About St. Peter · South Beloit, Illinois
St. Peter Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in South Beloit, Illinois, belonging to the Diocese of Rockford. Located at 620 Blackhawk Blvd., the parish serves a diverse community with Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish every Sunday, along with daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, frequent confession times, and a robust network of ministries. The parish operates St. Peter's Catholic School (320 Elmwood Ave.) and supports a strong outreach to neighbors in need through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the 'Here For You' Perishable Foods Pantry.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Steven Sabo
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockford
Why belong here
St. Peter offers a warm, welcoming bilingual Catholic home on the Illinois–Wisconsin state line, with nine weekly Masses (four on Sunday), a Perpetual Adoration Chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, daily and Saturday confessions in English and Spanish, an attached Catholic grade school, and a notable outreach footprint. Parishioners encounter a rich ministry life — RCIA/OCIA, Altar & Rosary, Mary Undoer of Knots crochet/knitting circle, Knights of Columbus, EMAUS, A&R Sewing Group, Comunidad Misionera en Alianza, and the Here For You Food Pantry backed by the parish St. Vincent de Paul conference.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday — 7:30 AM (English, after 7:00 AM Mass)
- Thursday — 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Spanish, during Spanish Family Adoration)
- Friday — 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM (Spanish, before 6:30 PM Spanish Mass)
- Friday — 7:30 PM (Spanish, after 6:30 PM Spanish Mass)
- Saturday — 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM (English, after 8:00 AM Mass)
- Saturday — 3:45 PM to 4:45 PM (English)
- Saturday — 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM (Spanish, before 6:30 PM Spanish Mass)
- Saturday — 7:30 PM (Spanish, after 6:30 PM Spanish Mass)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration in the Sacred Heart of Jesus / Immaculate Heart of Mary Adoration Chapel (open daily)
- Thursday — 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Spanish family adoration, in the church)
About St. Peter Parish
St. Peter Catholic Church is a Diocese of Rockford parish serving South Beloit, Illinois, and the surrounding Roscoe / Beloit bilingual community. The parish was established in 1909 and built its present church in 1958–59. Today St. Peter offers nine Masses a week (including four on Sunday with one in Spanish), a complete perpetual adoration chapel, regular confession in English and Spanish, and an attached Catholic grade school.
- Parish established 1909
- Present church built 1958–59 (modified Romanesque, exterior Christ relief)
- Diocese of Rockford
- Address: 620 Blackhawk Blvd., South Beloit, IL 61080
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Steven Sabo, who arrived in 2024 from Christ the King Church in Wonder Lake, IL. He immediately committed to strengthening St. Peter's St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Knights of Columbus council, telling the Beloit Daily News that he saw his priestly ministry as 'coaching for Christ'.
- Pastor: Rev. Steven Sabo
- Recent administrator: Rev. Nicholas Federspiel (less than two years before reassignment)
- Past priests include Rt. Rev. Msgr. William G. McMillan (30 years until 1966)
Faith Formation & Catholic School
Parish faith formation runs for Grades 1–8 with sacramental instruction for Grades 2 and 7 (First Communion and Confirmation preparation). St. Peter's Catholic School (320 Elmwood Ave., South Beloit) is the parish's PreK–8 grade school, partnered with the parish for sacraments and school Masses.
- Religious Education / Faith Formation — Grades 1–8
- Sacramental prep — Grades 2 and 7
- RCIA / OCIA (English)
- RCIA en Español
- St. Peter's Catholic School — 320 Elmwood Ave., South Beloit
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a hallmark of St. Peter's life. The parish St. Vincent de Paul conference hosts the monthly First Wednesday food distribution, and a 'Here For You' Perishable Foods Pantry hands out milk, eggs, bread and fresh produce on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Didier Hall. The Knights of Columbus Council meets monthly, and longtime ministries such as A&R Sewing and Mary Undoer of Knots knit and sew for those in need.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — First Wednesday monthly food distribution
- Here For You Perishable Foods Pantry (Wednesdays 4:30 PM; Thursdays 12:00–4:00 PM, Didier Hall)
- Knights of Columbus (monthly meeting)
- Altar & Rosary (A&R) Sewing Group
- Mary Undoer of Knots Crochet/Knitting Ministry (Thursdays, 3:00 PM)
Spanish-Language Ministry
Recognizing the demographic shift in South Beloit and the surrounding Stateline-area parishes, St. Peter offers a robust Spanish-language ministry: a Saturday Vigil Mass in Spanish, a Sunday Spanish Mass, three weekly Spanish weekday Masses (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday Vigil), Spanish confession times before and after every Spanish Mass, weekly Spanish Family Adoration, and a Spanish-language RCIA process. The Comunidad Misionera en Alianza meets Friday evenings for community and formation.
- Spanish Vigil Mass Saturday 6:30 PM
- Spanish Mass Sunday 12:30 PM
- RCIA en Español (Wednesdays 6:30 PM)
- Spanish Family Adoration — Thursdays 7:00–8:00 PM
- Comunidad Misionera en Alianza — Friday evenings
Parish Life & Devotions
Beyond Mass and Adoration, St. Peter hosts a weekly calendar of faith and fellowship: Bible study on Tuesdays, a parish hall Prayer Chain, Prayers & Squares (a quilting ministry), the Spiritual Warfare Rosary, Stations of the Cross during Lent, the Soup Supper fellowship night, and ongoing catechetical events advertised in the parish bulletin and on FORMED (the parish's Catholic on-demand streaming platform).
- Morning Bible Study
- Spiritual Warfare Rosary (Wednesdays)
- Prayers & Squares quilting ministry
- Stations of the Cross / Soup Supper during Lent
- Bereavement & Grief Counseling
- FORMED Catholic streaming (English & Spanish sign-up)
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Peter at 620 Blackhawk Blvd., South Beloit, IL 61080, by phone at (815) 525-3400, or by email at [email protected]. The parish publishes weekly bulletins, online giving, a calendar of events, and Facebook updates; Catholic news is relayed through the National Catholic Register and links to the Diocese of Rockford, The Observer, El Observador, the USCCB, Vatican News and live-streamed Adoration at Marytown.
- Office: 620 Blackhawk Blvd., South Beloit, IL 61080
- Phone: (815) 525-3400
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: st-peter-church.com
- Facebook: /StPeterChurchSouthBeloitIL/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Nicholas Federspielrecently before 2024
Served as parochial administrator of St. Peter for less than two years before being reassigned by the Rockford Diocese; met Rev. Steven Sabo during seminary training.
- Rev. Steven Sabo2024–present
Arrived from Christ the King Church in Wonder Lake, IL, where he served six years; Rockford-area native, lifelong athlete; describes his mission as 'coach for Christ.'
- Rt. Rev. Msgr. William G. McMillanuntil retirement in 1966
Served St. Peter for 30 years; oversaw the construction of the present modified-Romanesque church in 1958–59.