About St. Matthew · Champaign, Illinois
St. Matthew Roman Catholic Parish is a thriving faith community in southwest Champaign, Illinois, belonging to the Diocese of Peoria. Established in 1965 as a split-off from Holy Cross Church, it now serves more than 1,600 families and is home to St. Matthew School (K-8, with a preschool) and a parish campus that includes a church, parish center, gymnasium/performing arts facility, and a 24-hour Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. The parish's stated mission is to educate and form children and all members of the parish family to know, love, and serve God in this life, so as to be with Him in the next — "to make saints."
- Established
- 1965
- Patron
- St. Matthew the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu, PhD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Matthew is a large, family-friendly Catholic parish in southwest Champaign with deep roots in the community and a robust campus: a church, a grade school (K-8) with a preschool, a parish center, a performing arts/athletic facility, and a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel open 24 hours a day. Parishioners benefit from multiple daily and weekend Masses (including a Saturday vigil and a Sunday Mass also offered at nearby St. Boniface), abundant confession times, rich faith formation for children, youth, and adults (OCIA, Bible studies, Men's and Women's groups), and ministries spanning outreach, evangelization, liturgy, and marriage prep. The parish's stated mission — to know, love, and serve God and "make saints" — shows up in concrete programs like the parish school, perpetual adoration, OCIA, and parish-school partnerships.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:30-6:50 AM
- Saturday 7:30-8:30 AM
- Saturday 3:00-4:00 PM
- Anytime by appointment (217-359-4114)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel — 24 hours a day, keycard access required (contact parish office for keycard)
Our History
St. Matthew Parish grew out of Holy Cross Church in Champaign. In 1959, Mrs. Bridget O'Connor donated ten acres of her family farm to the Diocese of Peoria; Bishop John Franz purchased an additional seven acres. Father John W. McGinn of Holy Cross supervised a fundraising drive for a school building and convent, and Bishop Franz dedicated the facility as St. Matthew Auxiliary, an extension of Holy Cross. After the school opened all eight grades by 1964, St. Matthew was established as a separate parish on June 9, 1965, with Father James Martin as first pastor. The current church building was completed and dedicated on April 4, 1978, during the pastorship of Father William C. Feeney (the parish hall, Feeney Hall, is named in his honor).
- 1959: Bridget O'Connor donates ten acres in southwest Champaign; Bishop Franz purchases seven more.
- 1964: All eight school grades operating.
- June 9, 1965: St. Matthew established as a separate parish; Fr. James Martin appointed first pastor.
- January 1972: Fr. William C. Feeney appointed second pastor.
- April 4, 1978: St. Matthew Church completed and dedicated.
- 1980: Convent remodeled into the parish rectory.
- 1985: School expansion adds library and classrooms.
- 1992-1994: Canon Flattery serves as pastor.
- 1994-1998: Fr. Terrance P. O'Brien invites Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George; kindergarten added.
- 1998-2003: Fr. Anthony J. Trosley serves as pastor.
- 2003: Fr. Mark J. Merdian returns as sixth pastor; Building on Christ capital campaign begins.
- 2006: Parish center and gymnasium/performing arts facility completed.
- June 2012: Fr. Robert J. Rayson appointed seventh pastor.
- April 2015: Renovated church rededicated by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky.
- 2017: Preschool added; school now serves PreK-8.
- 2018: Msgr. Stanley Deptula appointed eighth pastor.
- 2020: Vision capital campaign launched.
- 2021: School renovations completed (windows, ceilings, lighting, offices, classrooms).
- 2022: Bell tower completed with real swinging bells.
- 2023: Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu appointed ninth pastor.
Our Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by its ninth pastor, Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu, PhD, who is assisted by two parochial vicars, a deacon, and a full lay staff responsible for liturgy, religious education, outreach, parish administration, and the parish business office.
- Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu, PhD — Pastor ([email protected])
- Fr. Nathan Hopper — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Fr. Jack Swoik — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Deacon David Schug ([email protected])
- Joe Taylor — Director of Parish Administration ([email protected])
- Cindy Costello — Business/Office Manager ([email protected])
- Loretta Oakley — Liturgical Coordinator/Music Director ([email protected])
- Katie Race — Director of Outreach & Evangelization ([email protected])
- Katie Pisarczyk — Pastoral Associate ([email protected])
- Susan Taylor — Director of Religious Education / Wedding Ceremony Coordinator ([email protected])
Sacraments
St. Matthew provides preparation and celebration for all seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, First Communion, Funerals, Confession, and Anointing of the Sick, as well as discernment for Holy Orders. Children's sacramental preparation is handled separately, while adults seeking initiation or completion of sacraments are guided through the parish's OCIA process.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- First Communion
- Funerals
- Confession (Reconciliation)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration
Faith Formation
The parish offers a full life-long faith formation program, with separate tracks for children, youth, and adults, plus OCIA for those exploring Catholicism and a parish library.
Children's Faith Formation
Children prepare to receive the sacraments through dedicated catechetical programming tied to the parish's Sacramental Preparation program.
Youth Ministry
St. Matthew's Youth Ministry serves both middle-schoolers and high-schoolers with separate Jr. High and High School tracks.
- Jr. High Youth Ministry
- High School Youth Ministry
Adult Faith Formation
Adults at St. Matthew can grow in their faith through Bible Studies, plus active Men's and Women's groups. The parish also subscribes to Formed.org for at-home study, and maintains a Parish Library.
- Bible Studies
- Men's Group
- Women's Group
- Formed.org
- Parish Library
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
OCIA is the Catholic Church's process for adults exploring full communion, whether unbaptized, baptized but uncatechized, or returning Catholics. Sessions run August through May on Wednesday evenings, beginning with a "Come and See" Intro Night. Registration for 2026-2027 is open.
- Sessions: Wednesday evenings, August-May
- Recent Intro Night: Wednesday, August 12 at 6:30 PM in Feeney Hall
- Open to the curious, returning Catholics, and those needing sacraments
St. Matthew School
St. Matthew Catholic School provides religious-based education from kindergarten through eighth grade to more than 460 students, with a preschool added in 2017 to serve pre-K. The school sits right next to the parish on the Lincolnshire Drive campus and underwent significant renovations in 2021 (new windows, ceilings, lighting, front office space, and classrooms).
- Grades: Preschool through 8th grade
- Enrollment: more than 460 students
- School Hours: 7:35 AM - 3:30 PM
- School Phone: 217-359-4114
- Address: 1307 Lincolnshire Drive, Champaign, IL 61821
- Principal: Michelle Biggs ([email protected])
- Director of School Admin: Michelle Tushevski ([email protected])
- Asst. Dir. of Admin./Asst. Athletic Dir: Jeff Starwalt ([email protected])
- Cafeteria manager: Mary Margaret O'Connor, (217) 863-2190
- Preschool established in 2017
- 2021: building renovations completed (windows, ceilings, lighting, offices, classrooms)
Parish Campus & Facilities
The Lincolnshire Drive campus includes the church, the school building, the parish center, a gymnasium/performing arts facility (added 2006), Feeney Hall (used for parish liturgies during the 2014-2015 church renovation), and a 24/7 Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. The bell tower — completed in 2022 with real swinging bells — anchors the campus visually.
- Parish center and gymnasium/performing arts facility (2006)
- Feeney Hall (named for 2nd pastor Fr. William C. Feeney)
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel — 24/7
- Bell tower with real swinging bells (2022)
- Livestreaming capability added to church (2020)
Contact & Visit
St. Matthew Catholic Church is located at 1303 Lincolnshire Drive, Champaign, IL 61821. The Parish Office is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and can be reached at 217-359-4114. Registration for parish membership and online giving are both available through the website.
- Address: 1303 Lincolnshire Drive, Champaign, IL 61821
- Phone: 217-359-4114
- Parish Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
- Parish Registration available via website
- Online Giving available via website
- Diocese: Diocese of Peoria (Catholic Diocese of Peoria)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Martin1965-
First pastor; appointed when St. Matthew was established as a separate parish on June 9, 1965.
- Fr. William C. Feeney1972-
Appointed January 1972; current parish hall is named Feeney Hall in his honor; died after 20 years of service.
- Canon Flattery1992-1994
Served as pastor.
- Fr. Terrance P. O'Brien1994-1998
Invited the Sisters of Saint Francis of the Martyr St. George to reside in the parish and serve at the school; started kindergarten program.
- Fr. Anthony J. Trosley1998-2003
Served as pastor.
- Fr. Mark J. Merdian2003-
Former assistant pastor; returned as sixth pastor; oversaw Building on Christ capital campaign.
- Fr. Robert J. Rayson2012-
Seventh pastor; appointed June 2012; oversaw 2014-2015 church renovation and 2015 rededication by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky.
- Msgr. Stanley Deptula2018-
Eighth pastor; appointed 2018.
- Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu, PhD2023-
Ninth and current pastor; appointed 2023.