About St. Rose of Lima · Rushville, Illinois
St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church is a small Catholic parish serving the Rushville area in west-central Illinois. Located at 319 North Franklin Street in Rushville — the seat of Schuyler County — it is canonically dated to 1873 and was designated a full independent parish by Bishop John B. Franz of Peoria on June 15, 1960. Today it is administered together with neighboring parishes in the Macomb area from the St. Hubert Parish office, and is one of the few places of Catholic worship in Schuyler County. The parish is named for the Dominican tertiary St. Rose of Lima (1586–1617), patroness of Latin America and the first person born in the Americas to be canonized.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- Father Marc Nkulu, SMA (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Peoria (administered together with St. Hubert Parish, Macomb)
Why belong here
St. Rose of Lima offers the rare opportunity to be part of a small, historic Catholic community serving all of Schuyler County plus Astoria and Woodland townships in Fulton County, where Sunday and weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic adoration, the sacrament of Reconciliation, and OCIA faith formation are regularly available. Parishioners are invited into every part of the liturgy as Eucharistic ministers, lectors, ushers, greeters, cantors, and altar servers, and a parish-wide Bible study is offered during Lent and other seasons. Welcoming visitors and returning Catholics alike, the parish combines a deep local heritage — going back to 1873 — with active participation and warm hospitality.
Mass times at St. Rose of Lima
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30–4:50 PM
- Sunday 7:30–7:50 AM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 8:00 AM (before the 8:30 AM Mass) — all are welcome to participate
Parish History
Catholic life in the Rushville area reaches back to 1838, when eight Catholic families were already here and were visited by missionary priests from St. Louis — among them the Jesuit founder Father Charles Felix Van Quickenborne, S.J. and Father George A. Hamilton, a relative of the future Peoria bishop. Construction of the first St. Rose church began in 1870 with funds raised by Father John LaMars of Macomb; the frame building (32 by 50 feet) was completed in 1872, and the land was deeded to the bishop of Chicago in August 1872. The first Mass in the new church was offered on Sunday, March 22, 1873 by Father Thomas Mangan of St. Paul's Macomb — the canonical date of establishment used by the Diocese of Peoria's centennial history (1977). For decades afterward the small community was served as an out-mission, first of older missions and from 1907 of St. Bernard's, Bushnell; full-time Sunday Mass did not resume until 1927.
- 1838: Eight Catholic families in Rushville, visited by Father Van Quickenborne, S.J.
- 1870: Construction of first frame church begins on W. Adams Street
- March 22, 1873: First Mass celebrated by Father Thomas Mangan
- 1877: Land and building transferred to Bishop John Lancaster Spalding of Peoria
- 1907: St. Rose designated out-mission of St. Bernard's, Bushnell
- 1927: Regular Sunday Mass resumes
- 1944: Interior remodeled; potbelly stove removed
- 1945: First episcopal visit by Bishop Joseph Schlarman (Confirmation, 28 candidates, October 21)
- 1952: Church remodeled again
Establishment as an Independent Parish (1960)
On June 15, 1960 — with about 30 families in the parish — Bishop John B. Franz of Peoria formally established St. Rose of Lima as a full, independent parish, ending its long status as an out-mission. The bishop appointed Father Louis M. Condon as the first full-time pastor and granted $10,000 toward the construction of a one-story rectory on the corner of N. Franklin and W. Adams streets, completed in 1962. Bishop Franz's vision was that every county seat should have the benefit of a resident pastor. Today the parish's territory covers all of Schuyler County plus Astoria and Woodland townships in Fulton County.
- June 15, 1960: Parish formally established by Bishop John B. Franz of Peoria
- Father Louis M. Condon named first full-time pastor
- Rectory completed 1962 on N. Franklin / W. Adams corner
Sacraments
St. Rose prepares parishioners for and celebrates all seven sacraments. Parents and godparents attend pre-baptismal meetings before infant baptism, usually at Sunday liturgy or Sunday afternoon. Couples must contact the pastor at least six months before marriage and complete the diocesan marriage preparation program. A communal Anointing of the Sick is celebrated at Mass about once a year; the sacrament is also available before surgery or during a hospital stay, and the rectory line is available for emergencies. The OCIA process welcomes inquirers and catechumens into the Catholic faith from September through April.
- Baptism — pre-baptismal meetings required
- Marriage — six months' notice and diocesan marriage prep
- Anointing of the Sick — communal once a year, plus on request
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, weekly September–April
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Rose is led by Religious Education Coordinator Bridgett Phillips. The parish continues the longtime CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) tradition that Dominican Sisters from Mt. Sterling (Springfield Congregation) helped lead before 1970, and now offers Religious Education classes for children, OCIA for adults, and a seasonal parish Bible study (e.g., a Wednesday Lenten study at 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM using 'No Greater Love' by Edward Sri, a biblical walk through Christ's Passion).
- Religious Education / CCD (Bridgett Phillips, coordinator)
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Parish Bible Study (seasonal, e.g., Lent)
Liturgical Ministries and Parish Groups
Parishioners of all ages are invited to share their faith through liturgical and parish ministries. Adults serve as Eucharistic ministers (with three-year recertification), lectors, ushers, greeters, and cantors; boys and girls in fifth grade and above may serve as altar servers. Long-running parish groups have included the Altar and Rosary Society (women's group), the Men's Club, the Catholic Youth Organization, Bible study groups, and the Knights of Columbus; parishioners are also active in civic and fraternal organizations throughout Schuyler County. Volunteers are regularly invited to step forward, and liturgical assignments are coordinated through Ministry Scheduler Pro.
- Eucharistic Ministers (re-certified every three years)
- Lectors, Ushers, Greeters, Cantors
- Altar Servers (5th grade and up)
- Altar and Rosary Society
- Men's Club
- Catholic Youth Organization
- Knights of Columbus
Visit Us — Location and Contact
St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church is located at 319 North Franklin Street, Rushville, Illinois 62681 — the county seat of Schuyler County in west-central Illinois. The parish office is administered from 309 W. Jackson Street, Macomb, IL 61455 (part of the St. Hubert Parish cluster). The parish office phone is (309) 833-2496, with email [email protected]. Parish office hours are Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–3:00 PM (CST).
- Church address: 319 N. Franklin Street, Rushville, IL 62681
- Parish office: 309 W. Jackson St., Macomb, IL 61455
- Phone: (309) 833-2496
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–3:00 PM
Our Patron — St. Rose of Lima
The parish takes its spiritual patronage from St. Rose of Lima (1586–1617), a Dominican tertiary from Peru who was the first person born in the Americas to be canonized (by Pope Clement X in 1671). She is the patroness of Latin America, of Peru, of gardens and florists, and is widely invoked against vanity. Bishop John B. Franz gave St. Rose of Lima as the parish's patroness when he formally established the parish in 1960, and the Dominican heritage of the parish continues through Father Richard E. Trutter, O.P., who has served as pastor since 1977. Her feast day is celebrated on August 23.
- St. Rose of Lima (1586–1617) — Dominican tertiary from Lima, Peru
- First person born in the Americas to be canonized (1671)
- Feast day: August 23
- Chosen as patroness by Bishop Franz in 1960
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Louis M. Condon1960–1962
First full-time pastor upon St. Rose's establishment as a full parish on June 15, 1960 under Bishop John B. Franz of Peoria.
- Father Robert E. Reynolds1962–1971
Second full-time pastor; oversaw complete interior renovation in 1963 per Vatican II and aluminum siding in 1971; coordinated the parish centennial liturgy on October 25, 1970.
- Father John C. Anderson1971–1973
Supervised addition of parish hall/CCD center to west of church and front porch (1972).
- Father William S. Harbert1973
Appointed pastor in 1973.
- Father Ronald C. Lievens1974
Interim administrator for a few months in 1974.
- Father James E. Rickey1974
Administrator from 1974; also continued to serve Catholics in Macomb.
- Father Henry M. Schubert1976–1977
In residence during 1976–77.
- Father Donnelly J. Fitzpatrick1976
Appointed administrator in 1976 while continuing as pastor of St. Bernard's in Bushnell.
- Father Richard E. Trutter, O.P.1977–present (at time of original history)
Dominican; came from campus ministry in Colorado Springs, CO; appointed pastor effective July 15, 1977. Author of the parish history. In 1980 oversaw purchase of a lot across Adams Street for future use.