About St. Valentine · Peru, Illinois
St. Valentine Catholic Church is a historic parish in Peru, Illinois, traditionally founded as the Polish national parish for the Illinois Valley mining community. Originally established in the early 1890s, its imposing Gothic edifice with its landmark steeple still rises over the town, a testament to the Christocratic spirit of its founding parishioners. Since December 1, 2024, St. Valentine has been united with neighboring St. Joseph and (formerly) St. Mary parishes to form St. Rose of Lima Parish under the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. The church at 1109 Pulaski Street remains an active worship site, offering a full schedule of weekday and Sunday Masses, Saturday confessions, and is one of the venues where the Traditional Latin Mass has historically been celebrated.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. Valentine of Rome
- Rector
- Father Gary Blake
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Why belong here
St. Valentine offers the deep spiritual richness of a historic Polish-Catholic church in the Diocese of Peoria, with a full sacramental schedule that includes a Saturday Vigil Mass, two Sunday Masses, daily weekday Masses, Saturday morning confessions, and a close partnership with the parish's Catholic school (the Academy of St. Carlo Acutis). As part of the newly formed St. Rose of Lima Parish, the church combines old-world reverence — its landmark Gothic steeple and Traditional Latin Mass heritage — with the active ministry of a contemporary Catholic community. Whether you are drawn to weekday Adoration and Benediction at the sister St. Joseph site, sacramental preparation, or the strong sense of family and tradition that has defined this congregation since the 1890s, St. Valentine offers a place to grow in faith in the heart of Peru, Illinois.
Mass times at St. Valentine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays, 8:30 – 9:30 AM at St. Valentine Church
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after the 8 AM Friday Mass at St. Joseph Church, with Benediction at 2 PM (sister site of the same parish)
Welcome to St. Rose of Lima Parish — St. Valentine Site
St. Valentine Catholic Church at 1109 Pulaski Street is one of two worship sites of the unified St. Rose of Lima Parish in Peru, Illinois, formed on December 1, 2024. The parish identifies itself as 'a welcoming, Christ-centered, spirit-filled and nurturing Catholic community that fosters the love of God, leads all into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, and builds the Kingdom of God in the heart of Peru, Illinois.' Whether you attend Mass at St. Valentine or at the sister St. Joseph site, you belong to one parish family.
- St. Joseph Site — Fifth & Schuyler Streets, Peru (815) 223-0718
- St. Valentine Site — 1109 Pulaski Street, Peru (815) 223-0315
- Mailing Address: 519 Sixth St., Peru, IL 61354
- Parish Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
History of St. Valentine Parish
St. Valentine was built in the early 1890s as the Polish national parish for Peru and the surrounding mining communities of the Illinois Valley. Its Gothic architecture was intended to embody the Christocratic spirit of the immigrant founders, and its towering steeple remains a Catholic landmark visible for miles. The parish has been recognized in the Catholic Directory for generations as 'St. Valentine Parish (Polish).' On December 1, 2024 it was united with St. Joseph and (formerly) St. Mary parishes into St. Rose of Lima Parish, but the historic church continues in active use.
- Founded as the Polish national parish of Peru, IL
- Year established: 1891 (Diocese of Peoria); GCatholic dates the church to 1892
- Originally built to express the 'Christocratic spirit' of the parishioners
- Longtime pastor Msgr. Richard Soseman died early December 2020
- Father Gary Blake appointed pastor of the three Peru parishes on January 20, 2021
- United into St. Rose of Lima Parish on December 1, 2024
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish welcomes those preparing to become Catholic through the RCIA / OCIA process and supports ongoing faith formation for children and adults. Sacramental preparation courses are offered for Baptism (parents and godparents), First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage.
- RCIA / OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
- Baptism preparation course for parents and godparents
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Marriage preparation
Catholic School — Academy of St. Carlo Acutis
The Academy of St. Carlo Acutis provides Catholic education in the heart of Peru, Illinois, with a focus on forming faithful citizens for tomorrow. The school is housed at the St. Joseph site and hosts a weekly School Mass on Thursdays at 9:00 AM when school is in session, which is open to the public.
- Academy of St. Carlo Acutis (K-8)
- Thursday School Mass at 9:00 AM (open to the public when school is in session)
- Located at the St. Joseph parish site
Traditional Latin Mass Heritage
St. Valentine Church is one of the historic venues in the Illinois Valley where the Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) has been celebrated. The Illinois Valley Latin Mass Society, with the blessing of Bishop Daniel J. Jenky, CSC, has held regular Latin Masses at St. Valentine and at the sister St. Mary Church in Peru, reflecting the parish's deep reverence for traditional Catholic worship and its historic role as a Polish-American Catholic center.
- Site of Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) celebrations
- Sponsored by the Illinois Valley Latin Mass Society
- Blessed by Bishop Daniel J. Jenky, CSC
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments. To arrange any sacrament, parishioners are encouraged to contact the parish office during regular business hours (Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM). In a medical emergency, the office phone connects callers to the priest on call.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (First Communion and ongoing)
- Penance / Reconciliation — Saturdays at St. Valentine 8:30–9:30 AM and St. Joseph 2:00–3:00 PM
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders (vocations supported through the diocese)
- Matrimony — arranged through the parish office
Visit, Contact & Directions
St. Valentine Church sits at the corner of Sixth and Pulaski Streets, one block north of US Route 6, in Peru, Illinois. The mailing address for the unified parish office is 519 Sixth St., Peru, IL 61354. Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed.
- Address: 1109 Pulaski Street, Peru, IL 61354
- Phone: (815) 223-0315
- Mailing Address: 519 Sixth St., Peru, IL 61354
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Sister site: St. Joseph Church, Fifth & Schuyler Streets, (815) 223-0718
- One block north of US Route 6
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Richard Soseman
Longtime pastor of the Peru parishes (St. Valentine, St. Mary, St. Joseph); died early December 2020.
- Father Gary Blake2021–present
Appointed pastor of St. Valentine, St. Mary, and St. Joseph parishes on January 20, 2021 by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC; retained as pastor when the parishes were united into St. Rose of Lima Parish on December 1, 2024. Continues as Vicar Forane of the LaSalle Vicariate.