About St. Paul · Johnston City, Illinois
St. Paul Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Belleville in Johnston City, Illinois, founded in 1904. It is partnered with St. Joseph Parish in Marion under a single priest-administrator, Rev. Francis Tambala, and the two communities share ministries, bulletins, and pastoral staff. The parish gathers at 1103 Washington Street for Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. and has long been a fixture of Catholic life in the southern Illinois coal country of Williamson County.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Francis Tambala (Administrator; also serves partnered parish St. Joseph, Marion)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Paul is a welcoming 1904 Catholic community in Johnston City where parishioners can attend Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. and grow in faith through the Parish School of Religion, RCIA, Bible study groups, and pastoral council work. The parish shares staff and ministries with its partner parish, St. Joseph in Marion, so families have access to faith formation, youth ministry, choirs, and a wide range of lay ministries under one pastoral team. Its mission church legacy — Our Lady of Good Remedy in Stiritz — and its century-long Trinitarian heritage give the parish a deep sense of identity rooted in evangelization, stewardship, and community building.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday at St. Paul: 8:30–8:50 a.m.
- Saturday at St. Joseph, Marion: 4:00–4:30 p.m.
- By appointment with Fr. Francis Tambala
Parish Identity & Partnership
St. Paul Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Belleville in Johnston City, Illinois, established in 1904 and now partnered with St. Joseph Church in Marion. Together they form the St. Joseph – St. Paul Parish Partnership, sharing an administrator, Rev. Francis Tambala, and many ministries and staff. The shared website at stjoseph-stpaul.com carries the bulletin, schedules, and announcements for both communities.
- Established 1904
- Partnered Parish: St. Joseph, Marion (est. 1927)
- Diocese of Belleville
- Administrator: Rev. Francis Tambala
- Parish Secretary (St. Paul): Sandi West
History of St. Paul Catholic Church
St. Paul was founded in 1904 and for its first four decades was served by diocesan priests. In June 1945 the parish was entrusted to the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinitarian Fathers, O.SS.T.), beginning with Rev. Richard Toal. Under the Trinitarians the parish grew with a new pipe organ, a remodeled school and church, and the first U.S. shrine to Our Lady of Good Remedy, plus a mission church in Stiritz, Illinois. In 1989 the last Trinitarian father left, and the parish passed into the care of diocesan priests. From 1988 to 2015 Sister Catherine Welinghoff, ASC, served as Parish Life Coordinator and oversaw construction of the Parish Center, the purchase of additional parking, and the parish centennial in 2004. Today the parish is part of a partnership with St. Joseph, Marion.
- 1904 — first meeting to establish the parish
- 1945 — Trinitarian Fathers (O.SS.T.) assume charge; Rev. Richard Toal, first Trinitarian pastor
- 1947 — pipe organ dedicated in memory of WWII parishioners
- 1949 — Rev. Joseph Lupo, O.SS.T., pastor; school and church remodeled, first U.S. shrine to Our Lady of Good Remedy
- 1950 — Rev. Alberto Buratto, O.SS.T., pastor; mortgages on parish and mission cleared by 1953
- June 1, 1957 — last Mass in original wood-framed church
- July 16, 1958 — cornerstone of new church laid
- October 14, 1958 — new church dedicated (Blenko Glass windows, marble altar, sandstone walls)
- 1981 — Rev. Ignatius Estes, O.SS.T., closes the parish school
- 1988 — Sister Catherine Welinghoff, ASC, becomes Parish Life Coordinator; PSR established under Rev. Thomas Dymowski, O.SS.T.
- May 2002 — school building sold to Project ECHO
- 2004 — centennial celebration with Bishop Wilton Gregory
- 2005 — additional parking purchased north of church
- November 2007 — burning of mortgage for Parish Center
- July 14, 2015 — Sister Catherine retires
- 2015–2016 — Rev. Charles Anyaoku serves as administrator
- 2016+ — Msgr. Thomas Flach forms the Parish Partnership with St. Joseph, Marion
- August 1, 2018 — Rev. Brian Barker begins pastorate; installation Mass September 26, 2018
- Current — Rev. Francis Tambala serves as administrator
Architecture & Sacred Features
The present St. Paul Church was dedicated October 14, 1958, built by Eastern Construction Company of Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Its design drew on materials from across the region and a celebrated program of stained glass.
- Altar and communion rail of St. Genevieve Rose marble (Missouri)
- Walls of St. Meinard sandstone (Indiana)
- Hand-blown Blenko Glass windows depicting Abraham, the life of Christ, the Blessed Mother, the Seven Sacraments, and the Ten Commandments (originally $3,800)
- Pipe organ dedicated April 30, 1947, in honor of the parish's WWII dead
- Parish Center (former school, later reconfigured) used for PSR, RCIA, Bible study, Pastoral Council meetings, and Spaghetti Dinners
- Additional parking north of the church purchased in 2005
Parish Staff
The parish is led by administrator Rev. Francis Tambala with parish secretary Sandi West at the Johnston City office. Bookkeeping, faith formation, ministry coordination, and music are handled jointly with St. Joseph, Marion.
- Administrator — Rev. Francis Tambala
- Parish Secretary (St. Paul) — Sandi West, 618-983-5073
- Cindy Pulsford
- Bookkeeper (St. Paul) — Pat Restivo
- LaVerne Williams
- Randy Barton
- Coordinator of Parish Ministries (St. Joseph) — Cindy Yong
- Coordinator of Faith Formation and Youth Ministry / CRE (St. Joseph) — Angela Lees
- Choir Director (shared)
Faith Formation & Ministries
Faith formation is offered through the Parish School of Religion (PSR) and the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), both of which meet in the Parish Center. A shared youth ministry program and a parish choir are coordinated with St. Joseph, Marion. Small Christian Bible study groups and a Pastoral Council give parishioners ways to grow and lead.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
- Youth Faith Formation / Youth Ministry
- Choir / Choir Director
- Small Christian Bible Study groups
- Pastoral Council
- Fundraising Spaghetti Dinners with Country Store and Raffle
- Parish Partnership with St. Joseph, Marion (stewardship and evangelization)
Trinitarian Heritage & the Mission at Stiritz
From June 1945 through 1989, St. Paul was entrusted to the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (the Trinitarian Fathers). During that era the parish hosted the first Eucharistic Congress in Belleville (May 30, 1948, for the 750th anniversary of the Trinitarian Order) and founded the mission church of Our Lady of Good Remedy in Stiritz, Illinois. The first shrine to Our Lady of Good Remedy ever built in the United States stands at St. Paul, and Trinitarian devotions were once broadcast on local radio station WJPF from the church.
- Trinitarian Fathers (O.SS.T.) served the parish 1945–1989
- First U.S. shrine to Our Lady of Good Remedy
- Mission church of Our Lady of Good Remedy, Stiritz, Illinois
- Devotions broadcast on WJPF radio
Bulletin, News & Events
The bulletin — accessible from the parish homepage — is the authoritative source for the current weekday Mass schedule, holy day schedules, and parish events. The 'News and Events' page on stjoseph-stpaul.com hosts the bulletin, calendar, parish life stories, and photos for both St. Paul and St. Joseph.
- Weekly bulletin (PDF, posted on the parish website)
- Parish calendar
- Parish life news and photo galleries
- Virtual 'tour' of St. Paul Church linked from the homepage
Visit & Contact
St. Paul Catholic Church is located at 1103 Washington Street in Johnston City, Illinois. The parish office can be reached by phone; email addresses for staff and the administrator are listed on the Diocese of Belleville directory entry linked through the website.
- Address: 1103 Washington Street, Johnston City, IL 62951
- Phone: 618-983-5073
- Website: stjoseph-stpaul.com
- Mailing address: 1103 Washington Street, Johnston City, IL 62951
- Additional parking available north of the church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Richard Toal, O.SS.T.from June 1945
First Trinitarian pastor; took charge of the parish from diocesan clergy in June 1945.
- Rev. Joseph Lupo, O.SS.T.from 1949
Remodeled school and church; erected the first U.S. shrine to Our Lady of Good Remedy; devotions broadcast on WJPF; organized the 1948 Belleville Eucharistic Congress; founded the mission church of Our Lady of Good Remedy in Stiritz, Illinois.
- Rev. Alberto Buratto, O.SS.T.from 1950
Oversaw clearing of the parish mortgages by 1953 and the start of the new church project in 1957.
- Rev. Raphael Hollis, O.SS.T.
Fourth Trinitarian pastor; returned later to assist Father Estes.
- Rev. Celestine Quinn, O.SS.T.
Trinitarian pastor.
- Rev. William Kelly, O.SS.T.
Trinitarian pastor.
- Rev. Ignatius Estes, O.SS.T.1981
Made the difficult decision to close the parish school.
- Rev. Thomas Dymowski, O.SS.T.from 1988
Established the first Parish School of Religion (PSR).
- Rev. Ken Borgenson, O.SS.T.from 1989
Last Trinitarian Father to serve St. Paul.
- Msgr. Harry Jerome
Diocesan priest who followed the Trinitarians.
- Msgr. Paulin Dobrowski
Diocesan priest; conceived the idea of a new parish center, which he retired before completing.
- Sister Catherine Welinghoff, ASCJuly 1988 – July 14, 2015
Parish Life Coordinator for 27 years; oversaw the building and 2007 mortgage-burning of the Parish Center; oversaw the 2002 sale of the school to Project ECHO and the 2005 purchase of additional parking.
- Msgr. Kenneth Schaefer
Sacramental Minister; also Pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Herrin.
- Msgr. James Blazine
Sacramental Minister during Sister Catherine's tenure.
- Rev. Richard Mohr2009–2015
Sacramental Minister during Sister Catherine's tenure.
- Rev. Charles AnyaokuJuly 14, 2015 – August 2016
Appointed administrator by Bishop Edward K. Braxton; priest from the Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria.
- Msgr. Thomas Flach, VF
United St. Paul with St. Joseph, Marion, in a Parish Partnership; previously Vicar Forane; later retired.
- Rev. Brian BarkerAugust 1, 2018
Returned to the Belleville Diocese from the Augustinian Order in Tulsa, Oklahoma; installation Mass September 26, 2018; 25th ordination anniversary celebrated June 30, 2019.
- Rev. Francis Tambalacurrent
Current administrator of the St. Joseph – St. Paul Parish Partnership.