St. Sebastian

History of St. Sebastian Parish

St. Sebastian Catholic Church traces its origins to 1858, when Catholic families in and around Waverly organized under the spiritual care of priests traveling out from Springfield. Father John Janssen — who would later become Bishop of Belleville — began visiting the community in January 1859 and offered the first Masses in the home of Mr. John Haugh. By the fall of 1860 the congregation had grown large enough that on October 26, 1860 the foundation of a new church was laid; the building was ready in time for Christmas Mass that same year. The parish has maintained continuous Catholic worship on the Waverly site ever since, and in 2023 was recognized by the Illinois State Historical Society's Sesquicentennial House of Worship Awards Program for 165 years of faithful presence. Today it shares pastoral ministry with three neighboring parishes as one of the four Quad Parishes of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

• Founded 1858
• First Masses in Waverly: January 1859, in the home of John Haugh
• First church building ready for Christmas Mass 1860
• 2023 Illinois State Historical Society Sesquicentennial House of Worship recognition

Quad Pastoral Unit

St. Sebastian is one of four parishes in the Quad Pastoral Unit (sometimes 'Quad Parishes') of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. The other three are St. Mary's of New Berlin, Sacred Heart of Franklin, and Visitation BVM of Alexander. The four parishes share priests, a parish secretary/bookkeeper, and a common mission statement. A single shared parish office in New Berlin handles scheduling, sacramental records, bulletins, and communication for all four communities.

• St. Mary's — New Berlin, IL
• Sacred Heart — Franklin, IL
• St. Sebastian — Waverly, IL
• Visitation BVM — Alexander, IL
• Shared office: 306 E. Birch St., P.O. Box 20, New Berlin, IL 62670

Quad Parish Mission Statement

The four parishes have adopted a shared mission statement that orients all parish life: 'We, the members of the Quad Parishes, consisting of St. Mary's of New Berlin, Sacred Heart of Franklin, St. Sebastian of Waverly, and Visitation BVM of Alexander, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, are committed to be disciples of Jesus through baptism in the Roman Catholic tradition. We will strive to make Christ more visible in our lives, our communities, and the world, through worship, serving others, and proclaiming God's Word. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to share the love of God, with our time, talent, and treasures, in order to make our parishes a place for all who love God to call home.'

Clergy & Staff

St. Sebastian is served through the shared pastoral leadership of the Quad Parishes. The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois Diocesan Pastoral Directory lists Rev. Thaddeus Adukus as Pastor of St. Sebastian. The Quad Parishes website and the parish's 2023 Sesquicentennial application list Father Ron (Ronnie M.) Lorilla as Parochial Administrator, residing at St. Mary's in New Berlin. Parish administrative work is handled by Stacey Belcher, Secretary / Bookkeeper.

• Rev. Thaddeus Adukus — Pastor
• Father Ron (Ronnie M.) Lorilla — Parochial Administrator (residence: St. Mary, New Berlin)
• Stacey Belcher — Secretary / Bookkeeper

Mass & Worship Schedule

Within the Quad Parishes, St. Sebastian hosts one of the two Saturday Vigil Masses (5:45 p.m.) and one weekday Mass (Friday at 8:00 a.m.). The other weekend Masses rotate among the partner parishes. The full weekly schedule is published on the Quad Parishes website and in the parish bulletin.

• Saturday Vigil — 5:45 p.m. at St. Sebastian, Waverly
• Saturday Vigil — 4:00 p.m. at Visitation BVM, Alexander
• Sunday — 8:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart, Franklin
• Sunday — 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary's, New Berlin
• Weekday: Monday 8 a.m. (Visitation); Tuesday 5:30 p.m. (St. Mary's); Wednesday 8 a.m. (Sacred Heart); Friday 8 a.m. (St. Sebastian)
• Holyday Masses — contact the parish office

Parish Life & Ministries

Despite its small size, St. Sebastian and the Quad Parishes offer a wide variety of ways to be involved — liturgical, service-oriented, and devotional. The parishes encourage parishioners to read the weekly bulletin and check the parish calendar, since Mass times, events, and ministry schedules do rotate across the four churches.

• Liturgical ministries — Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Ushers/Greeters, Altar Servers
• St. Vincent de Paul Society
• Homebound visitation
• Food pantry volunteering
• Youth ministry
• Men's and women's parish groups
• Annual parish bazaar

Sacraments

All seven sacraments are available through the Quad Parishes, with preparation programs that draw families from across the four congregations. Confirmation is celebrated by the Bishop, typically at one of the parishes in the unit.

• Baptism — preparation through the parish office
• First Holy Communion — family catechesis via the Quad Parishes faith formation program
• Confirmation — celebrated by the Bishop; renews baptismal promises and confers the gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Matrimony — contact the parish office for marriage preparation
• Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
• Penance (Reconciliation) — see confession schedule

Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

St. Sebastian is one of the parishes of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, whose diocesan bishop at the time of the parish's 2023 Sesquicentennial application was the Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki. The diocese covers the southern portion of the state of Illinois and coordinates sacramental records, priestly assignments, and the Bishop's schedule of Confirmation visits across all its parishes — including the four Quad Parishes in Morgan County.

• Diocese: Springfield in Illinois
• Diocesan bishop (as of 2023): Most Rev. Thomas John Paprocki
• Latin (Roman) Rite

Visiting & Contact

St. Sebastian is located at 265 E. Elm Street in Waverly, Illinois (ZIP 62692, Morgan County). The mailing address and shared parish office for all four Quad Parishes is 306 E. Birch Street, P.O. Box 20, New Berlin, IL 62670. Office hours are Monday and Thursday 8:30 a.m.–Noon, and Tuesday and Wednesday 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

• Church address: 265 E. Elm Street, Waverly, IL 62692
• Mailing / office: 306 E. Birch St., P.O. Box 20, New Berlin, IL 62670
• Phone: (217) 488-3545
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.quadparishes1.org/stsebastian