About St. Patrick · Ottawa, Illinois
St. Patrick Church is one of three Catholic worship sites in the Ottawa Catholic Community (officially St. Brigid Parish of Ottawa) in Ottawa, Illinois. Founded in 1893 as a second Irish parish carved out of the older St. Columba parish, it serves the west side of Ottawa and Ottawa Township within the Diocese of Peoria. The parish offers daily Mass, Sunday Mass, confession, Eucharistic Adoration in its chapel, and the parish-wide OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) program.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Monsignor Mark Merdian
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Patrick offers the fullness of parish life in Ottawa — daily 7 a.m. Mass Monday through Friday, Sunday Masses at 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., weekly Eucharistic Adoration in the church chapel on Thursdays and Fridays, and a robust parish-wide OCIA process hosted at St. Patrick Hall. As part of the merged St. Brigid Parish of Ottawa, it shares priests, staff, and programs with neighboring St. Columba and St. Francis of Assisi, giving newcomers access to confession, faith formation, and community across the west side of town.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
- Saturday: 3:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. (at St. Columba)
- 20 minutes before all other Masses
Adoration times
- Thursdays and Fridays in the St. Patrick Church chapel (sign-up via We Adore Him)
Parish History
St. Patrick's was established in March 1893 when Bishop John Lancaster Spalding, the first Bishop of Peoria, divided the older St. Columba parish to create a second Irish Catholic parish serving west Ottawa and Ottawa Township. The 32-year-old Rev. M. A. Quirk was appointed to organize the new community, and the parish has continued serving Ottawa's west side ever since, today as one of three worship sites in the merged Ottawa Catholic Community.
- 1893: Parish founded by Bishop Spalding
- First pastor: Rev. M. A. Quirk
- Boundary: all of west Ottawa and Ottawa Township west of the city limits
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) is the parish's formation process for adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. Weekly classes begin in the fall and culminate at the Easter Vigil, preparing adults for Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation. The Ottawa Catholic Community hosts 'Come and See' information evenings at St. Patrick Hall each year before classes begin, and anyone wanting to learn more about the Catholic faith is welcome to attend.
- Come and See gatherings: typically held in August at St. Patrick Hall
- Classes begin in early September, 6:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Patrick Hall
- Year-long process culminating at the Easter Vigil
- Open to non-Catholics and any adult wishing to grow in the faith
Clergy and Staff
St. Patrick's is pastored as part of the merged St. Brigid Parish of Ottawa. Monsignor Mark Merdian serves as pastor, with Father Nicolas Wilson and Father Patrick Wille as parochial vicars assigned to the Ottawa Catholic Community. Parish office staff are reachable through the central parish office.
- Pastor: Monsignor Mark Merdian
- Parochial Vicar: Father Nicolas Wilson
- Parochial Vicar: Father Patrick Wille
- Parish staff: Mary Lynne Chambliss, Nancy Conness, Joanie Resendiz
The Ottawa Catholic Community
St. Patrick is one of three worship sites that together form the Ottawa Catholic Community, alongside St. Columba (the city's oldest Catholic parish) and St. Francis of Assisi. The combined community, officially St. Brigid Parish of Ottawa, shares priests, faith-formation programs, and staff, while each church maintains its own schedule of Masses and devotions.
- Three churches: St. Columba, St. Patrick, St. Francis of Assisi
- Shared clergy and staff under one pastor
- Central office: 122 W. Washington St., Ottawa, IL 61350
Visit, Contact, and Location
St. Patrick Church is located at 726 W. Jefferson Street on Ottawa's west side. The mailing address for the parish office is 122 W. Washington St., Ottawa, IL 61350. Visitors can reach the parish by phone at (815) 433-0700 or email [email protected]. The church is part of the Diocese of Peoria.
- Address: 726 W. Jefferson St., Ottawa, IL 61350
- Parish office: 122 W. Washington St., Ottawa, IL 61350
- Phone: (815) 433-0700
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. M. A. Quirk1893–
First priest in charge, appointed by Bishop Spalding at age 32 to organize the new parish.