About St. Peter · Petersburg, Illinois
St. Peter Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the Menard County community of Petersburg, Illinois. The parish is part of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois and is currently pastored by Father Varghese Anthony Puthussery, S.A.C. — a Pallottine priest — who also serves the neighboring Holy Family Parish in Athens. The parish operates from its church and office at 711 South 6th Street, and is supported by a parish council, a Director of Faith Formation, a Music Coordinator, and a parish Prayer Line. According to the diocesan directory, the parish numbers roughly 518 parishioners in about 102 families, and its life centers on weekend and weekday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, devotions like the Rosary, Scripture Study, faith formation for children, and the Totus Tuus summer catechetical program. St. Peter is known locally for an active outreach postcard initiative inviting fallen-away Catholics and new families back to Mass.
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Maurice Yonta
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Why belong here
St. Peter offers the full rhythm of Catholic sacramental life — daily Mass on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, a Saturday Vigil Mass and Sunday morning Mass, and a generous confession schedule before each Mass — supported by a friendly small-town parish of about 102 families. The parish actively welcomes newcomers through its Scripture Study group (Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m.), Totus Tuus summer program for grades 1–12, an organized Prayer Line, and a parish-led postcard outreach that has already brought several new families into the pews. As Father Varghese puts it, the parish sees itself as a community where 'faith is not meant to be lived in isolation but in community, where we can support and uplift one another.'
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
- Tuesday 7:20 am – 7:50 am
- Wednesday 7:20 am – 7:50 am
- Friday 7:20 am – 7:50 am
About St. Peter Catholic Church
St. Peter Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, located at 711 South 6th Street in Petersburg, the county seat of Menard County. The parish serves approximately 518 parishioners across about 102 families, according to the diocesan directory. Mass is offered on weekends and on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, with a generous reconciliation schedule accompanying each Mass.
- Diocese: Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
- Address: 711 S. 6th St., Petersburg, IL 62675
- Phone: (217) 632-7118
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: petersburgcatholics.com
- Parish size: ~518 parishioners / 102 families
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by its pastor with the help of a small team of lay staff and a pastoral council. Day-to-day operations are managed by the Office Administrator, with separate coordinators handling faith formation, liturgical music, finance, and the parish prayer line.
- Office Administrator — Denise Moran
- Director of Faith Formation — Emily Wilson
- Music Coordinator — Ann Bova
- Finance Administrator — JD Stewart
- Prayer Line Coordinator — Meggann Bell
Parish Pastoral Council
A Parish Pastoral Council supports the pastor in the spiritual and temporal life of St. Peter. Council members listed on the parish website include Father Varghese Puthussery, Meggann Bell, Bettie Churchill, Tadgh Davis, Pat Heetel, Joe Meister, Louis Midiri, Erin Noel, J.D. Stewart, Mary Stewart, Robin Sullivan, Ty Turek, and Julie Wankel.
- Fr. Varghese Puthussery (Pastor)
- Meggann Bell
- Bettie Churchill
- Tadgh Davis
- Pat Heetel
- Joe Meister
- Louis Midiri
- Erin Noel
- J.D. Stewart
- Mary Stewart
- Robin Sullivan
- Ty Turek
- Julie Wankel
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation for children and families is directed by Emily Wilson, the parish's Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE). The parish also hosts Totus Tuus, the diocese's popular weeklong summer catechetical program, which brings teams of college-aged missionaries and diocesan seminarians to teach grades 1–12 through games, songs, skits, daily prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, and learning the Sacraments.
- Year-round Faith Formation / Religious Education (Director: Emily Wilson)
- Totus Tuus — Grades 1–6: Mon–Fri, 9:00 am–2:30 pm
- Totus Tuus — Grades 7–12: Sun–Thu, 6:30 pm–8:15 pm
- Family registration: $40 for families of 1–2 children; $80 for families of 3+ children
Devotions & Adult Faith Life
Beyond Mass, St. Peter offers a Tuesday morning Scripture Study group, weekly recitation of the Rosary before weekend Masses, and a parish Prayer Line coordinated by Meggann Bell. These devotions form the backbone of the parish's adult faith life and spiritual support for parishioners and newcomers.
- Scripture Study — Tuesdays 8:30 am at St. Peter Catholic Church
- Rosary — Saturday 4:00 pm and Sunday 7:30 am
- Prayer Line — contact Meggann Bell to submit prayer intentions
Evangelization & Outreach
In an effort to reach Catholics who have drifted from the Church and to invite new families in, St. Peter Parish partnered with neighboring Holy Family Parish in Athens on a postcard mailing initiative. The first two mailings reached more than 11,000 households within roughly a 50-mile radius and featured seasonal invitations (Advent, Lent, Christmas) with imagery such as the Divine Mercy image and the Nativity. At least six to eight new families have begun attending St. Peter as a direct result of the outreach. The postcards include QR codes and contact numbers that route prayer requests to the parish Prayer Line.
- Joint postcard outreach with Holy Family, Athens
- 11,000+ residents reached in initial mailings
- Seasonal messages (Advent, Lent, Christmas) with Mass times
- QR codes link to prayer-request intake
- Future mailings planned to a 30–40 mile radius
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. Peter is coordinated by Ann Bova, supported by parish musicians and cantors. The Music Ministry serves the parish's weekend Vigil, Sunday, and weekday Masses and is an integral part of the parish's liturgical life.
- Music Coordinator — Ann Bova
- Music provided for Saturday Vigil, Sunday, and weekday Masses
Contact, Office & Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Peter by phone at (217) 632-7118, by email at [email protected], or by visiting the parish office at 711 South 6th Street during office hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.). The parish encourages parishioners to share their time and talents, and a registration form is available on the parish website for new members of St. Peter or Holy Family.
- Phone: (217) 632-7118
- Email: [email protected]
- Office: 711 South 6th Street, Petersburg, IL 62675
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Online giving via PushPay available on petersburgcatholics.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Anthony Pilli
Listed as pastor on a community church directory for Petersburg (petersburgil.com)
- Father Maurice Yonta, S.A.C.
Pallottine pastor listed on the parish's former WordPress site (menardcatholics.wordpress.com)
- Rev. Varghese Anthony Puthussery, S.A.C.2024–present
Current pastor; also pastor of Holy Family, Athens; previously Parochial Administrator of St. John the Baptist, Arcola; Forty Martyrs, Tuscola; and Sacred Heart, Villa Grove (2023–2024).