiful, and Father Sauppé is active in Dark Vermilion Skies, a local chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association that fights light pollution and preserves the night sky over Vermilion County. The parish also supported a $12,000 emergency generator for the Westville community and partnered in the community's Sesquicentennial (150th) celebration.
- Keep Vermilion County Beautiful — parish member
- Dark Vermilion Skies (light-pollution advocacy)
- Community emergency generator initiative
- Westville/Vermilion County Sesquicentennial celebration
Visiting & Registering
According to Canon Law, families may not be registered in two parishes at the same time. To register at St. Mary's means participating in the worship life of the parish and supporting it with the tithing of prayer, time, and finance. Registered parishioners receive advance notice of religious-education programs and enrollment dates and may choose to receive weekly offertory envelopes (or to give online).
- Rectory phone: (217) 267-3334
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 231 N. State Street, Westville, IL 61883
- On the corner of E. Williams St. and Route 1; from I-74 take the Westville exit south
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick O'Culletonto 1910
Founding pastor; oversaw construction of the 1906 brick church.
- Fr. John Fitzpatrick1910–1918
- Fr. Thomas Cleary1918–1928
- Fr. Thomas Muleady1928–1939
Served through the Great Depression; school closed during this period.
- Msgr. Julius Siesel1939–1977
Revived the parish; reopened the school; built the new church (dedicated April 30, 1950), the church tower, rectory, garage (1954), and a new school (1960). Awarded papal honors and titled Monsignor; retired after 38 years.
- Fr. Leo Batesuntil 1984
Served first as co-pastor, then named pastor.
- Fr. Richard Fitzsimmonsuntil October 1988
- Fr. Albert Hallinuntil May 1990
- Fr. David HeinzJune 1990 – June 1994
Ninth pastor.
- Fr. Patrick RiordanJune 1994 – June 1996
- Fr. Dean Huguetto April 2000
Died unexpectedly on Holy Thursday 2000 after extended illness.
- Fr. David EricksonJune 2000 – February 14, 2007
Decorated the sanctuary with murals and added the Eucharistic Chapel.
- Fr. Thomas Badovskybrief tenure
- Fr. Richard Brunskillapproximately one year
- Fr. Timothy J. SauppéJune 2008 – present
Current pastor; has championed the parish's online giving, mobile app, and outreach efforts including Keep Vermilion County Beautiful and Dark Vermilion Skies.