About St. Rose of Lima · Metropolis, Illinois
St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Metropolis, the county seat of Massac County in extreme southern Illinois, serving the faithful along with its partnered parish of St. Patrick in Cairo. Established in 1872 — making it one of the oldest Catholic communities in the lower Ohio River region — the parish traces its spiritual roots back to 1702 and the Jesuit missionary Fr. Jean Mermet. Today the parish is administered by Rev. Michael Christopher Mugisa-Mujule and gathers for weekly Eucharist on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 8:30 a.m., with weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 a.m. It belongs to the Diocese of Belleville and its current church building has stood since its dedication in 1969.
- Established
- 1872
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Christopher Mugisa-Mujule (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Belleville
Why belong here
St. Rose of Lima offers a small, traditional Catholic community rooted in 150+ years of southern Illinois Catholic life, with daily weekday Mass (Tuesday–Friday at 8:00 a.m.), a Saturday vigil, and an early Sunday Mass that fits working and traveling schedules. The parish shares its pastor with St. Patrick in Cairo, ensuring consistent sacramental care for the lower Ohio River region, and it hosts a Parish School of Religion (in the former school building) for ongoing faith formation. Visitors are welcomed warmly — the bulletin, confession before Mass, and an open invitation to 'join us whether you are new to town, visiting, or just passing through' reflect the parish's identity as a hospitable, missionary outpost first evangelized in 1702.
Mass times at St. Rose of Lima
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Twenty minutes before each Mass
Welcome & Parish Identity
St. Rose of Lima Parish describes itself as 'a welcoming Catholic community worshiping together in the love of Jesus Christ,' with the scriptural motto 'Christ Loves You' from John 15:9. The parish explicitly invites anyone — new to town, visiting, or just passing through — to join in Sunday worship. The parish's Mission Statement frames the community as Roman Catholics 'in union with the Diocese of Belleville on a pilgrimage to God in response to the call of Christ,' committed to respecting the dignity of every person, developing an atmosphere of acceptance through prayer and reconciliation, recognizing the Lord Jesus through Scripture and the Eucharist, and inviting parishioners into active ministry.
- Parish motto: 'Christ Loves You' (John 15:9)
- Mission Statement emphasizes dignity of every person, prayer, reconciliation, Scripture, Eucharist, and active ministry participation
- Tagline on homepage: 'a welcoming Catholic community worshiping together in the love of Jesus Christ'
Parish History
Catholic life in Massac County is documented as far back as 1702, when Jesuit missionary Fr. Jean Mermet ministered at Fort de L'Ascension (later Fort Massac) to soldiers, settlers, and Native Americans of the Mascouten, Chickasaw, Shawnee, and Cherokee nations. The parish itself was formally established in 1872. The first church — a frame building — was constructed in 1894 for $1,400 plus donated materials and labor. St. Rose of Lima remained a mission until 1946, when the Diocese of Belleville assigned its first resident pastor. The current church was built in 1968 and dedicated in 1969. The parish marked its 151st anniversary with a special Mass in October 2023.
- 1702 — Fr. Jean Mermet brings Catholic worship to Fort de L'Ascension (later Fort Massac)
- 1872 — Parish formally established
- 1894 — First church (frame building) built for $1,400
- 1946 — First resident pastor assigned; mission status ends
- 1949 — St. Rose School opens, staffed by Sisters of the Adorers of the Most Precious Blood
- 1968 — Construction of the present church begins (May 1968)
- 1969 — Current church dedicated
- 1970 — St. Rose School closes after 20 years; building becomes PSR/parish center
- 2023 — Parish celebrates 151st anniversary
St. Rose School & Parish School of Religion
St. Rose School opened in 1949 and was staffed by the Sisters of the Adorers of the Most Precious Blood. After two decades of operation it closed in 1970. Rather than being sold or demolished, the school building was repurposed to serve the parish's ongoing formation needs: today it houses both the Parish School of Religion (the parish's religious-education program) and the parish center. Amy Rojas serves as the parish's Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE), overseeing faith formation in that building.
- 1949 — School opens under the Sisters of the Adorers of the Most Precious Blood
- 1970 — School closes after 20 years
- Today — building serves as Parish School of Religion and parish center
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Amy Rojas
Clergy, Staff & Pastoral Leadership
The parish is administered by Rev. Michael Christopher Mugisa-Mujule (also written 'Rev. Michael Chris Mujule' on the parish website), who serves as Administrator — the title used in the Diocese of Belleville directory because the parish is currently partnered with another parish (St. Patrick, Cairo) and shares clergy rather than having a sole Pastor. Amy Rojas serves as Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE), and Marilyn Barfield serves as Parish Secretary. The parish can be reached through the office phone, the rectory phone, the general parish e-mail, and Fr. Mujule's personal e-mail — all published on the parish Contact Us page.
- Administrator: Rev. Michael Christopher Mugisa-Mujule
- Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE): Amy Rojas
- Parish Secretary: Marilyn Barfield
- Office Phone: 618-524-8202
- Rectory Phone: 618-524-9006
- Parish E-mail: [email protected]
- Fr. Mujule's E-mail: [email protected]
Partnered Parish: St. Patrick, Cairo
The Diocese of Belleville formally partners St. Rose of Lima with St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cairo, Illinois — another historic Ohio River parish at the southern tip of the state. The two parishes share clergy (the Administrator serves both) and appear together in the Mass Schedule: Sunday Mass at St. Rose of Lima is 8:30 AM, while Sunday Mass at St. Patrick in Cairo is 11:00 AM. The shared pastoral model reflects the small but geographically spread Catholic population of the southern Illinois river region.
- Partnered Parish: St. Patrick, Cairo, IL
- St. Patrick Sunday Mass: 11:00 AM
- St. Patrick Rectory Phone: 618-734-2061
- St. Patrick Address: 312 Ninth Street, Cairo, IL 62914
- Shared clergy/Administrator: Rev. Michael Christopher Mugisa-Mujule
Diocese of Belleville
St. Rose of Lima is a parish of the Diocese of Belleville, the Catholic diocese that covers the southern portion of Illinois. The diocese maintains an official directory entry for St. Rose of Lima (at diobelle.org and dps.diobelle.org) listing the parish's establishment date of 1872, contact details, Mass times, partnered parish, and current clergy. The parish's own website identifies itself as 'a community of Roman Catholics in union with the Diocese of Belleville.'
- Diocese: Diocese of Belleville, Illinois
- Diocese Directory: diobelle.org/directory/parishes/st-rose-of-lima-metropolis
- Parish School of Religion records also noted in diocesan archives
- Parish established within diocese in 1872
Bulletin & Announcements
The parish homepage prominently references the parish bulletin as the primary channel for current information, including the schedule of Holy Day of Obligation Masses and other special announcements. Visitors are directed to consult the bulletin for up-to-date parish news. The parish also directs travelers to external Mass-finder tools (masstimes.org and thecatholicdirectory.com) for finding Catholic Mass times anywhere in the United States.
- Bulletin is the official channel for parish announcements
- Holy Day Mass times announced via bulletin and homepage
- External Mass-time resources referenced: masstimes.org, thecatholicdirectory.com