About Timothy Barr · Freeport, Illinois
St. Joseph and St. Mary are two historic Catholic parishes in Freeport, Illinois, served as a single combined pastoral community from a shared parish office in the Diocese of Rockford. St. Mary Parish was founded in 1846 by Irish settlers and its current church was built in 1889 and dedicated in 1890; St. Joseph Parish was founded about sixteen years later, in 1862, by the German community who split off from St. Mary, and its present church was built in 1872. Together the parishes offer daily and weekend Masses in English and Spanish, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a parish school of religion directed by Ann Peters, and ministries such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Hispanic Ministry, and a beloved annual St. Mary Fish Fry. The current pastor is Rev. Fr. Matthew McMorrow, with Fr. Diego Ospina serving as priest for the Hispanic community.
- Established
- 1846 (St. Mary); 1862 (St. Joseph)
- Patron
- St. Joseph and St. Mary (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Matthew McMorrow
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rockford
Why belong here
St. Joseph and St. Mary welcome worshippers across two historic Freeport churches whose roots stretch back to Freeport's Irish (1846) and German (1862) Catholic communities, and today serve a bilingual congregation with Masses in English and Spanish. The parishes offer daily Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration (with Rosary and a Wednesday Healing Service), regular Confession in both languages, a parish School of Religion, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for those in need, and lively parish events like the St. Mary Fish Fry and the international St. Mary Fest. It's a place to belong whether you're a lifelong Freeport family or new to the area.
Mass times at Timothy Barr
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM at St. Joseph
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM at St. Joseph
- Tuesday 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM at St. Mary
- Wednesday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM at St. Joseph
- Thursday (Jueves) 6:00 PM at St. Mary (en Español)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 7:00 AM at St. Joseph with Rosary
- Wednesday 4:30 PM at St. Joseph with Healing Service
- Thursday 7:00 AM at St. Joseph with Rosary
- Friday 7:00 AM at St. Joseph with Rosary
- Saturday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM at St. Joseph with Rosary
Parish History & Heritage
Two historic Freeport parishes share one pastoral team. St. Mary was founded in 1846 by Irish immigrants; its present church was built in 1889 and dedicated in 1890. St. Joseph was founded about sixteen years later, in 1862, by German families who split off from St. Mary, and its current church was built in 1872. The parish marked the upcoming 150th anniversary of the St. Joseph church building in 2022, looking back on how much Freeport — and the country — has changed since the families who built it first arrived.
- St. Mary Parish founded 1846 by the Irish community
- St. Mary church built 1889, dedicated 1890
- St. Joseph Parish founded 1862 by the German community, who branched off from St. Mary
- St. Joseph church built 1872
- 150th anniversary of the St. Joseph church building observed in 2022
- Some founding families of St. Joseph still attend Mass today
About St. Mary
St. Mary is the older of the two parishes, founded in 1846 by Irish immigrants. The current church building was constructed in 1889 and dedicated in 1890. A unique point of pride preserved on the parish's About page: actor Spencer Tracy's aunt and uncle attended Mass here, and Spencer Tracy donated two stained glass windows in their honor. The parish invites visitors to find the windows on its virtual tour.
- Founded 1846 by Irish people
- Current church built 1889, dedicated 1890
- Spencer Tracy donated two stained-glass windows in honor of his aunt and uncle
- Virtual tour available on the parish website
- Mission: 'a people of prayer, worship, community, and service' proclaiming the redeeming love of Jesus Christ
About St. Joseph
St. Joseph Parish was founded in 1862, about sixteen years after St. Mary, by the German community who branched off from St. Mary Church. The current church building was built in 1872, only ten years after the parish's founding. Founding families still attend Mass here, and the parish describes its mission in the words of Luke 4:43 — to 'announce the good news of the reign of God' through the Eucharist, the other sacraments, the Gospel, and evangelization of neighbors near and far.
- Founded 1862 by the German community
- Current church built 1872
- Some original founding families still attend Mass here
- Mission grounded in Luke 4:43 — to announce the Good News of the reign of God
- Welcomes newcomers and serves those in need
Mass & Worship Schedule
The two parishes share a single bilingual worship schedule across both church buildings, with weekend Masses in English and Spanish and a full round of weekday Masses. The Saturday Vigil is at St. Joseph; Sundays include an 8:00 AM English Mass at St. Mary, a 10:00 AM English Mass at St. Joseph, and a 12:15 PM Spanish Mass at St. Mary. Weekday Masses rotate between the two churches, with a Wednesday evening Mass at St. Joseph and a Thursday evening Spanish Mass at St. Mary. Live Mass is also broadcast on Facebook.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM at St. Joseph (English)
- Sunday 8:00 AM at St. Mary (English)
- Sunday 10:00 AM at St. Joseph (English)
- Domingo 12:15 PM at St. Mary (Español)
- Mon/Tue 8:00 AM at St. Mary
- Wed 5:30 PM at St. Joseph
- Thu 8:00 AM at St. Joseph; 7:00 PM at St. Mary (Español)
- Fri 8:00 AM at St. Joseph
- Sat 8:00 AM at St. Joseph
- Live Mass streamed on Facebook
Our Priests, Deacons & Staff
St. Joseph and St. Mary are pastored by a small team of clergy and supported by an office staff. The current pastor is Rev. Fr. Matthew McMorrow, with Fr. Diego Ospina serving the Hispanic Community. Deacon John Wells assists at the parishes. The Director of Religious Education is Ann Peters; the Music Director is Mary Ann Hasenour; and Emily Morris serves as Secretary. The shared phone number is (815) 232-8271 with extensions for each role.
- Fr. Matthew McMorrow — Pastor (ext. 7)
- Fr. Diego Ospina — Priest for the Hispanic Community (ext. 6)
- Deacon John Wells
- Ann Peters — Director of Religious Education (ext. 5)
- Mary Ann Hasenour — Music Director (ext. 4)
- Emily Morris — Secretary (ext. 3)
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Parish School of Religion & RCIA
Faith formation for children and adults is led by Ann Peters, Director of Religious Education. The parish also runs an RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for those seeking to become Catholic, covering the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion).
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) for children
- RCIA — Become Catholic program for adults
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Director of Religious Education: Ann Peters (ext. 5)
Sacraments
The parishes celebrate all seven Catholic sacraments. Detailed guidance on Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Confession, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders is published under the Sacraments menu on the parish website. In 2016, Bishop David Malloy of the Diocese of Rockford joined Fr. Timothy Barr and Deacon Tom McKenna for a healing Mass and the Anointing of the Sick at Presence Saint Joseph Center in Freeport — illustrating the parish's active ministry to the homebound and hospitalized.
- Baptism
- First Communion
- Confirmation
- Confession (Reconciliation)
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- RCIA — Become Catholic
Hispanic Ministry
St. Mary is home to an active Hispanic Ministry supported by Fr. Diego Ospina, Priest for the Hispanic Community. The ministry offers a Spanish-language weekend Mass on Sundays at 12:15 PM and a Thursday evening Spanish Mass at 7:00 PM (with Confessions at 6:00 PM), and hosts regular Hispanic Ministry Meetings listed on the parish calendar. The ministry also helps organize cultural events like the international St. Mary Fest and the annual American/Mexican breakfast.
- Sunday 12:15 PM Spanish Mass at St. Mary
- Thursday (Jueves) 7:00 PM Spanish Mass at St. Mary
- Thursday (Jueves) 6:00 PM Confessions in Spanish
- Fr. Diego Ospina — Priest for the Hispanic Community
- Regular Hispanic Ministry Meetings
- Annual American/Mexican breakfast and bazaar
Outreach & Charity
The parishes run outreach through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which offers financial aid to those in need. Anyone seeking assistance is invited to call the St. Vincent de Paul conference directly at (815) 232-2555. The parishes also support the homebound and elderly in cooperation with local care facilities such as Presence Saint Joseph Center, where Bishop Malloy celebrated a healing Mass in 2016.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — financial aid line: (815) 232-2555
- Healing Mass and Anointing of the Sick celebrated for the homebound and hospitalized
- Annual rummage sale fundraiser with American/Mexican breakfast and Christmas bazaar
- Cooperation with Presence Saint Joseph Center nursing home in Freeport
Parish Events & Community Life
Beyond the regular worship schedule, the parishes are known for signature community events. The St. Mary Fish Fry runs on Friday evenings during Lent and is a beloved fundraiser; the parish website highlighted Fish Fry nights in March 2026. The annual St. Mary Fest is held close to the Feast of St. Mary and features international food, live music, bouncy rides for children, and fellowship — Fr. Timothy Barr was famously known for stirring the ribs at this event.
- St. Mary Fish Fry — Lenten Fridays
- St. Mary Fest — international food, music, and rides near the Feast of St. Mary
- American/Mexican breakfast and Christmas bazaar
- Rummage sale
- Hispanic Ministry gatherings
Music Ministry
Liturgical music for the parishes is coordinated by Music Director Mary Ann Hasenour, supported by cantors and instrumentalists for weekend and holy day liturgies across both church buildings.
- Music Director: Mary Ann Hasenour (ext. 4)
- Music for weekend Masses in English and Spanish
- Music for Holy Days and special liturgical seasons
Visiting, Bulletins & Staying Connected
Visitors and parishioners can stay connected through the parish website, weekly bulletins (downloadable as PDFs and sign-up-able via DiscoverMass for both St. Joseph and St. Mary), the parish's mobile app, live-streamed Mass on Facebook, and FORMED (Catholic Faith Online). The shared parish office, located at 229 W Washington Pl in Freeport, is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
- Website: stjosephstmary.com
- Bulletins via DiscoverMass (St. Joseph and St. Mary)
- Parish mobile app
- Live Mass on Facebook
- FORMED — Catholic Faith Online
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Timothy Barr
Served St. Mary and the Freeport Catholic community; referenced in the Journal Standard as 'Father Timothy Barr of St. Mary's in Freeport' (2016). Previously pastor of Immaculate Conception, Fulton and St. Patrick, Albany.
- Fr. Howard Barch2009–2010
Served as pastor of St. Joseph and St. Mary parishes in Freeport (2009–2010) per the Diocese of Rockford's Observer; also chaplain for Freeport Police, Freeport Fire, and Stephenson County in 2010.