About St. Patrick · Enfield, Illinois
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a small rural parish in Enfield, White County, Illinois — one of the oldest Catholic communities in the county, established in 1830 and long serving Irish-American farming families in Enfield and Crook townships. It is part of the Diocese of Belleville and is currently partnered with St. Polycarp Parish in Carmi under a shared pastoral team. The parish gathers for Sunday morning Mass and a couple of weekday evening liturgies, with confession offered before Mass and by appointment.
- Established
- 1830
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Gregory Ogbenika (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Patrick offers an intimate, multigenerational Catholic community rooted in nearly two centuries of Irish-Catholic heritage in rural White County. Worshippers here attend a classic sandstone church consecrated in 1939, gather for a single Sunday Mass and a couple of midweek liturgies, and have ready access to confession before Sunday Mass or by appointment. As a partnered parish with neighboring St. Polycarp in Carmi, St. Patrick is supported by a shared pastoral team and a joint parish council, giving a small rural church real strength and continuity.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 10–30 minutes before Mass
- By appointment
Parish History
St. Patrick's roots reach back to 1830, when pioneer circuit-riding priests — the first of them Fr. E.J. Durbin — began serving the scattered Catholic settlers of Enfield Township. A log chapel on the Patrick Dolan farm was dedicated sometime after 1850 and replaced by a wood-frame church between 1862 and 1865 on what is now the newer section of St. Patrick's Cemetery. The community was named for Ireland's patron saint because it was settled largely by Irish immigrants displaced by the Great Famine.
- 1830 — Parish established as a Catholic mission in Enfield Township, White County.
- after 1850 — Log church dedicated on the Patrick Dolan farm.
- 1862–1865 — Wood-frame church built on the present cemetery grounds.
- 1871 — Fr. William O'Reilly becomes the first resident pastor; parish registry and by-laws established.
- 1885 — Fr. Baltasar Wittauer appointed; serves until his death in 1914.
- 1890 — New wood-frame church completed at a cost of $5,000.
- 1895 — Order of the Servants of Mary opens a Motherhouse and boarding school on parish property.
- 1926 — Monsignor Wilfrid Hanagan, St. Patrick's only native-son priest, is ordained.
- Nov. 27, 1938 — The 1890 wood church is destroyed by fire (defective flue).
- Thanksgiving Day 1939 — The present St. Meinrad sandstone church and rectory are dedicated by Bishop Henry Althoff.
- 1975 — Brick parish hall built with the support of the John and Joseph Dunn families.
- Nov. 26, 1989 — Bishop James P. Keleher concelebrates the Golden Jubilee of the current church dedication.
Buildings & Architecture
Today's St. Patrick complex reflects nearly two centuries of rural Catholic life in southeastern Illinois: a working sandstone church, an attached rectory, and a later brick parish hall, all set along County Road 25 E.
- St. Meinrad sandstone church (1939) with adjoining rectory — third church on or near this site.
- Brick parish hall built in 1975 to replace the older wooden hall.
- St. Patrick's Cemetery — older section adjoining the original 1862–1865 church site, with a newer section added later.
Parish Partnership with St. Polycarp, Carmi
St. Patrick, Enfield is formally partnered with St. Polycarp Parish in Carmi under a shared pastoral team. The two parishes work together through a joint parish council — formed as part of the Diocese of Belleville's parish renewal and restructuring plan — and share an office at 209 Fourth Street, Carmi, IL 62821 (the same mailing address used by St. Patrick). Their shared online presence carries information about both parishes, a calendar of events, and alerts.
- Partnered parish: St. Polycarp, Carmi (established 1847).
- Joint Parish Council coordinates the pastoral and administrative life of both parishes.
- Shared website: whitecountycatholic.org.
- Shared Facebook: facebook.com/stpolycarpandstpatrick.
- Shared office phone: 618-380-2262.
Clergy & Staff
St. Patrick is currently served by an Administrator who also leads the partner parish of St. Polycarp in Carmi, supported by a Coordinator of Religious Education and an Office Manager at the shared Carmi office.
- Administrator: Rev. Gregory Ogbenika — 618-380-2262.
- Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE): Vincent Mitchell — 618-963-2431.
- Office Manager: Carrie Jones — 618-380-2262.
Religious Education
Faith formation for the parish's children is coordinated through the CRE, who serves both St. Patrick and the partnered St. Polycarp community.
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Vincent Mitchell — 618-963-2431.
Visit, Location & Contact
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a rural parish located at 1377 County Road 25 E, Enfield, IL 62835. While the church sits in Enfield Township, mailing address and the shared parish office are at 209 Fourth Street, Carmi, Illinois 62821, with the same phone number serving both partner parishes. The Diocese of Belleville maintains the official listing for St. Patrick under the partnerships page.
- Street address: 1377 CR 25 E, Enfield, IL 62835.
- Mailing address: 209 Fourth Street, Carmi, IL 62821.
- Phone: 618-380-2262.
- Diocese of Belleville directory: diobelle.org/directory/parishes/st-patrick-enfield.
- GCatholic entry: gcatholic.org/churches/usa-07/30409.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. E.J. Durbin
First priest recorded as visiting the settlement; circuit-riding mission priest, before any resident pastor.
- Fr. William O'Reilly1871–
First resident pastor of St. Patrick's; established the parish registry and by-laws.
- Fr. Baltasar Wittauer1885–1914
Built the 1890 wood-frame church and helped establish the Motherhouse/boarding school run by the Servants of Mary in 1895; served until his death.
- Fr. Fred Halbig—1938+
Pastor when the 1890 wood church burned on Nov. 27, 1938; oversaw construction of today's sandstone church and rectory, dedicated Thanksgiving 1939.
- Fr. C. Brumleve
Served the parish (post-1936).
- Fr. P. Strauder
Served the parish.
- Fr. L. Drone
Served the parish.
- Fr. J. Trapp
Served the parish.
- Fr. J. Lawler
Served the parish.
- Fr. E. Perjack
Served the parish.
- Fr. J. Schoen
Served the parish.
- Fr. M. Maughan
Served the parish.
- Fr. S. Rudolphi
Served the parish.
- Rev. Vincent Obi
Listed as 'our current priest' on the parish's written history page (predecessor to the present administrator).
- Rev. Gregory Ogbenikapresent
Current Administrator of St. Patrick, Enfield (and partnered St. Polycarp, Carmi), per the Diocese of Belleville directory.