St. Patrick Catholic Church

About St. Patrick Catholic Church

St. Patrick Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish at 437 S. Orange Street in Havana, Illinois, founded in 1865 and belonging to the Diocese of Peoria. It is part of the '3 for the Trinity' collaborative — a community of three parishes (St. Patrick's in Havana, Immaculate Conception in Manito, and St. Mary's in Lewistown) that together serve East Fulton County and all of Mason County. The parish website describes itself as having 'much love and a growing Spiritual community' despite its small size, and emphasizes outreach to the needy of rural West Central Illinois.

History

According to the 1879 history of Mason County, St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church was built about the close of the Civil War, around 1865. Before then, Catholic families in and around Havana were only occasionally administered to by visiting priests from Pekin and Peoria. With the construction of the church, a mission society was formed and was visited monthly by a regular pastor. In early 1878, Father Ruby oversaw the construction of a 'neat little parsonage' adjacent to the chapel. He was succeeded by Father Devine, who died by drowning shortly after taking the pastorate. Father Henry Delbaere then became pastor, also administering every alternate Sunday to the Catholic society in Manito. By 1879 the parish numbered about forty families with a flourishing Sunday school. Today, St. Patrick's continues that mission as part of the 3 for the Trinity collaborative under Father David Whiteside.

Clergy & Staff

St. Patrick's is served by Father David Whiteside, pastor of the 3 for the Trinity collaborative. Three deacons — Bill Meyer, Jon Dosher, and Bob Sondag — assist across the three parishes. The parish office is shared across the collaborative and bulletins are mailed under the leadership of the pastoral team.

• Father David Whiteside — Pastor
• Deacon Bill Meyer
• Deacon Jon Dosher
• Deacon Bob Sondag

3 for the Trinity Collaborative

St. Patrick's is one of three parishes that make up the '3 for the Trinity' collaborative — the name inspired by the doctrine of the Trinity (Three in One). The three parishes act as one Catholic community, praying for, working with, serving and supporting each other across a roughly 30-mile span. Father David Whiteside serves as pastor of all three.

• St. Patrick's Church — Havana (Mason County)
• Immaculate Conception Church — Manito (Mason County)
• St. Mary's Church — Lewistown (Fulton County)

Year of the Rosary

Father David Whiteside has called the three parishes to celebrate a special 'Year of the Rosary,' beginning the first weekend of October (the month of the rosary) and continuing through the first weekend of the following October. The initiative is described as a way to battle the evils of the world through 'a powerful prayer and weapon against evil,' drawing on the traditional Catholic teaching of Pope St. Paul VI on the Month of May and the rosary as a means of obtaining 'greater abundance' from Heaven.

• Begins the first weekend of October each year
• Continues through the first weekend of the following October
• Parish-wide devotion promoted across the 3 for the Trinity collaborative

Outreach & Community Life

The parish website emphasizes that 'rural West Central Illinois is a needy area and we look to do our best to help our fellow man.' St. Patrick's, alongside its 3 for the Trinity partner parishes, hosts a variety of events and service opportunities throughout the year and remains an active presence in the surrounding community of Mason and East Fulton Counties.

• Active service opportunities throughout the year
• Outreach to the rural needy of West Central Illinois
• Community events across the three parishes

Visit & Contact

Visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Patrick's. The church is located at 437 S. Orange Street in Havana, Illinois. The parish phone line is (309) 543-6373, and the parish office can be reached at (309) 740-1495. Weekly bulletins and the full Mass schedule are available at the collaborative website, 3forthetrinity.org. Handicapped parking is available on the north side of the church.

• Address: 437 S. Orange Street, Havana, IL 62644
• Phone: (309) 543-6373
• Parish Office: (309) 740-1495
• Website: https://3forthetrinity.org/
• Handicapped parking north of the church