About St. Patrick · Rockford, Illinois
St. Patrick Catholic Church is a bilingual Catholic parish located on the west side of Rockford, Illinois, in the Diocese of Rockford. Founded in 1919 from a meeting called by Bishop Peter J. Muldoon, the parish was named after St. Patrick in honor of the pioneer Catholic Patrick O'Brien. Today the parish serves approximately 400 registered families and is now predominantly Hispanic, with roughly 80% of its congregation Latino and most Masses celebrated in both English and Spanish. The current Parochial Administrator is Father Ariel A. Valencia.
- Established
- 1919
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Fr. Ariel A. Valencia (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockford
Why belong here
St. Patrick welcomes worshippers in both English and Spanish at almost every Mass, making it a true bilingual Catholic home on Rockford's west side. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, regular confession times, a Youth Ministry led by a dedicated coordinator, religious education programs, the long-running annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner, and a food pantry and clothes closet in the parish center — concrete ministries that bind the community together across generations and languages.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday, Thursday, Friday — after the 8:00 AM Mass
- Wednesday — 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM (before the 6:30 PM Spanish Mass)
- Saturday — 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM (Parish Center Chapel)
- Thursday 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM (Parish Center Chapel)
Our History
St. Patrick Parish traces its origins to the summer of 1919, when Bishop Peter J. Muldoon gathered laymen from Rockford's west end at the original St. Thomas High School to plan a new parish. Father Walter J. Scollin was appointed first pastor in August 1919; the first parish Mass was offered that month in the St. Thomas High School hall, which served as a temporary church for 14½ years. A building moved from Camp Grant became the first dedicated St. Patrick Church, completed in November 1920 and solemnly dedicated by Bishop Muldoon on March 17, 1921.
- Founded 1919 under Bishop Peter J. Muldoon, Diocese of Rockford
- Patron St. Patrick chosen by donor James O'Brien in honor of his father, pioneer Catholic Patrick O'Brien
- First Mass in new church: November 14, 1920; solemn dedication March 17, 1921
- Parochial school opened February 4, 1929 by Fr. Francis J. Keenan with Dominican Sisters from Sinsinawa Mound, Wisconsin
- Present church and rectory dedicated May 20, 1952 by Bishop John J. Boylan; Cardinal Samuel Stritch preached
- Parish center in former convent dedicated November 25, 1990 by Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill
- St. Patrick Schools closed June 2, 1995 after 66 years
Parish Staff
The parish is currently led by Parochial Administrator Fr. Ariel A. Valencia. Religious education and youth ministry are coordinated by Estephany Rodriguez, and parish office operations are managed by Secretary Yuli Rodriguez.
- Fr. Ariel A. Valencia — Parochial Administrator — (815) 965-9539
- Estephany Rodriguez — Coordinator of Religious Education / Youth Ministry — [email protected] — Ext. 203
- Yuli Rodriguez — Secretary — [email protected] — Ext. 204
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Religious Education and Youth Ministry at St. Patrick are coordinated by Estephany Rodriguez. The parish has hosted diocesan formation events such as a Level 1 Catechist Certification in Spanish, in partnership with the Diocese of Rockford's RE Office, building up bilingual catechetical leadership in the community.
- Coordinator of Religious Education / Youth Ministry: Estephany Rodriguez
- Level 1 Catechist Certification in Spanish hosted on-site (July 8) with the Diocese of Rockford RE Office
- Contact: [email protected] — Ext. 203
Parish Outreach & Community Life
St. Patrick's Parish Center, built into the former convent and dedicated by Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill in 1990, houses the parish food pantry and clothes closet — ministries sustained by parish volunteers that continue the church's long tradition of corporal works of mercy.
- Food Pantry (in Parish Center)
- Clothes Closet (in Parish Center)
- Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner every March — nearly 90 years running
Contact & Office Hours
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Patrick by phone, fax, email, or in person during office hours. The parish office is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Address: 2505 School Street, Rockford, IL 61101
- Phone: (815) 965-9539 | Fax: (815) 965-0086
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday closed; Tuesday–Friday 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Walter J. Scollin1919–1927
First pastor; returned from army chaplaincy to lead founding of the parish.
- Fr. Francis J. Keenan1927–1944
Opened the parochial school in 1929.
- Fr. Laurence C. Prendergast1944–1950
Purchased ten acres at School St. & N. Johnston Ave. and began the new church.
- Fr. Francis P. McNally1950–1957
Built and dedicated the present church and rectory (1952) and the new school (1954).
- Fr. John F. Regan1957–1964
Completed the eight-room school addition in 1958.
- Fr. Michael J. Tierney1982–1993
Oversaw the new parish center dedicated 1990.
- Fr. Ronald A. Jones1994–1997
Pastor when St. Patrick Schools closed in 1995.
- Rev. William P. Collins1997–2002
Pastor from November 1997 to May 2002.
- Rev. Brian A. Geary2002–2008
Pastor from May 2002 to July 2008.
- Rev. Ricardo Hernandez2008–2014
Administrator July 2008–Feb 2009; Pastor Feb 2009–July 2014.
- Rev. Alejandro Del Toro2014–2018
Administrator July 2014–May 2015; Pastor May 2015–Dec 2018.
- Rev. Jhakson Garcia2019–2022
Administrator from January 2019 to January 2022.
- Fr. Ariel A. Valenciacurrent
Current Parochial Administrator; serves ~400 registered families.