About St. Patrick · Elkhart, Illinois
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a small rural parish in Elkhart, Illinois, with more than 150 years of service to God and His Church. It is one of four parishes in the Logan County Catholic Community (clustered with Holy Family in Lincoln, St. Mary in Atlanta, and St. Thomas Aquinas in Mt. Pulaski) within the Diocese of Peoria, sharing clergy, religious education, and sacramental programs across rural Logan County. The parish describes itself as a multigenerational community with a strong work ethic that fosters beautiful sacramental celebrations, supported by diverse talents used for community events. Mass is celebrated Sunday and Tuesday mornings at 8:00 a.m. in the historic church on South Bogardus Street.
- Established
- 1857
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Dondanville
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Patrick's offers the warmth of a small, multigenerational rural parish where every family matters and the sacraments are celebrated reverently. As one of four parishes in the Logan County Catholic Community, members share in a strong network of ministries — including parish-based CCD religious education for grades 1–8, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), adult faith formation, a music ministry led by the Dominican Sisters, and parish council representation. Visitors are welcomed to a Sunday or Tuesday morning Mass and into a tight-knit community whose talents are regularly turned toward shared parish events.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confession is offered at the cluster's other parishes (Holy Family in Lincoln: Tuesday 7:30–8:00 AM before 8:00 AM Mass, and Saturday 2:45–3:30 PM before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass). Reconciliation times specifically for St. Patrick, Elkhart are not separately listed on the official site — contact the parish office for availability.
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration is offered at Holy Family in Lincoln on Thursdays from 3:00 PM (per the cluster bulletin). St. Patrick's specific adoration schedule is not separately listed.
About St. Patrick Catholic Church, Elkhart
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a small rural parish located in Elkhart, Illinois, with a history of more than 150 years of service to God and His Church. The parish describes itself as a multigenerational community with a strong work ethic that fosters beautiful sacramental celebrations and a diversity of talents used for community events. It belongs to the Logan County Catholic Community, a four-parish cluster within the Diocese of Peoria.
- Small rural parish in Elkhart, IL
- Part of the Logan County Catholic Community cluster (formed 2013 through the G.I.F.T. process)
- Diocese of Peoria
- More than 150 years of Catholic history in the area
Parish History
Catholic faith in the Elkhart area reaches back to before 1857, when itinerant priests from St. Louis and Chicago would visit and local Catholic families would gather for Mass in a private home. In 1857 the parish was formally established. Father Maegher of Bloomington served the community as a mission; three years later it became an out-mission of Lincoln under Father Martin, who built the first church in 1862. That building was soon too small, and construction of the present church began in 1870. In 1880 Rev. Charles Rennels was appointed the first resident pastor. By the village's centennial in 1955, Rev. Edward Krewer was pastor and the trustees were Jake Stellar and James T. Hickey.
- 1857 — Parish formally established
- 1862 — First church built by Father Martin
- 1870 — Construction begun on the present church building
- 1880 — Rev. Charles Rennels appointed first resident pastor
- 1955 — Rev. Edward Krewer serving as pastor at village centennial
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Patrick's is served by the shared clergy and staff of the Logan County Catholic Community. Rev. Joseph Dondanville is Pastor and Rev. Nicodemus Muithi is Parochial Vicar; Deacon Wendell Lowry assists across the cluster. Dominican Sisters serve in spiritual life and music, and lay staff handle religious education, facilities, and parish office administration.
- Rev. Joseph Dondanville — Pastor
- Rev. Nicodemus Muithi — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Wendell Lowry
- Sr. Margaret Schreiber, O.P. — Pastoral Associate / Spiritual Life Coordinator
- Sr. Lori Kirchman, O.P. — Director of Music
- Britta Langley — Director of Religious Education
- Michael Higgins — Facilities Manager
- Alicia Baker — Secretary
- Isabel Vidal — Secretary
- David Welch — Carroll Catholic School Principal
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Patrick's offers a parish-based CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) program for grade school students in Grades 1 through 8. Classes begin in September after the 8:00 AM Sunday Mass and run through the school year, preparing students for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. The parish also participates in the cluster's Adult Faith Formation series and the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church.
- CCD Program — Grades 1–8
- Contact: Kristi Olson, [email protected]
- Classes begin first Sunday of September, after 8:00 AM Mass
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — first session typically in early September at Holy Family Bride's Room
- Adult Faith Formation evenings with dinner, presentation, prayer, and dessert
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for the sacraments through age-appropriate formation and parish-wide faith formation events. Infant Baptism requires a parent preparation session; First Communion, Reconciliation, and Confirmation are prepared through CCD. Adult Faith Formation sessions cover the Sacraments of the Sick, Christian burial, and Matrimony.
- Infant Baptism — parent preparation session required; register via the parish office
- First Communion / Reconciliation / Confirmation — through CCD
- Matrimony — sacramental preparation covered in Adult Faith Formation
- Anointing of the Sick — covered in Adult Faith Formation
- Funerals and Christian burial — covered in Adult Faith Formation
Parish Life, Ministries and Community
St. Patrick's parishioners are represented on the Logan County Catholic Community Parish Council (Cheryl Davis and Blane Olson currently serve from St. Patrick's) and participate in cluster-wide ministries including the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary, the St. Mary Altar Society, and Carroll Catholic School in Lincoln. The parish shares a Director of Music (Sister Lori Kirchman, O.P.) and participates in a Drive-Thru Communion ministry following some weekend Masses.
- Parish Council — Cheryl Davis and Blane Olson (St. Patrick representatives)
- Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary — meets 3rd Wednesday, March–November, 7:00 PM at the KC Hall
- St. Mary Altar Society — meets first Monday at 6 PM in the church hall
- Carroll Catholic School — cluster school in Lincoln, 217-732-7518
- Music Ministry — directed by Sister Lori Kirchman, O.P.
- Drive-Thru Communion — following select weekend Masses (cluster ministry)
Cemeteries
The Logan County Catholic Community oversees Holy Cross and St. Mary Cemeteries, with Kenneth 'Scott' Jones serving as Sexton (217-871-0266).
- Holy Cross Cemetery
- St. Mary Cemetery
- Sexton: Kenneth 'Scott' Jones — (217) 871-0266
Contact and Visiting
St. Patrick's is located at 213 S. Bogardus Street in the village of Elkhart, Logan County, Illinois. The Logan County Catholic Community parish office serves all four parishes and can be reached at (217) 732-4019 or [email protected]. Visitors are warmly welcomed at the Sunday 8:00 AM or Tuesday 8:00 AM Mass.
- Address: 213 S. Bogardus Street, Elkhart, IL 62634
- Parish Office Phone: (217) 732-4019
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: logancountycatholic.org
- Sunday Mass — 8:00 AM
- Tuesday Mass — 8:00 AM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Martincirca 1860
Priest in charge when Elkhart became an out-mission of Lincoln; built the first church in 1862.
- Rev. Charles Rennels1880
Appointed the first resident pastor of St. Patrick's; current church begun in 1870 during his tenure.
- Rev. Edward Krewer1955
Listed as the present pastor in the 1955 Elkhart centennial history.